KROGER

GUILFORD, Conn. — ScarAway announced that two drug wholesalers now will carry its over-the-counter scar care products.

Few supermarkets make health and wellness as central to their business as Hy-Vee, a West Des Moines, Iowa-based chain.

In December 2010, the chain announced it would become one of a number of retailers — including Kroger and Safeway — to participate in Pharmacy Saver, a new program offered in collaboration with UnitedHealthcare, the country’s largest Medicare Part D insurer. The program was launched, in part, as a response to the Humana Walmart-Preferred Rx Plan, launched in late September 2010.

Publix routinely makes strategic moves to enhance the customer experience in the pharmacy and health-and-wellness arena that are rooted in the customer service mindset that has made its supermarkets so popular.

Last fall the company introduced a new larger, triangular-shaped pill bottle that is designed to be easier to open. While the pill bottle redesign didn’t go as far as the award-winning program Target introduced a few years back, the move underscored the fact that Publix is a pharmacy innovator.

The nation’s largest supermarket chain wants a bigger share of the U.S. pharmacy and wellness market. To get it, Kroger is brandishing a growing arsenal of health and preventive services, and burnishing its image for value and convenience at the prescription counter.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Thursday beat analysts’ quarterly consensus, posting 46 cents in earnings per share (adjusted for a goodwill impairment charge) that exceeded consensus by 2 cents EPS, with a higher-than-expected identical-store sales lift of 3.8% (excluding fuel).

Same-store sales were particularly strong across natural food, bakery and deli/meat, Kroger chairman and CEO David Dillon told analysts during a conference call. “We were particularly pleased by sales growth in our drug and merchandise departments,” Dillon said.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Walgreens has won recognition from a company that designs medication therapy management programs.

Walgreens, which has invested heavily in their MTM programs, was named the top national chain by Outcomes Pharmaceutical Health Care’s MTM network.

Other honorees included Kerr Drug, Kroger and Supervalu, which were saluted for MTM services provided at one of their respective stores.

LOS ANGELES — A Kroger banner based in Los Angeles has kicked off a charitable campaign to benefit children's hospitals based in Southern California.

Ralphs on Monday said it is raising funds through its nonprofit, The Ralphs Fund, by asking customers and associates to donate their spare change in collection canisters located at Ralphs checkout stands.

Southern California children's hospitals that will benefit from the charitable fundraising drive include:

• Children's Hospital of Orange County;

CINCINNATI — Kroger is highlighting immunization against the flu this season on the company's website.