News Briefs

Giant is set to open a new store and fuel station in Salisbury Township, in Allentown, Pa. 

The new location, which is set to be approximately 68,000 sq. ft., is a redevelopment of a vacated section within the South Mall Shopping Center. Upon completion, the company’s current store and fuel facility located at 3015 West Emmaus Ave. in Allentown will close. 

“After 35 years at our current location on West Emmaus Ave., it’s time to grow our store footprint and move a little further up the road,” said John Ruane, president of Giant. “A larger and updated store will allow us to offer our Allentown area families the latest amenities while underscoring our commitment to providing our customers with great value, the best quality and friendly service they’ve come to expect from Giant.”

Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in 2025 subject to obtaining all of the necessary permits and approvals. Specific store amenities and employment opportunities, as well as opening dates, will be shared at a later date.

Currently, Giant operates seven stores and employs more than 1,400 team members in Lehigh County.

The Senate Finance Committee released a new package of legislation that includes additional policies to reform pharmacy benefit managers, a longstanding priority of the National Community Pharmacists Association. The committee, which is led by Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), voted on Nov. 8 on the proposal. 

The new package includes provisions requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to define contract terms and conditions that are “reasonable and relevant” under Medicare Part D and force PBMs to comply while creating a process for pharmacies to report problematic contract terms or potential violations, which is a positive step. NCPA also appreciates that Congress sees the need to propose new solutions to protect patient access to essential pharmacies in underserved areas, which NCPA said it is still reviewing. 

“PBM reforms are essential before it’s too late—not only for independent pharmacies, but also the patients who rely on them,” said Douglas Hoey, CEO of NCPA. “Congress has a lot of important work to do, but providing relief from PBM-insurer practices will benefit millions of patients and must not get punted. NCPA is grateful to Sens. Wyden and Crapo and the Finance Committee for continuing to push on this and are eager to help these changes get across the finish line.” 

There’s a new mascara hitting shelves from CoverGirl. 

The Lash Blast Cleantopia Ultramarine Mascara, which uses a plant-powered formula, is new to the brand. It contains Ultramarine pigments for an intense black color with a hint of blue made to make eyes pop. 

The mascara is designed to give the appearance of brighter and more wide-awake-looking eyes and contains a formula that aims to leave lashes feeling conditioned and provide up to 302% more volume than bare lashes, the company said. 

The mascara contains aloe leaf extract, ceramides and sustainably sourced rainforest maracuja oil. The product will launch with a campaign that features spokesperson and country music star Kelsea Ballerini. 

CoverGirl’s new Lash Blast Cleantopia Ultramarine Mascara retails for $13.99. 

Walgreens recently launched two new affordable and innovative product collections that help protect the skin’s barrier and improve hydration without compromising quality, efficiency or creativity.

The new offerings include:

• The Modern Expressions Head-to-Toe Masks ($3.99-$5.99) feature 16 new face-to-toe masking solutions like eye goggles, chest firming masks and foot treatments, that contain premium ingredients to exfoliate rough and dead skin cells, even skin tone and brighten complexion, encourage skin elasticity and luminosity and so much more.
• The Walgreens Brand Acne Patches ($10.99) feature 3 patches for the body, nose and face. It’s made with hydrocolloid gel which absorbs fluids such as oil and pus from pores and protects the skin as it heals by keeping out dirt and debris that can interfere with the process.

Known for its duo of chocolate and peanut butter, Reese's brand is introducing a game-changing addition to the candy aisle: Reese's Caramel Big Cup.

The Reese's brand is adding a gooey layer of caramel to the peanut butter cup in a Big Cup format for the first time ever.

"Next to peanut butter, caramel is the most requested combination with chocolate—and while Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are already perfect, ask, and you shall receive," said Emily Stover, Reese's senior associate brand manager. "As the experts in chocolate and peanut butter deliciousness, we know what our fans want, and we're delivering on that with the Reese's Caramel Big Cup."

Starting Nov. 17, consumers nationwide can enjoy standard and king-size packages of the brand-new Reese's Caramel Big Cup.
 

GNC has opened a new flagship store located in the Terminal Strip District in Pittsburgh. 

Designed with an elevated and interactive shopping experience in mind, the location carries the retailer’s science-backed products, as well as sports performance supplements, weight loss solutions and other wellness items, the company said. 

“Our flagship store is a reflection of GNC’s rich history and commitment to Pittsburgh,” said Nate Frazier, chief operating officer at GNC. “As part of our focus on creating a cutting-edge omnichannel experience through a customer-centric lens, we are proud to bring this seamless shopping approach to provide exceptional products and solutions that help our customers Live Well.”

Located at 1918 Smallman Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222, the store is the retailer’s 21^st location in the Pittsburgh area, bringing its total storefront count in the nation to 2,313.