News Briefs

Rina Shah has assumed the role of senior vice president, of Pharmacy of the Future and Transformation at Walgreens.

Shah brings 25 years of experience with community-based care to deliver the future of pharmacy in health care and broaden pharmacist capabilities through consumer-centric, technology-enabled clinical services that improve health outcomes and lower the cost of care. In her current role, she leads a team that is responsible for core elements of the retailer's operating pharmacy model, including centralized services, micro-fulfillment, pharmacy administration and compliance, the company said.

“Rina began her career at Walgreens in 1998 in our stores where she held various pharmacy roles. In 2007, Rina joined the corporate support center where she held multiple leadership positions in which she was responsible for launching innovative healthcare initiatives, leading market access sales operations and client services, and was responsible for pharmacy operations, services and specialty across more than 9,000 Walgreens’ community pharmacies. Rina was critical in the COVID-19 pandemic response with the enablement of vaccinations, testing and treatment services across the Walgreens enterprise,” Walgreens said. 

Shah is actively involved with the UIC College of Pharmacy, APhA, NASP, the CDC and NACDS. In addition, she presently serves as chair of the NACDS 2023 Advisory Group and was re-elected to the NACDS Foundation board of directors.

Rite Aid is entering the beauty space with its own beauty and personal care brand, Ryshi. 

The exclusive collection of products was designed to offer items with better-for-you ingredients at an accessible price point, the retailer noted. 

Products of the Ryshi family include vegan lashes, hydrogel eye and sheet masks, sunscreen, body washes, and razors, among other every day and self-pampering essentials. 

“For years, customers have turned to our Rite Aid brands for trusted, affordable items and we’re excited to introduce them to Ryshi, a brand that reflects our ongoing commitment to make cleaner ingredients and offerings widely available for everyone,” said Pamela Kohn, senior vice president, chief merchandising officer at Rite Aid. “Created to ‘let the real you shine through’ we hope that Ryshi users feel empowered with confidence to be the best version of themselves with a little help from our products.”

Through 2023, Ryshi plans on expanding its offerings, and the line is currently available in-store and online at Rite Aid.

Pride Month is here and Yankee Candle is celebrating with the launch of not one, but two new candle fragrances that were created through a partnership with Friday Collective.

Love for All and Free to Be spotlight the work of the international LGBTQI+ organization Rainbow Road, which helps individuals seek safety throughout the world and support those who face persecution.

Free to Be is a fragrance that contains a blend of greens, rain drops, rose petals and wood moss. It retails for $12.99 and is available at Target.

Love for All features a sparkly and brightly inspired fragrance with notes of deep mineral aura that is filled with peony, driftwood and amber. It retails for $26.50 and is available for purchase at Amazon, Meijer and Yankee Candle.

There’s a new product from Versed hitting shelves — Total Package Replenishing Body Lotion Mineral SPF 30.

Made to help users upgrade their daily skin care routines, this new launch contains nourishing emollients and free radical fighting antioxidants, the company said.

Featuring vitamins and antioxidants from grapeseed oil, the lotion offers restorative moisture from cupuaçu butter, hydrating benefits from sodium pca and mineral SPF 30 from non-nano zinc oxide.

With packaging made from 50% post-consumer recycled materials, Versed’s new Total Package Replenishing Body Lotion Mineral SPF 30 is available for purchase at versedskin.com for a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Lucky Charms is adding a bit of mysticism to its cereal with a brand-new collaboration.

The brand is debuting its limited-edition Lucky Charms Hidden Dragon cereal, in which, with a splash of milk, the white marshmallows are transformed to reveal new the true colors of the new charms—a yellow dragon, pink dragon, dragon egg and flame.

“Using our brand’s first-ever marshmallow-revealing technology, we’re bringing the magic associated with Lucky’s charms to life,” said Mindy Murray, senior marketing communications manager at General Mills. “Every year we unveil more of Lucky's amazing adventures, and we’re excited to introduce his new charms as he continues to explore the Magical Forest and uncover new powers.”

Consumers can find the Lucky Charms Hidden Dragon cereal available at retailers beginning in June for a suggested retail price of $5.69.

Caress recently launched new, innovative packaging across its portfolio and three new product scents – Rejuvenating Mango & Almond Oil, Soothing Aloe Vera & White Poppy Body Wash and Refreshing Raspberry & Pink Pepper Body Wash.

To spotlight those innovations with consumers, Caress looked to engage with them in a new way, landing on a marketing tactic it had never done before: a physical pop-up experience.

The outcome was a three-day, immersive experience held in April in downtown Houston. It welcomed more than 2,000 attendees, according to the company.