Special Reports Archive

After being hemmed in by recession, cash flow problems and costs, a venerable lion of West Coast food and drug retailing is roaring again. 


Offering a holistic approach to health is the goal of K-VA-T Food City stores, integrating pharmacy, food and good living.


To this end, last spring the chain launched NuVal, a nutritional scoring system that helps consumers make better food choices. The system was launched in all stores, and according to Don Clark, VP pharmacy services, it’s doing very well. 


You can’t be all things to all people, but you can be all things to one person. That’s the opportunity Giant Eagle is grabbing with the number of ways the Pittsburgh food-and-pharmacy retailer interacts with patients. 


“Our goal is to help those within our communities live healthier, longer lives,” Dan Donovan, Giant Eagle spokesman, told Drug Store News. “We look to do this in a number of ways … [through] initiatives, such as our health and beauty care business, in-store retail health clinics and our group of skilled dietitians.”


A weak job market and enduring housing challenges in Florida weren’t enough to derail the onward march of Publix last year as the state’s leading supermarket chain expanded its total store count, grew same-store sales and ended the year with record results. 


Pharmacy sales at Weis Markets increased 2.2% in 2010 vs. 2009 thanks in part to strong cough-cold sales over the year and the expansion of its pharmacy-based immunization program to most stores; Weis currently boasts 180 pharmacists who are certified by their respective boards of pharmacy to administer vaccines, the grocer reported. 


While the economic downturn battered retailers across all channels, new pharmacy services and a new state-of-the-art pharmacy system has helped regional player Kinney Drugs weather the storm.


Pharmacy retailers always are looking for ways to leverage the resources they have in order to attract customers, whether they’re drug stores, supermarkets or mass merchandisers. One supermarket operator is using its gas stations to bring customers to the counter.


Navarro Discount Pharmacy, the largest 
Hispanic-owned pharmacy retailer in the United States is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. And it is on an aggressive growth track as it enhances its service offerings and looks to open as many as 21 new stores over the next three years.