K-VA-T’s holistic method fuses health, Rx

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. 


“We feel a responsibility to the people who shop in our stores and eat the products they buy from us,” Clark said. “We felt NuVal made it easy for the customers to understand the nutritional content of the foods they eat.”


The pharmacy also is a vital part of Food City’s health-and-wellness plans, Clark said.


“Our pharmacist is always in our stores ready to answer questions on healthy living plans and helping patients with information not only on their medications, but also on the way they live and eat,” Clark explained.


Food City also has a registered dietitian and a nurse whose title is director of healthy initiatives, both of whom were hired with the goal of helping customers live a healthy lifestyle. Both have worked very closely with the NuVal system, as well as with local doctors and health centers.


“We want our customers to be healthy because healthy people live longer, and they’ll shop our stores for more time. We recognize that as a [corporate] citizen, we want to be the destination that people seek out, understanding that when they go to Food City, we have alternatives that will help them live a healthy lifestyle,” Clark pointed out.


Every one of Food City’s pharmacies also has a pharmacist who is registered to provide immunizations — anything from shingles to tetanus and flu vaccines — throughout the year. 


Customers of Food City’s pharmacies can join a prescription discount club that offers $4 generics and discounts on around 5,000 drugs. It also allows customers to earn discounts on over-the-counter medications on select diabetic products. “It’s a real saver for people that don’t have insurance or are underinsured,” Clark said.