Top Retailers

MINNEAPOLIS — The president of Shoppers Food and Pharmacy will transition to a new role, parent company Supervalu announced Tuesday.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid has closed an offering of new debt from which it plans to generate funding for a buyback of older debt, the retailer said Tuesday.

Rite Aid announced the closing of its offering of $421 million in senior notes with a 9.25% interest rate and due in 2020. The company plans to use money from the offering to buy back 9.375% senior notes due 2015. As of Monday night, $296.3 million worth of the old notes had been put up for sale.

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. — A weight management products and services provider is bringing its items to retail.

Nutrisystem announced the retail debut of its Nutrisystem Everyday product line at Kroger. Available in bars, smoothies, bakery and breakfast items, each product delivers low fat and calories, and is a good source of fiber and protein, the company said.

CHICAGO — MinuteClinic, which is owned by CVS Caremark, announced on Monday that it has joined a coalition of organizations dedicated to raising diabetes awareness among families on Chicago's South Side.

The coalition is working with Perspectives Charter School Calumet Campus to educate, screen, diagnose and, if needed, provide follow-up care to any student diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday launched its national Retail Employees with Disabilities Initiative, an in-store training program designed to help people with disabilities gain retail and customer service skills, that works closely with community organizations and vocational rehabilitation agencies to train and develop candidates.

Another similar initiative at Walgreens distribution centers resulted in 10% of the workforce being made up of people with disabilities at all levels across all 20 DCs. The company hopes to see the same success with REDI.

CARLISLE, Pa. — Giant Food Stores collected nearly 3 tons of unused medications during a nationwide medication take-back day last month, the chain said.

Giant, owned by Dutch supermarket operator Ahold, said it and its Martin's Food Markets banner collected 5,843 lbs of unwanted and expired medications at 43 of its stores during the April 28 take-back event, doubling the amount collected last year.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid category manager Paul Margeson has resigned, a company spokeswoman said.

Rumors surfaced last week that Margeson, who managed the pain care, gastrointestinal, smoking-cessation and upper-respiratory categories for the Camp Hill, Pa.-based retail pharmacy chain, had resigned.

"We thank him for his contributions to the company," Rite Aid spokeswoman Ashley Flower told Drug Store News, adding that the company intends to fill the position.

NEW YORK — Consumers gravitate toward traditional pharmacies for their everyday health-and-wellness needs, according to the "2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend" survey released Monday. Among retail pharmacy operations, Walgreens enjoyed the greatest brand equity among consumers based on top consumer scores in "familiarity" and "purchase consideration" categories. Overall, Walgreens' brand equity was tabulated at 69.9, CVS/pharmacy came in at 67.4 and Rite Aid 62.5.