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DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday announced its acquisition of the prescription files and inventory from 33 Kmart pharmacies in 16 states.

Walgreens will purchase the pharmacy patient files and transfer them to nearby Walgreens pharmacies, the company stated.

Walgreens completed the acquisition of the first pharmacy's prescription files and inventory Jan. 27 in Rice Lake, Wis. Acquisition of the other Kmart prescription files and inventory is subject to certain customary terms and conditions, and is anticipated to happen throughout February.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday evening named 25-year veteran Robyn Peters group VP managed market sales, where she will lead all sales and account management activities in the company’s employer, health systems, health plans, government and small and individual payer segments, along with client retention, expansion programs and sales operations for Walgreens. Peters will report to Jeff Berkowitz, Walgreens SVP pharmaceutical development and market access.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer announced Friday some structural changes to its business, including the appointment of a chief operating officer, a newly created position.

Meijer said its EVP merchandising and marketing J.K. Symancyk will serve in the new role. Symancyk will report Meijer president Mark Murray.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Within the first week of 2012, Walgreens signed 125,000 patients to its Prescription Savings Club. By the second week, that number had blossomed to 200,000 patients and subsequently exploded to 500,000 new signees by the middle of week No. 4. You don't need a math whiz with a degree in economics to chart the direction this is headed.

MINNEAPOLIS — Just a few weeks after unveiling the locations of its first 24 stores in Canada, Target released an expanded list of stores that will debut in 2013.

The stores listed included two in Alberta, two in British Columbia, 29 in Ontario and one in Saskatchewan. Additional details can be viewed here.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has announced the names of 50 schools that were selected to receive a $100,000 grant to purchase much-needed resources and improve their learning environments. The $5 million donation from Target to K through 12 schools in 31 states across the country is part of the company’s commitment to education, which includes plans to give $1 billion for education by the end of 2015.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — CARA B Natural Products, a maker of ethnic personal care products, has just launched its collection of all-natural skin and hair care products formulated especially for ethnic babies and children in Target stores across the country.

LOS ANGELES — Kroger banners Ralphs and Food 4 Less are raising funds to support children's hospitals.

The chains' children's hospital fundraising campaign will run from Jan. 29 to May 19. Ralphs will support children's hospitals in Southern California, while Food 4 Less will raise funds for children's hospitals in Southern California, southern Nevada and the greater Chicago area. The supermarket chain's Foods Co Division also is collecting donations for children's hospitals in central and northern California.