Top Retailers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — H. D. Smith, the fourth-largest national pharmaceutical wholesaler, on Tuesday named Mark de Bruin to the post of corporate VP managed care.

In his new position at H. D. Smith, 29-year industry veteran de Bruin will be responsible for the company's third party network, creating and maintaining an alliance of prescription and healthcare service providers.

Overdrive.


Increasingly, chains that traditionally have not been major forces in food retailing are making bigger commitments than ever to fresh — including meat, produce and dairy — in an effort not only to help solve the nation’s growing health crisis and expand Americans’ access to nutritious food options, but also to create new reasons for customers to shop their stores.



WASHINGTON — In a move that not only shed more light on how to battle the $300 billion problem of medication nonadherence but also helped to raise consumer awareness on the importance of adherence, CVS Caremark convened its first-ever national forum in late May.


CINCINNATI — Kroger at its family of stores this past weekend extended its Honoring Our Heroes campaign, an initiative designed to benefit the United Service Organizations.

Kroger's yearlong initiative is expected to raise $1 million to support the USO's mission to support our troops, their families and veterans. This past weekend, Kroger invited customers to donate spare change to the USO via in-store specially marked coin boxes. The funds raised support the programs and services the USO provides to service members and their families, Kroger said.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Same-store sales at Rite Aid increased by 1.8% in June, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

During the four-week period ended June 25, front-end sales were up 1.5% over the same period last year, while pharmacy sales increased by 1.9%, including a reduction of about 163 basis points due to new introductions of generic drugs.

Total drug store sales for the month increased 1% to $1.93 billion, compared with $1.91 billion in June 2010.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Does Family Dollar's expansion of health and beauty items, which contributed to its overall inventory growth during the third quarter, and Ulta's plan to create men's grooming boutiques within most of its nearly 400 stores mean a new competitive threat for drug stores?

(THE NEWS: Inventories swell as Family Dollar boosts beauty. For the full story, click here.)

AMSTERDAM — Ahold has tapped retail veteran James McCann to serve in the newly created role of chief commercial development officer.

McCann, who most recently served as executive director for Carrefour France and a member of Carrefour's group executive board, will focus on developing new and innovative ways to serve customer needs, build customer loyalty and broaden Ahold's offering. He also will be responsible for leading Ahold's e-commerce initiatives and will strengthen the company's online business globally.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Somehow, someway, Walgreens will be the first to figure out how to beam a prescription right into a patient's medicine cabinet "Star-Trek" style. Because as sure as the chain's e-commerce president Sona Chawla is to Walgreens as Scotty is to the USS Enterprise, Walgreens is moving at light speed in monetizing and capitalizing on multichannel retailing. And the chain hasn't even got its multichannel engines really revved yet.