WALGREENS

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday rounded out the pharmacy purchasing team led by Jeff Berkowitz, who joined Walgreens in the fall as SVP pharmaceutical development and market access. The team reporting to Berkowitz includes Walgreen veterans Frank DeStefano, Mike Bleser and Mike Allen, as well as newcomers Jeff Foreman and Gary Gleeson.

Following are the responsibilities each will be covering:

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — "Try the brand of health-and-wellness products our pharmacists recommend," reads a new ad from Walgreens that hit Sunday papers this past weekend, extolling the virtues of the Walgreens store brand. This should serve as a wake-up call to the vendor community — particularly, over-the-counter manufacturers — that retailers are putting a greater emphasis on private label than ever before.

NEW YORK — Walgreens is in the process of introducing a wide-scale national campaign that has its pharmacists recommending Walgreens store-brand products in favor of national brands, the New York Times reported Thursday.

The new ad campaign, an extension of Walgreens' “There’s a Way” campaign introduced last year, will mark the first time the company is promoting its private-label offerings beyond the Sunday circulars and in-store point-of-purchase material.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Take Care Health Systems announced Thursday that through April 30, the retail clinic operator will be offering sports and camp physicals for $35. The physicals, regularly $60, are administered by board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants at select Walgreens locations.

MINNEAPOLIS — In the wake of Walgreens' Big Flats 1901 entry, Supervalu recently introduced its “high quality, low price” private-label American lager, Buck Range Light.

Buck Range Light, which retails for about $5.99 for a 12-pack, will roll out in Supervalu banners nationwide, including Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Cub Foods and more.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — It seems that Wegmans is sprucing up its in-store cafés throughout Pennsylvania with a new pilot program that lets customers have their wine and drink it too.

According to a report by the Morning Call, Wegmans recently added a wine-by-the-glass feature at its Allentown store, where customers can purchase white and red wines with a prepaid card at a cost of $6 to $10 for a 5-oz. glass. Also available are half glasses for half the price, as well as $1 to $2 samples.

DUSSELDORF, Germany — Henkel's Got2b hair care brand is bringing to the U.S. market its Powder'ful volumizing styling powder.

The Got2b Powder'ful volumizing styling powder is formulated with virtually weightless microparticles designed to help texturize the hair's surface, giving hair root lift in 10 seconds. Shake the powder onto dry hair to give hair an immediate volume boost.

The product will be available in March at Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Ulta and Meijer locations for $5.99.

NEW YORK — "The Colbert Report" on Wednesday hosted a segment “Tip of the Hat; Wag of the Finger” that featured — and poked a little fun at — Walgreens’ private-label beer Big Flats 1901.

The American lager is so named as an homage to the flat boats that traveled rivers delivering goods to early settlers.

Walgreens' 50-cents-per-can beer is brewed by Genesee Brewery, which has been brewing Genesee beer in Rochester, N.Y., since 1878.