Chain Drug Review back issues from September 2008:
New day dawns at Rite Aid.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BALTIMORE -- Rite Aid Corp. convened its annual trade show here two weeks ago. Against all expectations and probabilities, despite all forecasts, the event was by all accounts the most impressive, exciting, productive and uplifting in the decade during ...
Two stellar chief execs speak out.(My Turn)(CVS Caremark Corp. mergers with Longs Drug Stores )
Sep 01, 2008; ... Here are some of the comments CVS Caremark Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Tom Ryan made on a recent conference call following the announcement of the intended acquisition of Longs Drug Stores by CVS: "We entered southern California in 2004, organically. Then we ...
Mastrian brings illustrious chain drug career to close.(News)(Jim Mastrian)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Closing out a career in chain drug retailing that has spanned more than four decades, Jim Mastrian has retired as special adviser on corporate strategy at Rite Aid Corp. An architect of Rite Aid's acquisition and assimilation of Brooks Eckerd Pharmacy, Mastrian ...
CVS readies beauty format.(News)(CVS Caremark Corp.)
Sep 01, 2008 ... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Continuing to expand the horizons of chain drug retailing, CVS Caremark Corp. this year will debut a high-end beauty format. Called Beauty 360, the concept will debut in the Northeast by the end of December, with a second pilot probably opening on the West ...
NACDS raises the flag for retail Rx industry.(News)(National Association of Chain Drug Stores)
Sep 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SAN DIEGO -- Optimistic over the future yet realistic about the challenges that await, National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson urged attendees at the NACDS Pharmacy and Technology Conference to adopt ...
Medi-Cal cuts put on hold.(News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... LOS ANGELES -- A federal judge last month ordered a temporary halt in the state's 10% reduction in Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, saying that state lawmakers passed the measure without considering the impact the cuts would have on the healthcare providers participating in the program. ...
Dissenting view on CVS/Longs deal heard.(News)(Longs Drug Stores Corp.)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- Two of the largest shareholders at Longs Drug Stores say they think CVS Caremark Corp.'s takeover offer does not reflect the full value of the company. Despite the 32% premium CVS Caremark is willing to pay Longs shareholders, Advisory Research Inc. and the hedge ...
Armbuster takes reins at Navarro.(News)(Navarro Discount Pharmacies appointed Lee Armbuster)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... MIAMI -- Navarro Discount Pharmacies has named Lee Armbuster its new chief executive officer, replacing Marcio Cabrera. Earlier this year Armbuster came to Navarro as its chief operating officer. An industry veteran, Armbuster was previously president of Supervalu Inc.'s Shop 'n ...
CMS gives Part D high marks.(News)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... WASHINGTON -- The Medicare prescription benefit program is working, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). As the Medicare Part D program enters its fourth year, CMS says beneficiary satisfaction rates are high, program costs are lower than originally ...
Lalla takes on key lob at Katz.(News)(Ron Lalla)(Katz Group Canada Ltd.)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MISSISSAUGA, Ontario -- Katz Group Canada Ltd./Rexall has appointed Ron Lalla to the newly created position of business transformation leader and chief technology officer. Lalla joins Katz Group Canada from Corporate Express, where he was ...
Cal. pedigree rule to be delayed.(News)(California, United States)
Sep 01, 2008 ... SAN DIEGO -- Chain drug retailers and their partners in the pharmaceutical supply chain could be granted four additional years to create an electronic tracking system for prescription drugs in California. State legislators have passed a bill--which at presstime awaited the ...
Pharmasave gets a little greener.(News)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Pharmasave Drugs is replacing all of its plastic checkout bags with biodegradable and recyclable alternatives. The program--the first among Canadian pharmacies--began during the week of July 21 at all 400 Pharmasave outlets across Canada. According ...
Sales of supplements to surge.(Supplier News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- The downturn in the economy will have little effect on the sale of nutritional supplements, a new study from Packaged Facts Inc. shows. According to the study, "Nutritional Supplements in the U.S.," the market for vitamins, minerals, homeopathics and herbals will ...
Pankow, who ran brokerage, dies.(Supplier News)(Peter Pankow)(Pankow Associates)(Obituary)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Peter Pankow, who built his home-based sales agency into one of the industry's largest brokers, died last month at his home here. He was 88. Pankow and his partner Allen Hirschfield started what would eventually become Pankow Associates in 1957. Over the ...
Energizer extends battery line.(Supplier News)(Energizer Holdings Inc.)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ST. LOUIS -- Energizer Holdings Inc. has introduced a new line of lithium batteries for high-drain devices and a line of mercury-free hearing aid batteries. Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries are designed for use with such electronic devices ...
Kellogg strengthens management team.(Supplier News)
Sep 01, 2008 ... BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- John Bryant has been promoted to chief operating officer of Kellogg Co. The company also announced a number of other promotions. Bryant had been executive vice president, chief financial officer and president of Kellogg North America. He joined the company ...
Gurka named VP at Garcoa.(Supplier News)(Dennis Gurka)(Garcoa Labs)(vice president)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... CALABASAS, Calif. -- Dennis Gurka, a 20-year veteran of the health and beauty care business, has joined Garcoa Labs as vice president of marketing and sales. One of the largest full-line, private label personal care suppliers in the country, Garcoa provides mass market retailers ...
Airborne reaches settlement with FTC.(Supplier News)(United States. Federal Trade Commission)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... WASHINGTON -- Airborne Inc. has settled a false advertising complaint by adding $6.5 million to funds it agreed to pay following a related class-action lawsuit. Under the settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, consumers who bought Airborne products between 2001 and 2008 ...
Duane Reade stays on the right track.(Business)(Financial report)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- Steady sales growth, positive gross margin trends and the reduction of some expense categories enabled Duane Reade Inc. to make continued progress in reducing its net and operating losses while growing adjusted FIFO EBITDA by double digits in the second quarter of fiscal 2008. ...
Outlook for fiscal '08 tweaked.(Business)(Financial report)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- After posting solid improvement for the quarter and the first half, Duane Reade's management reaffirmed its prior fiscal 2008 guidance for adjusted FIFO EBITDA in a range of $90 million to $95 million, but lowered its target for net retail sales to between $1.7 billion and ...
Despite 10% earnings gain, Supervalu is cautious.(Business)(Financial report)
Sep 01, 2008 ... MINNEAPOLIS -- Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2009 rose almost 10% at Supervalu Inc., but continued sales weakness in its retail food segment, the company's largest business, prompted management to revise its full-year earnings guidance downward (see accompanying story). Wall ...
Earnings projections for year are scaled back.(Business)(revenue report)(Financial report)
Sep 01, 2008 ... MINNEAPOLIS -- Despite a healthy jump in first quarter earnings, Supervalu trimmed its fiscal 2009 earnings guidance, citing weaker consumer spending and skyrocketing energy costs. The company's share price consequently hit a 52-week low of $25.88 before recovering somewhat to close at ...
McKesson profits flat while sales advance 8.9%.(Business)(revenue report)(Financial report)
Sep 01, 2008 ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Weaker operating results at its Technology Solutions segment diluted an impressive outing by the core pharmaceutical distribution business and kept bottom-line growth essentially unchanged at McKesson Corp. in the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Results still surpassed Wall ...
Results improving at drugstore.com.(Business)(Financial report)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... BELLEVUE, Wash. -- Drugstore.com, inc. recorded double-digit growth in sales and adjusted EBITDA, as well as a narrower net loss for the three months ended June 29. The Internet retailer pared its second quarter deficit by 24.6% to $2.27 million, or 2 cents per share, from $3.01 ...
Despite gains, test of Rx is just beginning.(My Turn)
Sep 01, 2008; ... The considerable distance traveled by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the industry it represents during the past 12 months came into sharp focus at the recent NACDS Pharmacy and Technology Conference in San Diego. Having convened in Boston a year earlier under ...
The beauty care equation.(THE MARKET)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Chain drug retailers not only are holding their own against competition in mass beauty but are actually gaining ground, for a number of reasons. From skin care to color cosmetics to hair care, the beauty aisles and skin care centers ...
Drug chains ready new store formats.(THE MARKET)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- While it might seem counterintuitive, sales of prestige beauty items are performing better in a struggling economy than mass market lines, and chain drug retailers have noticed. With that in mind, not only are drug stores offering more upscale beauty brands, but a ...
Retail innovation.(the market)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The boundaries of skin care merchandising continue to be extended with innovative concepts and products from North American chain drug retailers. Canada's Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM), for example, this fall will debut a small-format store with an ...
Healthy, beautiful skin is a necessity.(the market)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The sliding economy may make some beauty categories expendable, but skin care is not among them. "When it comes to the pursuit of youthful skin, there's no sacrificing," says one chain drug category manager. "Women may be willing to give up certain beauty indulgences, but skin ...
Consumers get some pointers.(the market)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Rite Aid Corp. and CVS Caremark Corp. have done their part this summer to educate consumers about skin cancer prevention. Rite Aid and the Skin Cancer Foundation partnered to raise awareness about skin cancer and to offer free information on the importance of smart skin care ...
Aging process impacts skin care needs of women.(the market)
Sep 01, 2008 ... A woman's skin care needs change as she moves through life. Experts have made a number of suggestions on the steps a woman can take at different points in her life to ensure that her skin remains vital and healthy. Among the more interesting suggestions is that during ...
Segmentation will continue to accelerate.(the market)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Skin care is already a very segmented category, and if trends in the upscale side of the business are any indication, mass market skin care is about to become even more segmented. Recently, for instance, two suppliers unveiled skin care lines aimed at very specific audiences. ...
Beauty heavyweight sets ambitious agenda.(the market)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Although the skin care sector in mass market outlets is already crowded with dozens of players across a wide variety of segments, Coty Inc. feels there is always room for one more. The company has big plans for its line, executives say. Best known for fragrances and color ...
There's progress in fight against signs of aging.(facial)
Sep 01, 2008 ... No beauty category is hotter than facial skin care. According to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), dollar sales of facial antiaging products in drug stores rose 10.2% for the 12 months ended July 13, while sales of facial cleansers rose 2.3%. The most advanced skin ...
Exclusive lines now a priority at drug chains.(facial)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... With the lure of hefty margins associated with exclusive items, an increasing number of chain drug retailers are offering proprietary lines in face and skin care to their beauty shoppers. For instance, CVS Caremark Corp. is now carrying Amderma Cellular Renewal Emulsion on its ...
Genetics may be at root of one problem.(facial)(Survey)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Rosacea, a chronic disorder of the facial skin that affects an estimated 14 million Americans, may be linked to genetics, according to a recent survey by the National Rosacea Society. The survey reveals that more than half of the rosacea patients studied had a relative who also ...
Drug stores in an enviable position.(facial)
Sep 01, 2008 ... As the population ages, antiaging products steadily grow in demand. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Older Americans are more affluent than the general population, and the fact that the over-50 population in the United States is growing by 2.5% each year bodes well for sales of ...
Men get their due.(hand & body)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Because of subtle differences in the makeup of men's and women's skin, suppliers have created a lucrative niche with skin care items formulated specifically for men. One of the most active skin care companies in this segment over the years has ...
Science keeps things moving ahead.(hand & body)
Sep 01, 2008 ... The hand and body segment of the skin care market continues to be driven by intense research and product innovation. Suppliers in the segment regularly incorporate the latest skin-nourishing ingredients into their formulations to meet the growing demands of consumers for ...
Environmental damage responsible for much premature aging of skin.(hand & body)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... While consumers spend millions of dollars and countless hours tending to their faces, all but about 4% of the skin covering one's body is elsewhere. And that skin is equally susceptible to damage from aging or the elements, marketers say. Although sales for facial antiaging ...
Promos do the trick.(hand & body)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hand and body lotions have become an anchor for the skin and beauty care assortments of chain drug retailers. The segment has therefore emerged as one of the most highly promoted areas of skin care, with retailers prominently merchandising the ...
Beauty advisers make a difference.(hand & body)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... As chain drug stores continue to enhance their skin care selections with more upscale products, on-site beauty advisers are playing a more prominent role in drawing shoppers into these departments. Research has shown that educating consumers about which products are right for ...
Organic poised to be next big thing.(natural/organic)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Until recently, sales of organic skin care products were mostly limited to specialty stores. While the natural side of skin care has already become widespread across a variety of channels, organic skin care is just on the verge of going mainstream, those in the industry say. ...
Natural alternatives.(natural/organic)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Because an increasing number of consumers are finding that some of the perennial mass market skin care brands have an adverse effect on their skin, demand has grown for products formulated solely with natural and organic ingredients. ...
Right ingredients are a must.(natural/organic)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Organic and natural skin care products are not only more healthful but also more effective than those formulated without natural or organic ingredients, those in the industry say, adding that this is especially true of organics. Marketers of these products claim that organically ...
Where health, beauty come together.(therapeutic)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Therapeutic skin care products are ideal for the chain drug mix because they clearly combine elements of health and beauty aids. Products for dry skin, acne or scars serve as treatments for skin problems while also enhancing one's appearance. To that end, drug chains can ...
Therapeutic, natural aren't mutually exclusive.(therapeutic)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Natural products are all the rage in the therapeutic skin care segment, according to retailers and suppliers. "That whole natural category is exploding," says Scott Gorley, president of Perfecta Products Inc., manufacturer of Zim's Crack Creme herbal skin care products. "We want ...
Skin exams touted.(therapeutic)(Neutrogena Partnership )(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Actress Malin Akerman has been tapped by the Neutrogena Partnership for Skin Health to educate consumers in a viral video about self-examination for skin cancer detection. The video, starring Akerman, shows a couple performing skin self-checks ...
Acne sufferers have viable options at their disposal.(therapeutic)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Consumers of acne treatments are especially important to drug chains because of their age and impressionability. "Acne tends to afflict adolescents, and they're at the age when it can seem like a crushing blow--and when they're just deciding on their shopping loyalties," says a ...
'An important clinical advance'.(therapeutic)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Seeking to respond to unmet dermatologic needs, Allergan Inc. has acquired QLT Inc.'s Aczone (dapsone) gel 5%, a topical treatment for acne. "Aczone Gel 5% is the first new chemical entity approved by the FDA for the treatment of acne in several years and represents an ...
New web site encourages teenagers to seek right treatment for acne.(therapeutic)(AcneHeroes.com)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dermik Laboratories, a business of drug manufacturer sanofi-aventis, has launched AcneHeroes.com to educate teens and parents about acne and provide skin care tips. In connection with the launch, sanofi-aventis U.S., the maker of BenzaClin ...
Chains pull out all the stops.(COSMETICS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- Given the dual realities of a struggling economy and tepid color cosmetics sales, it is more vital than ever for chain drug retailers to increase their share of the pie versus competitors in the category. Drug chains are going about ...
Accessories integral part of the business.(COSMETICS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- Cosmetics bags and accessories are becoming an increasingly important part of the cosmetics category. The newer items in this segment take inspiration from trends around the world, and a growing selection of such fashion-forward items are now available from the ...
Eye makeup remains bright spot.(BEAUTY CARE/COSMETICS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- The eye segment continues to buck the lethargy in the color cosmetics category with steady gains, driven by breakthrough technology. According to Information Resources Inc., dollar sales of eyeliner jumped 9% in drug stores for the year ending July 13, 2008, while ...
Diversity is the order of the day.(BEAUTY CARE/COSMETICS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- The face of America is changing, as evidenced by everything from the multicultural images on television screens to the complexion of a presidential candidate. Nowhere is this evolution more apparent than in the color cosmetics aisles of chain drug stores, as ...
Rimmel unveils new mascara.(What's New)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Coty Inc.'s Rimmel brand has introduced Glam Eyes Mascara, which is said to deliver volume, definition and length ...
Halloween treat from Markwins is in the offing.(What's New)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Markwins International is poised to launch Fantasy Makers Hauntingly Hip Kits just in time for Halloween. The ...
Milani debuts liquid makeup.(What's New)(Milani Cosmetics)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Milani Cosmetics has introduced Glo Natural Brush-On Liquid Makeup, an illuminating, oil-free foundation. The product is ...
Wrigley plans flavored lip balm, glosses.(What's New)(Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. has struck a licensing agreement with cosmetics company Lotta Luv to develop lip balms and glosses flavored ...
Revlon signs spokeswoman.(What's New)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Revlon Inc. has announced that Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Connelly has been signed to represent the brand. "Jennifer Connelly is a modern, dynamic and intelligent woman," says Revlon president and ...
Del prepares to introduce Metro Metals.(What's New)(Del Cosmetics launches Metro Metals Runway Trend Collection)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... Del Cosmetics' NYC New York Color is poised to launch the Metro Metals Runway Trend Collection, which complements fall fashions with rich colors and metallic finishes. [ILLUSTRATION ...
Makeup artists hit retail scene.(BEAUTY CARE/COSMETICS)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- A number of chain drug retailers are having celebrity makeup artists visit their stores to attract cosmetics shoppers. For example, the Duane Reade Inc. store on Fifth Avenue and 34th Street in New York City recently featured Carmindy, from the hit TLC television ...
Time right for mass fragrances.(BEAUTY CARE/COSMETICS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NEW YORK -- While the fragrance business is going through a rough patch, mass fragrances have an opportunity to shine. "The mass channel is well positioned in a challenging economy," says a spokeswoman for Elizabeth Arden. She notes ...
A new kind of makeup for modern women.(BEAUTY CARE/COSMETICS)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- Natural is in, healthy is in, and mineral makeup is in. "This is a new kind of makeup for today's modern female," says Lisa Yarnell, president and chief executive officer of Jane & Co. Mineral makeup now comprises 16% of the entire face category and is ...
Cosmetics marketers take note of Hispanic consumers.(BEAUTY CARE/COSMETICS)(Survey)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2008 ... NEW YORK -- Until fairly recently the Hispanic population in the United States was more or less neglected by marketers, but with the Census Bureau reporting that Hispanics constitute the fastest-growing ethnic group in America, this period of neglect has come to an end. Within ...