Content about food

August 17, 2012
Better health doesn't just happen at Walgreens, it happens through Walgreens

Even just a few years ago, this kind of collaboration between a healthcare group and a drug store around a comprehensive food nutrition education program probably wouldn't have happened. Truth be told, it really isn't happening today. And that's because Walgreens isn't a drug store. Walgreens is a health and daily living solutions store.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Even just a few years ago, this kind of collaboration between a healthcare group and a drug store around a comprehensive food nutrition education program probably wouldn't have happened. Truth be told, it really isn't happening today. And that's because Walgreens isn't a drug store. Walgreens is a health and daily living solutions store.

August 17, 2012
Consumer channel surfing has dollar channel and club riding bigger waves

Consumers shop as many as seven retail channels in pursuit of the best value, SymphonyIRI Group reported Wednesday.

CHICAGO — Consumers shop as many as seven retail channels in pursuit of the best value, SymphonyIRI Group reported Wednesday.

August 17, 2012
Generics contend in PPIs

Procter & Gamble’s Prilosec OTC still is the best-selling antacid on the market, with more than $252.7 million in annual sales for the 52 weeks ended July 8 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), followed by fellow proton-pump inhibitor Novartis’ Prevacid 24HR ($104.1 million).


Procter & Gamble’s Prilosec OTC still is the best-selling antacid on the market, with more than $252.7 million in annual sales for the 52 weeks ended July 8 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), followed by fellow proton-pump inhibitor Novartis’ Prevacid 24HR ($104.1 million).


Both of those antacid heavy hitters are losing dollar share to their generic-
equivalent competitors, however, leaving GlaxoSmithKline’s venerable Tums brand as the largest growth brand within antacids ($91.3 million in sales, up 2.5%).


August 17, 2012
Innovation and education shine

With summer officially under way, it comes as little surprise that sales of sun care products rose during the most recent 12 weeks available from SymphonyIRI Group.

With summer officially under way, it comes as little surprise that sales of sun care products rose during the most recent 12 weeks available from SymphonyIRI Group. Product innovation and greater consumer education on how to protect skin from the sun’s harmful rays also helped fuel growth.


According to SymphonyIRI Group, sales of suntan lotions and oils rose more than 2% to $388.67 million during the 12 weeks ended July 8 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart).


 

 

August 17, 2012
Plethora of probiotics
 entering market

The recent launch of a number of new probiotic products from several large suppliers should be a boon to the popular digestive-support supplement.

The recent launch of a number of new probiotic products from several large suppliers should be a boon to the popular digestive-support supplement, sales of which were up 16.5% to $169.2 million for the 52 weeks ended July 8 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data.


August 17, 2012
Report: Collegiate millennials shaping culinary trends

Packaged Facts and CCD Innovation, a San Francisco-based strategic food and beverage innovation agency, have unveiled a report that explores the culinary behaviors or preferences of collegiate millennials, those consumers ages 18 years to 22 years.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Packaged Facts and CCD Innovation, a San Francisco-based strategic food and beverage innovation agency, have unveiled a report that explores the culinary behaviors or preferences of collegiate millennials, those consumers ages 18 years to 22 years.

August 17, 2012
Stars heat up external analgesics

Showing up on CVS shelves is Mission’s Maximum Strength Muscle Rub touting its “athlete-engineered, arnica enriched” formulation.

Showing up on CVS shelves is Mission’s Maximum Strength Muscle Rub touting its “athlete-engineered, arnica enriched” formulation. The new external analgesic rub joins a category that is trending up 3% to $70.4 million in sales across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart) for the 52 weeks ended July 8, according to SymphonyIRI Group data. 


August 17, 2012
Stone cold pain relief

Johnson & Johnson Consumer earlier this summer put the freeze on pain with the launch of its Bengay Zero Degrees line extension, an external analgesic rub that makes its home alongside the frozen peas in the freezer.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Johnson & Johnson Consumer earlier this summer put the freeze on pain with the launch of its Bengay Zero Degrees line extension, an external analgesic rub that makes its home alongside the frozen peas in the freezer. According to the company, it’s the first and only topical pain reliever that can be stored in the freezer. Sales of the Bengay brand were up 6.4% to $8.9 million for the 12 weeks ended July 8 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data.

August 15, 2012
Walgreens teams with University of Chicago Medicine on South Side Food Rx initiative

The University of Chicago Medicine and Walgreens are teaming up to launch a "Food Rx" initiative that will help people with diabetes improve their eating habits by overcoming two major hurdles when shopping for food: access and affordability, the groups announced Wednesday.

CHICAGO — The University of Chicago Medicine and Walgreens are teaming up to launch a "Food Rx" initiative that will help people with diabetes improve their eating habits by overcoming two major hurdles when shopping for food: access and affordability, the groups announced Wednesday.

August 14, 2012
July retail sales see boost

U.S. retail sales experienced a small gain during the hottest month of the year, the Census Bureau reported.

WASHINGTON — U.S. retail sales experienced a small gain during the hottest month of the year, the Census Bureau reported.

The Census Bureau announced that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for July, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $403.9 billion, an increase of 0.8% from the previous month and 4.1% above July 2011. Retail trade sales were up 0.8% from June and 3.7% above last year.

August 10, 2012
ECRM: Drought not affecting food prices

Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing reported that the current drought conditions have yet to lead to an increase in food prices.

SOLON, Ohio — Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing reported that the current drought conditions have yet to lead to an increase in food prices.

“We predict that the food-at-home index will decline for the month of July [however],” ECRM stated in a release Friday.

For a detailed look at ECRM's predictions on how drought conditions will impact food prices, click here.

August 7, 2012
Stop & Shop refreshes hunger relief program

Stop & Shop has unveiled a program designed to raise funds for hunger relief agencies that will provide healthy food to local communities.

QUINCY, Mass. — Stop & Shop has unveiled a program designed to raise funds for hunger relief agencies that will provide healthy food to local communities.

The Healthy Ideas Food for Friends program — a fresh new take on Stop & Shop's annual Food for Friends program, which raises money to feed those in need — now is running in New England stores across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and most of Connecticut through Aug. 19.

August 6, 2012
Odwalla expands portfolio with new bars

Odwalla has unveiled four new food bars as part of its 2012 lineup.

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. — Odwalla has unveiled four new food bars as part of its 2012 lineup.

The lineup, which includes apple toffee pistachio and chocolate almond coconut chewy nut bars, which are perfect for wholesome indulgence, while orange cranberry and lemon ginger original baked bars are ideal food bars with mornings in mind. All of the bars are good sources of five essential vitamins and minerals, including antioxidant vitamins A, C and E, Odwalla said.

August 2, 2012
Merrick Pet Care launches new dog food recipes

Merrick Pet Care has introduced a new line of dog food recipes.

AMARILLO, Texas — Merrick Pet Care has introduced a new line of dog food recipes.

August 1, 2012
Mylan, Pittsburgh Pirates to sponsor allergy-awareness event at Aug. 10 game

"Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks," goes the line from the famous baseball anthem. For some people, however, that innocuous lyric is a ticket to the hospital, or worse.

PITTSBURGH — "Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks," goes the line from the famous baseball anthem. For some people, however, that innocuous lyric is a ticket to the hospital, or worse.

July 31, 2012
Device sales continue to rise

While still a relatively small piece of the overall intimacy health offerings, sales of intimacy enhancement devices continue on an upward trajectory, reaching $15.5 million in overall sales on 21.8% growth for the 52 weeks ended June 10 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data.

While still a relatively small piece of the overall intimacy health offerings, sales of intimacy enhancement devices continue on an upward trajectory, reaching $15.5 million in overall sales on 21.8% growth for the 52 weeks ended June 10 across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group data.

July 31, 2012
Kraft Foods Foundation launches mobile pantry program with Feeding America

The charitable arm of Kraft Foods and Feeding America are rolling out 10 new mobile pantry vehicles to reach those hardest hit with food insecurity.

NORTHFIELD, Ill. — The charitable arm of Kraft Foods and Feeding America are rolling out 10 new mobile pantry vehicles to reach those hardest hit with food insecurity.

July 30, 2012
Retail’s undeniable 
interconnectedness

“It’s actually an illusion that those boxers are separate entities. The separate entities are just the way we choose to perceive them. The boxers, you, me — we’re all part of the same quantum field. Think of the two boxers as ocean waves or currents of air — two tornadoes, say. They appear to be two separate things, but they’re not. Tornadoes are just wind. The wind stirred up in different directions. The fact is nothing is separate. Everything is connected. The shapes we see exist only in our own consciousness.”

“It’s actually an illusion that those boxers are separate entities. The separate entities are just the way we choose to perceive them. The boxers, you, me — we’re all part of the same quantum field. Think of the two boxers as ocean waves or currents of air — two tornadoes, say. They appear to be two separate things, but they’re not. Tornadoes are just wind. The wind stirred up in different directions. The fact is nothing is separate. Everything is connected.

July 30, 2012
Self-care switch

It’s a landmark switch decision that brings diagnosis of a stigmatized disease state into the self-care arena.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — It’s a landmark switch decision that brings diagnosis of a stigmatized disease state into the self-care arena. Orasure Technologies’ OraQuick In-Home HIV test will not only boost sales of a still-maturing home test kit set — for the 52 weeks ended June 10, sales of home testing kits were relatively flat at $58.4 million across food, drug and mass channels, according to SymphonyIRI Group data — but also will help drive more specialty business to retail pharmacy.

July 30, 2012
Smaller cos. enter space

A number of smaller manufacturers of male contraceptives are launching into the market to challenge the big three: Church & Dwight (72.8% dollar share in the category), Ansell Healthcare (11.6% dollar share) and Reckitt Benckiser (11.5% dollar share).


A number of smaller manufacturers of male contraceptives are launching into the market to challenge the big three: Church & Dwight (72.8% dollar share in the category), Ansell Healthcare (11.6% dollar share) and Reckitt Benckiser (11.5% dollar share).


It’s one factor expected to drive more marketing around the category. Sales of condoms for the 52 weeks ended June 10 reached $295.5 million, up 5.1%, across food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), according to SymphonyIRI Group.


July 30, 2012
Supervalu names new president, CEO

Supervalu on Monday named Wayne Sales, a Canadian hall-of-fame-caliber retailer, as the company's president and CEO, replacing Craig Herkert.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Monday named Wayne Sales, a Canadian hall-of-fame-caliber retailer, as the company's president and CEO, replacing Craig Herkert.

“In my new role, I will work closely with our leadership team to improve our sales and earnings trajectory and generate long-term shareholder value, focusing relentlessly on identifying factors that will drive meaningful improvements in our strategy execution and overall performance,” Sales stated.

July 30, 2012
Value-added products shine

As reported by Drug Store News, toothpastes that aim to better deliver such 
value-added benefits as teeth whitening and relieving tooth sensitivity are resonating with consumers, so the lift in sales of such products comes as little surprise.


As reported by Drug Store News, toothpastes that aim to better deliver such 
value-added benefits as teeth whitening and relieving tooth sensitivity are resonating with consumers, so the lift in sales of such products comes as little surprise.


According to SymphonyIRI Group, sales of toothpaste were essentially flat for the 12 weeks ended June 10 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart). However, those products that experienced double-digit sales gains included Sensodyne ProNamel (up 30.8%) and Crest 3D White (up 22.2%).

 

 

July 30, 2012
‘Natural’ items crawl up

Parents obviously want the best of the best for their little bundles of joy, and skin care products are no exception. That means often opting for those items that are free of such ingredients as artificial colors and parabens.


Parents obviously want the best of the best for their little bundles of joy, and skin care products are no exception. That means often opting for those items that are free of such ingredients as artificial colors and parabens.


According to SymphonyIRI Group, sales of baby lotions totaled nearly $54 million, down 0.35%, for the 52 weeks ended June 10 at food, drug and mass (excluding Walmart), as sales of baby soaps rose 3.42% to $111 million during that same period.


July 27, 2012
Save-A-Lot launches road trip marketing campaign

Save-A-Lot, a hard-discount, limited-assortment grocery chain and a wholly owned subsidiary of Supervalu, kicked off its 2012 Fuel Your Family Road Trip in Orlando to raise awareness of Save-A-Lot stores as the go-to destination for affordable food.

ST. LOUIS — Save-A-Lot, a hard-discount, limited-assortment grocery chain and a wholly owned subsidiary of Supervalu, kicked off its 2012 Fuel Your Family Road Trip in Orlando to raise awareness of Save-A-Lot stores as the go-to destination for affordable food.

July 25, 2012
Small-format Target store to offer in-store cafe

Target is opening an in-store cafe serving natural and healthy food in its new Chicago store, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — Target is opening an in-store cafe serving natural and healthy food in its new Chicago store, according to published reports.

USA Today reported that the retailer's new CityTarget store will include Pret A Manger — French for "ready to eat" — a chain of cafes that serves sandwiches, soups, drinks and breakfast items with natural and organic ingredients.