Hy-Vee Buys Pharmacy Business from Rochester MN Chain

Hy-Vee has acquired the business of all Weber & Judd pharmacies in Minnesota, which have served the Rochester, Minn., area since 1862.

Following the transaction, Weber & Judd patient files will automatically transfer to Hy-Vee, and the pharmacies acquired will be rebranded under the Hy-Vee HealthMarket Rx banner. The Weber & Judd pharmacy inside Hy-Vee's location at Rochester's Barlow Plaza will be rebranded as a Hy-Vee pharmacy, and the location will retain its patient files.

Weber & Judd pharmacy patients will receive a letter from their new Hy-Vee pharmacy with additional details. Pharmacy employees will continue their duties at their respective locations as newly minted Hy-Vee employees.

"Weber & Judd has been an exemplary provider of pharmacy care for more than 150 years," said Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee chairman, CEO and president. "Combining Weber & Judd with our Hy-Vee Pharmacy family is a perfect match because we both pride ourselves on providing an excellent experience to our customers. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue to provide this same personalized care for the Weber & Judd family of patients and communities."

In addition to traditional pharmacy services, Hy-Vee HealthMarket Rx locations feature text message notifications, free prescription delivery, automated refill ordering, immunization services, free blood pressure checks, private medication consultations and a registered dietitian available for nutritional consultations. Generic prescriptions are available for as low as $4 for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply.

Hy-Vee pharmacies are also integrated into the free Hy-Vee mobile app for both iOS and Android devices, for easy prescription management.

The deal marks the second major acquisition of a pharmacy's business in the past few months for Hy-Vee. Last December, the West Des Moines, Iowa-based grocer purchased files from 22 Shopko pharmacies, which transferred to Hy-Vee stores in 17 cities across Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. That news arrived days after Cincinnati-based grocery giant Kroger Co. said it purchased files at 42 Shopko stores – including 25 Wisconsin locations – for an undisclosed sum.

Hy-Vee also purchased files from six Shopko stores earlier this month: Forest City, Toledo, Mt. Ayr and Emmetsburg, Iowa; St. Peter, Minn.; and West Point, Neb.

Hy-Vee Inc. operates more than 245 retail stores across eight Midwestern states and has more than 80,000 associates. It ranks 15th on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.