Stater Bros. Exiting Pharmacy Business
Stater Bros. Markets is closing all of its in-store pharmacies and handing the business off to CVS in order to concentrate more resources on its core food business.
Stater Bros. has revealed that it expects to complete the sale of certain assets of its in-store SuperRx Pharmacies to CVS Pharmacy later this month. When the deal is complete, pharmacy records and inventory from all 22 SuperRx pharmacy locations will be transferred to nearby CVS Pharmacy locations.
The SuperRx locations should be closed by Sept. 28. Stater Bros. and CVS Pharmacy are working together to ensure that the transition will be seamless for patients and that their access to pharmacy care is uninterrupted.
According to the grocer, Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS plans to interview many of the SuperRx employees currently working at these locations.
Over the next few months, the former pharmacy spaces will be remerchandised to better serve customer needs, but overall in-store operations will remain intact during the space conversion process.
“I’d like to emphasize that Stater Bros. is a strong and competitive company within the Southern California supermarket landscape poised for continued growth,” noted Stater Bros. CEO Pete Van Helden. “This business decision will allow the company to grow areas of our core food business that meet the evolving food needs and shifting grocery preferences of our customers. We remain committed to providing our valued customers with the very best grocery shopping experience. I’d also like to thank our loyal customers for all of their support of Stater Bros. SuperRx Pharmacies.”
Added Van Helden: “CVS Pharmacy provides a wide range of pharmaceutical services and programs to help millions of people across America lead healthier lives, and we’re confident CVS will provide SuperRx customers with the resources and services needed to continue their health care regimen.”
Further, according to the CEO, “Stater Bros. will offer all SuperRx pharmacists and pharmacy technicians continued pay and benefits for a period of time.”
“CVS Pharmacy is committed to providing high-quality and personalized care to patients, and we look forward to bringing our innovative pharmacy care programs and services to SuperRx customers,” said CVS Division VP Hank Casillas. “We’re confident that SuperRx patients will be excited about our unique clinical pharmacy services, medication adherence programs, automatic refills, and the many innovative digital tools we offer to help patients manage their prescriptions.”
SuperRx customers will learn of their prescription transfer dates via mail.
San Bernardino, Calif.-based Stater Bros. operates 171 supermarkets, employing about 18,000 associates. The company is No. 21 on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.