2011 BLC Highlights: Distributors and Manufacturers Discuss Consumer Trends at HDMA's HBW Products Forum

Distributed in the June 21, 2011 edition of the HDMA Weekly Digest

As a new member offering this year, HDMA hosted a Health, Beauty and Wellness (HBW) Products Forum during the 2011 Business & Leadership Conference. The forum provided an opportunity for distributors and manufacturers to hear about consumer trends specifically at the independent pharmacy. In a series of panel discussions and presentations from distributor executives and their customers, several common themes emerged that unite supply chain partners in their efforts to support front-of-store opportunities at the independent pharmacy.

Todd Hale of The Nielsen Company started the program with a keynote presentation entitled “A Perfect Storm in Consumer Trends.” In his presentation, Hale described the rapidly changing consumer landscape and provided the audience with customized data analysis about wellness categories that will drive growth.

In the first panel, “Serving the Independent,” panelists addressed how manufacturer and distributor trading partners can work together to increase front of store sales in meaningful ways. Moderated by Dave Wendland of Hamacher Resource Group, the panel — comprising Greg Drew of Value Drug Company; Jim Maahs of Upsher‐Smith Laboratories, Inc.; Rick Simerly of Smith Drug Company, Div. J M Smith Corporation; and John Wernicki of Johnson & Johnson Sales and Logistics Company — touched on the importance of offering the independent sector customized solutions that work for their market footprints.

In the panel of independent retail customers, five diverse and forward-thinking store operators addressed their key challenges and offered ideas on key front-end issues and consumer trends, addressing what wellness means to them and how their manufacturer and distributor partners can best support them in their efforts to compete in such an abundant chain landscape. Again moderated by Dave Wendland, panelists included John Bruce of Cal-Med Pharmacy; Scott Campbell, RPh, of Ocean Health Mart Pharmacy; Odette Leonelli and Bill Mears of Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy; and Bob Pemberton of Complete Care Pharmacy.

The afternoon concluded with a series of “Partnership Pairs,” where distributors and independent customers presented their priorities for the next 12 to 18 months, sharing customer-specific perspectives and expectations with suppliers in the audience. Presenters included:

• Ceci Zeigler and Peter Koo of AmerisourceBergen Drug Company, who were joined by John Bruce of Cal-Med Pharmacy, and Odette Leonelli and Bill Mears of Kovacs-Frey Pharmacy;
  
• Carolyn Webb of H.D. Smith and Bob Pemberton of Complete Care Pharmacy;
  
• Chris Savage of McKesson Corporation with Scott Campbell, RPh, of Ocean Health Mart Pharmacy; and,
  
• Dianne Pfahl of Cardinal Health, Inc., provided perspective on her company’s relationship with Western Drug.

Partner organizations for the forum included the National Community Pharmacists Association and Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

Special thanks to Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., whose generous sponsorship made this forum possible.