Katz Group of Companies
Encyclopedia
Katz Group of Companies operates over 1,800 pharmacies in Canada
and the United States
. It is based in Edmonton
, Alberta
. Daryl Katz
is chairman of the Katz Group of Companies.
Katz Group Canada's holdings also include Drug Trading Company Limited (retail support) and ProPharm Limited (pharmacy-related computer systems).
Pharma Plus has its origins in the Tamblyn chain of drugs stores which dates back to the early 1900s in Toronto. Tambly was owned by Loblaws
grocers in the 1970s. Loblaws was unable to compete effectively with market-leader Shoppers Drug Mart
, and sold the chain to the Boots Group, of the United Kingdom
. Boots, however, was unable to apply its successful British formula to the Canadian market. Boots was unable to comprehend the geographic issues of Canada and the inventory management scheme of the time "one for show and one for go" crippled the stores by limiting the inventory on shelf.
In 1988, the chain was sold to the Oshawa Group
, another retailer who controlled grocery and mass-market stores under the IGA, Food City, Drug City and Towers Department Stores
banners. The chain was renamed "Pharma Plus Drugmarts". During the first two years of development, Pharma Plus repositioned itself away from the Boots image and re-invented the stores, being the first in Ontario to introduce patient waiting and consultation areas. Merchandising and advertising became more competitive with the larger Shoppers Drug Mart, offering now both a product and price alternative to the then market leader. Store designs made it easier for consumers to shop the stores and the brighter, less cluttered environment preceded today's accepted standards in retail. Merchandising and design foundations implemented during this time period continue to form the foundation for the evolution of the chain today. The chain grew through acquisitions and merging the Drug City stores under the Pharma Plus banner.
In a further attempt to differentiate the chain, a pilot program was launched for a Health and Wellness centre. These stores eliminated many of the product selections, limiting the consumer offering to higher margin products and focusing on "healthier" selections. While this similar concept can be seen today in California in the Elephant Pharmacy chain, it did not prove successful in the Ontario markets at the time. This costly investment reflected on the bottom line of the operations during the time period as millions of dollars were invested in the trial.
Oshawa Group, looking to re-focus its energies, divested itself of the Towers chain and then the Pharma Plus chain of stores. The chain was acquired by Katz Pharmacies, a smaller company that operated under the Rexall banner.
Further acquisitions by Katz allowed the company to evolve into Katz Group of Companies which includes in Canada Rexall, Pharma Plus Drugmarts, Drug Trading (Guardian and IDA pharmacies), Meditrust, Herbie's and other discount drug outlets. The company now successfully competes with Shoppers.
Katz Group intends to re-brand all Pharma Plus stores as "Rexall PharmaPlus" stores in the coming years.
proceedings in 2001 and exited in 2003 as it was forced to liquidate its Drug Emporium
chain. The company was founded in 1928 by Max Snyder as a downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota
cigar
store. It began to sell pharmaceuticals by 1931. It was incorporated as Snyder Drug Store in 1939. The chain has about 60 corporate and about 60 independently-owned stores.
The company sells under the name Snyder Drug Stores . Western Drug was sold to CVS/pharmacy in the summer of 2008 and or closed. In early 2009 Snyder's closed 20 stores. The stores scripts files where sold to other companies. Snyder's still operates a handful of stores.
It was announced on January 13, 2010 that all Snyder stores were being sold to Walgreens
at the end of the month. Walgreens said they will continue to operate most stores while closing some and transferring the prescription records to nearby Walgreens stores.
(National Hockey League
), the Edmonton Oil Kings
(Western Hockey League
), and the Edmonton Capitals
(North American League
baseball team).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is based in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. Daryl Katz
Daryl Katz
Daryl Allan Katz is a Canadian businessman, philanthropist, and arts patron. With an estimated net worth of $US 2.0 billion , Katz was ranked by Forbes as the 16th wealthiest Canadian and 595th in the world...
is chairman of the Katz Group of Companies.
Katz Group Canada
Katz Group Canada Ltd. operates or franchises over 1800 pharmacies in Canada under the following brand banners:- Guardian
- Herbie's for Drug and Food
- I.D.A.
- Medicine Shoppe Canada
- Meditrust Pharmacy
- Pharma Plus
- RexallRexallRexall was a chain of North American drugstores, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1902, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across the United States from 1920 to 1977...
(including joint brand Rexall Pharma Plus) - Super Drug Mart
Katz Group Canada's holdings also include Drug Trading Company Limited (retail support) and ProPharm Limited (pharmacy-related computer systems).
Pharma Plus
Loblaws
Loblaws is a supermarket chain with over 70 stores in Canada, headquartered in Brampton, with stores across Ontario and Quebec. Loblaws is a division of Loblaw Companies Limited, Canada's largest food distributor...
grocers in the 1970s. Loblaws was unable to compete effectively with market-leader Shoppers Drug Mart
Shoppers Drug Mart
Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation is Canada's largest pharmacy chain with more than 1,241 stores operating under the names Shoppers Drug Mart in nine provinces and two territories and Pharmaprix in Quebec as well as in Hawkesbury, Ontario....
, and sold the chain to the Boots Group, of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Boots, however, was unable to apply its successful British formula to the Canadian market. Boots was unable to comprehend the geographic issues of Canada and the inventory management scheme of the time "one for show and one for go" crippled the stores by limiting the inventory on shelf.
In 1988, the chain was sold to the Oshawa Group
Oshawa Group
Oshawa Group was once a leading owner of supermarkets in Ontario, but it was sold to Sobeys in 1998.Stores under Oshawa Group included:* IGA* Tradition Market Fresh Food* Knechtel* Pharma Plus Drug Stores...
, another retailer who controlled grocery and mass-market stores under the IGA, Food City, Drug City and Towers Department Stores
Towers Department Stores
Towers, operating as Bonimart in Quebec, was a Canadian discount department store chain owned by the Oshawa Group, a now-defunct grocery retailer and distributor.-History:The first store was opened in 1960 in Toronto Towers, operating as Bonimart in Quebec, was a Canadian discount department store...
banners. The chain was renamed "Pharma Plus Drugmarts". During the first two years of development, Pharma Plus repositioned itself away from the Boots image and re-invented the stores, being the first in Ontario to introduce patient waiting and consultation areas. Merchandising and advertising became more competitive with the larger Shoppers Drug Mart, offering now both a product and price alternative to the then market leader. Store designs made it easier for consumers to shop the stores and the brighter, less cluttered environment preceded today's accepted standards in retail. Merchandising and design foundations implemented during this time period continue to form the foundation for the evolution of the chain today. The chain grew through acquisitions and merging the Drug City stores under the Pharma Plus banner.
In a further attempt to differentiate the chain, a pilot program was launched for a Health and Wellness centre. These stores eliminated many of the product selections, limiting the consumer offering to higher margin products and focusing on "healthier" selections. While this similar concept can be seen today in California in the Elephant Pharmacy chain, it did not prove successful in the Ontario markets at the time. This costly investment reflected on the bottom line of the operations during the time period as millions of dollars were invested in the trial.
Oshawa Group, looking to re-focus its energies, divested itself of the Towers chain and then the Pharma Plus chain of stores. The chain was acquired by Katz Pharmacies, a smaller company that operated under the Rexall banner.
Further acquisitions by Katz allowed the company to evolve into Katz Group of Companies which includes in Canada Rexall, Pharma Plus Drugmarts, Drug Trading (Guardian and IDA pharmacies), Meditrust, Herbie's and other discount drug outlets. The company now successfully competes with Shoppers.
Katz Group intends to re-brand all Pharma Plus stores as "Rexall PharmaPlus" stores in the coming years.
Snyder Drug
Snyder Drug is a pharmacy chain based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region of the United States. The company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcyBankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
proceedings in 2001 and exited in 2003 as it was forced to liquidate its Drug Emporium
Drug Emporium
Drug Emporium is the name of a discount drug store corporation, founded in 1977 in Columbus, Ohio, that was sold to several different buyers during 2000 to 2001. Although several store locations continue to use the Drug Emporium name, these locations are no longer affiliated with the now-defunct...
chain. The company was founded in 1928 by Max Snyder as a downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
store. It began to sell pharmaceuticals by 1931. It was incorporated as Snyder Drug Store in 1939. The chain has about 60 corporate and about 60 independently-owned stores.
The company sells under the name Snyder Drug Stores . Western Drug was sold to CVS/pharmacy in the summer of 2008 and or closed. In early 2009 Snyder's closed 20 stores. The stores scripts files where sold to other companies. Snyder's still operates a handful of stores.
It was announced on January 13, 2010 that all Snyder stores were being sold to Walgreens
Walgreens
Walgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
at the end of the month. Walgreens said they will continue to operate most stores while closing some and transferring the prescription records to nearby Walgreens stores.
Rexall Sports
Rexall Sports is subsidiary of the Katz Group which owns and operates several professional sports fanchises. Rexall-owned teams include the Edmonton OilersEdmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
(National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
), the Edmonton Oil Kings
Edmonton Oil Kings
This article refers to the original Oil Kings franchises that existed until 1978. For the current team that began play in 2007, see Edmonton Oil Kings...
(Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
), and the Edmonton Capitals
Edmonton Capitals
The Edmonton Capitals are a professional baseball team based in Edmonton, Alberta. Known originally as the Edmonton Cracker-Cats, they began play in the Northern League in 2005 before switching to the Golden Baseball League in 2008. The team was sold to Daryl Katz in 2009, after which the team was...
(North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...
baseball team).
See also
- List of pharmacies
- North Dakota Bd. of Pharmacy v. Snyder's Drug Stores, Inc.