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Albertsons to Offer Cost-Saving Solutions for Pet Care, Meds

Albertsons Companies, Inc. is introducing pet care time and money-saving solutions for customers who are struggling to afford the cost of medications and veterinary services. With more than 1,700 pharmacies located nationwide inside neighborhood grocery stores such as Safeway, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, United Supermarkets and more, shoppers can have their pet prescriptions conveniently transferred and filled at an Albertsons Cos. pharmacy and pay less than what vet offices normally charge.

“Nearly 30 percent of pet owners are grappling with the rising costs of pet ownership amid inflation and most consumers don’t realize that our pharmacies offer prescriptions and over-the-counter medications for people and pets,” said Omer Gajial, chief digital officer and EVP health at Albertsons Cos. “Whether it’s delivering medication to their home, offering additional discounts through our Pet Health Savings Card, or partnering with innovative companies to provide convenient veterinary care, our commitment to our customers’ health and well-being applies to every family member, including the four-legged kind.”

  • Albertsons Cos. pharmacies carry a variety of affordable pet medications including OTC tick, flea and heartworm preventatives.
  • The Pet Health Savings Card, available at any Albertsons Cos. pharmacy or the grocery store mobile app, can save customers nearly 80 percent off the monthly cost of pet medications.
  • When customers transfer a pet prescription to an Albertsons Cos. pharmacy, they will receive up to $75 in grocery gift cards after filling their fifth prescription.
  • Pet medications are available for shipping and delivery and will soon be available via mail order.

To complement its pharmacy services, nearly all Albertsons Cos. banner stores offer a pet care aisle complete with an array of dog and cat food from leading brands such as Purina, Iams, Fancy Feast, Cesar and Racheal Ray Nutrish, along with treats, toys, grooming products and accessories.

In an effort to enhance convenience, the company is piloting two pet health service programs in Texas and California to help make routine veterinary care more accessible to pet owners.

Penny Paws mobile vaccine clinic visits towns throughout the state of Texas to offer communities low-cost, basic healthcare such as vaccinations, heartworm testing, heartworm prevention and microchipping. Currently, 15 Albertsons and Tom Thumb stores across the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex host Penny Paws to provide neighbors with low-cost exams and vaccinations for dogs and cats. The company is exploring additional sites for the Penny Paws mobile vaccine clinic to include its Randalls supermarket locations in Austin and Houston.

“Our staff of licensed veterinarians is dedicated to helping pets live a long and healthy life, which is why our community outreach program is so important in protecting canines and felines against devastating and life-threatening diseases,” said Dr. Rob Franklin, DVM DACVIM and Penny Paws Veterinary Community Outreach lead. “Offering convenient vet appointments in the parking lots of their neighborhood grocers make this partnership a win-win for pet parents and their fur babies.”

Fuzzy offers unlimited access to a team of veterinarians who are available via video or virtual chat 24/7 to address common pet concerns such as digestion, dental hygiene, stress management and prescription medication. Launching exclusively this month at all California Safeway, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions stores, loyalty members can sign up for an annual Fuzzy household membership at a reduced rate of $59 for the entire pet family. Additionally, customers who sign up for Fuzzy using the grocer’s loyalty app will receive a $10 monthly credit that can be used to buy any pet care or food item in participating banner stores for up to one year.

Once a Fuzzy member, pet owners can track their pets’ medical history, prescriptions and vaccination dates, receive training and wellness tips and speak to a veterinarian at any time, resulting in less trips to a vet or emergency room clinic.

“We believe every person should have the opportunity to experience the joy of pet parenthood. To accomplish that, each day we are working to make pet care more accessible and affordable through personalized telehealth solutions. This unique partnership with Albertsons Companies is another step towards fulfilling that goal,” said Zubin Bhettay, co-founder and CEO of Fuzzy. “Albertsons is a company that cares deeply about its customers and understands the important role pets play in their lives. This partnership will empower pet parents with personalized, expert recommendations right from the store aisle.”

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8,000 More Stores Thirsty for Alkaline Water

The Alkaline Water CompanyArizona-based The Alkaline Water Company Inc., the country’s largest independent alkaline water company and the Clean Beverage company, has received orders for the 2 Liter, available as an individual unit or in the 6-pack Shaq Paq, from more than 8,000 stores since the beginning of the year.

“Alkaline88 drinkers love the 2-Liter bottle and it has quickly become one of our best-selling products,” said Frank Lazaran, president and CEO of The Alkaline Water Company. “In addition to being a perfect fit for the fridge or gym bag, our product collaboration with Alkaline88 brand ambassador Shaquille O’Neal has helped generate interest in this great product.

“The Alkaline88 Shaq Paq will soon hit Stater Bros. shelves in Southern California, accompanied by 7-foot-tall in-store displays featuring our smiling brand ambassador. Their stores are just the latest of over 8,000 to order the 2-liter bottle since January of this year. Additional regional and national chains are still in the pipeline to add the product over the next 12 months. Alkaline88’s return on trial is strong, so having another great product with strong shelf appeal should help us convert even more water drinkers across the country to deliciously smooth Alkaline88.”

Founded in 2012, the company is headquartered in Scottsdale. Its flagship product, Alkaline88, is a leading premier alkaline water brand available in bulk and single-serve sizes along with eco-friendly aluminum packaging options. With its innovative, state-of-the-art proprietary electrolysis process, Alkaline88 delivers perfect 8.8 pH alkaline drinking water with trace minerals and electrolytes and boasts our trademarked label “Clean Beverage.” 2021, The company was pleased to welcome Shaquille O’Neal to its board of advisors and to serve as the celebrity brand ambassador for the Alkaline88.

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Southeastern Grocers, Customers Donate $500K for Disaster Relief

Southeastern Grocers Inc., parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, has donated $500,000 to the American Red Cross to support vital emergency assistance, disaster preparedness and disaster relief programs for communities in need. This donation includes $250,000 to SEG’s long-standing partner through the generous contributions of customers and associates during its recent community donation program held in all Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores.

The grocer’s charitable arm, the SEG Gives Foundation, donated an additional $250,000 to the organization earlier this year in preparation for hurricane season and disaster relief. Every cent donated will support the Red Cross Disaster Relief in helping families and individuals as they recover from natural disasters through food, shelter, counseling and other needed assistance.

Raymond Rhee, chief people officer for Southeastern Grocers, said, “After experiencing Hurricane Ian’s devastating force over our Florida communities, we’ve witnessed firsthand how the American Red Cross provides a lifeline to neighbors in need on the long road to recovery. We are humbled by our customers and associates who generously donated at our registers throughout the five coastal states we serve, and their support allows us to continue to stand with the Red Cross to support their crucial storm recovery and relief programs to strengthen and rebuild our communities when they are most vulnerable.”

Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie customers and associates throughout the Southeast supported the program by donating $1, $5 or rounding up their grocery bill to the nearest dollar while shopping their local stores during the month of September. Following the vast devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, the donation program was extended through Oct. 18 in Florida stores to further support recovery and rebuilding efforts for affected communities.

Additionally, SEG immediately responded after the storm to ensure its associates and neighbors were taken care of by dispatching mobile pharmacies and providing essentials like bottled water, ice, nonperishable food and cleaning supplies to more than 2,000 Southwest Florida families.

SEG has a long-standing partnership with the Red Cross, a national nonprofit whose mission is to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies through the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.​ Last year, SEG, together with the SEG Gives Foundation and generous customers, donated more than $815,000 to aid and support disaster relief efforts.

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