Rite Aid Seeks Suppliers for Clean, Green & Better for You Summit

Rite Aid Corp. is gearing up for its first-ever Clean, Green and Better for You virtual product summit on July 29, when it will meet with product suppliers in the food and beverage, health and beauty care, and general merchandise categories that feature whole-health and include clean ingredients.

“Providing a compelling selection of products that are aligned to whole health is an important part of our RxEvolution, and we are proud to continue updating our mix to appeal to consumers who are conscious of the types of products they bring to their homes and families,” noted Erik Keptner, Rite Aid’s chief marketing and merchandising officer. “We’re excited to meet suppliers who share our commitment to products that consumers can feel good about.”

The company chain is working with ECRM and RangeMe, an ECRM company, to source suppliers and host the event. Applications can be submitted via RangeMe through Sunday, June 27. Approved brands will have a face-to-face virtual meeting with a Rite Aid buyer on the ECRM Connect platform, as well as access to a presentation by the Rite Aid senior merchant team. 

“This is a fantastic opportunity for brands with clean ingredients to get exposure to Rite Aid buyers as the retailer seeks to incorporate healthier options into its assortments,” said Wayne Bennett, SVP of retail at Solon, Ohio-based ECRM. “We’re thrilled that RangeMe and ECRM will be working with Rite Aid’s merchant team to help facilitate this process.”

ECRM aims to bring efficiencies and effectiveness to the buying and selling process by facilitating connections between buyers and suppliers through key programs using virtual and face-to-face platforms. The company works with companies around the world in such categories as food and beverage, general merchandise, health and beauty care, pharmacy and medical markets, and foodservice. ECRM also owns San Francisco-based RangeMe, a product discovery platform.

Rite Aid recently reported a first-quarter net loss from continuing operations of $13.1 million, or 24 cents per share, compared with last year’s first-quarter net loss from continuing operations of $72.7 million, or $1.36 per share. The company attributed this significant improvement in net loss to better operating results in its retail pharmacy segment, among other factors.

Operating more than 2,500 retail pharmacy locations across 17 states, Camp Hill, Pa.-based Rite Aid is No. 19 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.