McKesson Unveils New Private Brand of Over-the-Counter Pharmacy Products

By: McKesson Corporation via Business Wire

June 22, 2023 at 09:00 AM EDT

Foster & Thrive will help meet the evolving needs and growing demand for quality, over-the-counter private-label health and wellness products

McKesson, a diversified healthcare services company, today announced the launch of Foster & Thrive™, a curated private brand of over-the-counter (OTC) health and wellness products. Launching Foster & Thrive unifies the company’s private brand portfolio—consolidating Health Mart^® and Sunmark^® branded OTC products—to offer expanded availability through increased production volumes and efficiencies that will help meet evolving patient needs and growing demand.

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Foster & Thrive will launch with product offerings across four categories – acute, diagnostic, everyday and preventive care. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Your Patient’s Needs. Our Know-How.

According to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), 8 in 10 consumers use OTC medicines to relieve their symptoms for a range of illnesses. Additionally, today’s consumers are increasingly turning to private label OTC products to manage their health, given a number of factors, such as price and recognizing quality is equivalent to national brands.

“With nearly 200 years of supply chain excellence, McKesson is uniquely positioned to meet this growing demand for private label products that pharmacists, patients and caregivers can depend on,” said Peter Koo, vice president, general manager, Pharmacy & Healthcare Solutions, McKesson. “Foster & Thrive offers pharmacists and their customers selectively sourced products that meet the quality standards of a healthcare leader. It’s important that products work, and equally important today’s customers can easily find those they need.”

Health and Wellness Products Beyond the Box

McKesson considered every aspect of the customers’ journey—in and out of the pharmacy—and thoughtfully crafted four product categories to help patients find the items they need:

Acute Care – to relieve temporary illnesses such as allergies, pain, cold and flu, digestion, and smoking cessation
Diagnostic Care – to check and track symptoms and vital signs with diagnostic products like thermometers and blood pressure monitors
Everyday Care – to help mend the everyday ailments with products for first aid, daily living support, feminine care, and cosmetics
Preventative Care – to help ensure continued health and wellness through vitamins that support immunity, nutrition, and other personal needs

McKesson’s goal is to seamlessly transition Health Mart and Sunmark items to the new Foster & Thrive brand by category. The transition will begin in July 2023 and continue through October 2024.

Community pharmacists attending the McKesson ideaShare conference, from June 22-25 in Las Vegas are encouraged to visit the Foster & Thrive booth #300 to experience the new brand through the eyes of consumers and patients.

About McKesson Corporation

McKesson Corporation is a diversified healthcare services leader dedicated to advancing health outcomes for patients everywhere. Our teams partner with biopharma companies, care providers, pharmacies, manufacturers, governments, and others to deliver insights, products and services to help make quality care more accessible and affordable. Learn more about how McKesson is impacting virtually every aspect of healthcare at McKesson.com and read Our Stories.

About Health Mart

Health Mart^® is the nation’s fastest-growing independent pharmacy franchise with approximately 4,700 community pharmacies across all 50 states. Health Mart pharmacists provide personalized care and take the time to help patients understand their prescription-drug coverage, how to safely manage multiple medications, and how to take advantage of lower-cost medication options. Patients can find a Health Mart pharmacy by visiting healthmart.com.

As an important member of the healthcare team, Health Mart pharmacists possess strong clinical knowledge and collaborate with patients and other healthcare providers to help patients manage and improve their health. The Health Mart franchise is owned by Health Mart Systems, Inc., which is part of McKesson Corporation. Pharmacists and pharmacy owners interested in learning more can explore join.healthmart.com.