CVS Launches Well Market Store Brand, Will Phase Out Prior Private Label Lines

National drugstore chain CVS Pharmacy is the latest retailer to debut a revamped line of private label food and beverage offerings, announcing today the launch of Well Market, a new store brand featuring a variety of wellness and next-gen snacks and drinks.

Well Market is launching chainwide at all 9,000 CVS locations with 40 products across categories, including chips, nuts, trail mix, popcorn, cookies, bottled water, hydration powders, oatmeal and veggie straws, among others. Products have been quietly rolling out to stores over the past several weeks, and all items are priced between $2.99 and $8.99.

The line is a new take on store brands for CVS, which has previously offered private label goods under the Gold Emblem, Gold Emblem abound and Big Chill banners.

While those other lines will stick around for the coming months, Mike Wier, VP of store brands for CVS Health, told Nosh that the plan is to slowly integrate those older products into Well Market over the next several years, with “a pretty big” transition beginning this fall, and eventually phase out those old store brands permanently.

“We heard from our customers that our current product portfolio and shopping experience is a bit challenging, and there’s an opportunity to simplify and make the experience better for them,” Wier said. “In addition, we knew we had a great name, with Well Market, that really resonated with our customers.”

Customer feedback was a key part of the brand development process, Wier said, including on the pack design, which is intended to provide a more modern look and feel. As well, the company is using Well Market to transition away from non-recyclable packaging like composite canisters for nuts and is now using recyclable PET jars.

In addition to staple products like chocolate chip cookies and blue corn tortilla chips, Well Market’s offerings also provide more modern takes on ingredients and flavoring. The line includes Turmeric Curry Trail Mix, Jalapeno Roasted In-Shell Pistachios, and Peanut Butter & Caramel Probiotic-Boosted Popcorn.

Even some of the more familiar products have been upgraded, Wier said. For example, the Well Market brand Dark Chocolate Lightly Dipped Almonds use less chocolate than prior CVS store brand dipped almonds, providing consumers with a lower-calorie snack option.

“What we’re trying to do is simplify the assortment and become an authority in the health and wellness space,” he said. “This product line can support some of those needs. It certainly is a way to simplify and drive engagement from a customer perspective, and we think it’ll help be a convenient snacking option for customers.”

Though Wier said that developing Well Market was a years-long process, CVS is far from the only major retailer to revamp its private label line in recent months. In February, Target announced a new value brand called Dealworthy and, in April, Walmart launched a new premium store brand called bettergoods, featuring over 300 products including plant-based cheeses and organic milks. Like Well Market, Walmart’s new line features brightly-colored, minimalist design choices more in line with recent entrepreneurial CPG trends than bargain-priced off-brand products.

And it’s not just the mainstream outlets: Other chains like Grocery Outlet and Good Food Holdings (parent company of Bristol Farms and Lazy Acres) have also announced new private label lines this year, while natural chain Sprouts reported that store brands now account for 20% of its sales – up from just 12% in 2017.

At CVS, Wier acknowledged a trend across the food and beverage industry to create more “flavor-forward” and higher-quality private label products, and he believes Well Market checks those boxes.

“I think we’re doing a great job of finding that sweet spot for our customer,” he said. “We made a great range of food flavor choices for our customers, and I’m sure other retailers are designing products to meet the needs of their customers.”