CVS unveils store-brand additions across the store

Following up a consumables expansion last month, CVS Pharmacy plans to roll out more than 150 new store-brand products in grocery, health and wellness, and beauty care.

Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS said Wednesday that the launches include new offerings in its Gold Emblem and Gold Emblem Abound food brands, an extension of the Live Better by CVS Health brand and the debut of Goodline Grooming Co., a men’s skin and grooming care brand exclusive to CVS. Also new are more convenient packaging forms, multipacks, resealable bags and value sizes, such as water in BPA-free recyclable boxes, feminine products made from 100% cotton, and beauty items free of harmful ingredients such as phthalates and formaldehydes.

In grocery, the latest products under the Gold Emblem and Gold Emblem Abound brands include over 50 new flavor combinations and convenient packaging forms, as well as the new Gold Emblem Fair Trade Certified coffee. CVS said the Fair Trade Certified coffee line — launched amid rising popularity of at-home coffee — offers nine new SKUs, including various blends and roasts (Donut Shop, French Vanilla, French Roast and Colombian) and new pack sizes. The company also noted that CVS is the first drugstore to offer 100% Fair Trade Certified products in its store brand.

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With the launch of Gold Emblem Fair Trade Certified coffee, CVS said it's the first drug chain to offer 100% Fair Trade Certified products in its store brand. 

Other new Gold Emblem and Gold Emblem Abound items include Organic Roasted Nuts, Extreme Carolina Reaper Puffs, Chili Lime Beef Jerky, value-sized Omega Trail Mix in a resealable pouch, Electrolyte Max oral hydration beverage in Cherry Pomegranate and Berry Frost flavors, and boxed water in BPA-free recyclable packaging.

Rolling out in health and wellness are more than 80 new store-brand products, including additions with innovative formulas and formats, according to CVS. Expansions from Live Better by CVS Health include Immunity Defense with Mushrooms, Stress Relief Formula with Ashwagandha and Rhodiola, and new apple cider vinegar products featuring echinacea, elderberry and blueberry for easy sipping, the retailer said.

All products from the line come in packaging that’s at least 80% recyclable, and a range of new feminine solutions from the CVS Health brand include options made from 100% organic cotton, CVS noted. New offerings also include CVS Health vitamins and supplements, such as Collagen with Vitamin C, Zinc Gummies for immune support, Brain Support supplements and Turmeric Complex.

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“We’ve been listening to and working with our customers to engage and meet their needs in ways others haven’t. Millions of people are entering our stores, opening our app and visiting CVS.com daily for prescriptions, essentials, or health care services like tests and vaccinations, and we want them to feel supported in meeting their everyday needs,” Brenda Lord, vice president of store brands at CVS Health, said in a statement. “We’ve seen that younger and health-minded consumers are responding positively to our exclusive offerings, noticing the purpose, passion, quality and value across our store brands portfolio.”

In line with those trends, CVS has launched the Goodline Grooming Co. men’s care brand at its stores. Developed in tandem with feedback from a men’s consumer panel, the line includes skin care, beard care, grooming tools and razors. The retailer noted that all Goodline products are made from simple, “good for you” ingredients such as vitamin C and aloe vera; phthalate- and paraben-free; and not tested on animals.

Shoppers also will find dozens of new at-home beauty and personal care items — including in skin, hair and nail care from GSQ by GLAMSQUAD and pop•arazzi — plus “expertly developed” formulas and elevated designs in new products, such as dry shampoo/conditioner, a T-bar facial massager and nail products that are vegan, cruelty-free and free from harmful chemicals.

In recent years, CVS has been working to enhance its product mix, led by new store-brand offerings, to energize front-end sales. In 2020, the company reported front-store sales of $19.66 billion, up 1.2% from $19.42 billion in 2019. Same-store sales in the front end inched up 0.9% year over year for 2020, down from a 1.1% gain in 2019.

Most recently, CVS launched expanded selections of more than 100 frozen foods, with a focus on meal solutions, plus over 140 better-for-you snacks. Announced last month, the bigger frozen assortment includes brands such as Beyond Meat, Bird’s Eye, Ore-Ida and Amy’s Kitchen.

Overall, CVS Pharmacy operates nearly 10,000 locations, including more than 1,700 pharmacies inside Target and Schnuck Markets stores.