National retail scale meets specialized independent pharmacy expertise to accelerate health and wellness expansion
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As health and wellness brands look beyond traditional retail for growth, the independent drug channel is emerging as an increasingly important opportunity. To help manufacturers capitalize on that shift, Acosta has partnered with Salvatori-Scott Inc. (SSI), combining national retail capabilities with specialized expertise in independent pharmacy and health care channels.
For manufacturers, the result is a more connected way to reach one of retail’s most specialized markets. The partnership brings together national sales coverage, retail execution, analytics and omnichannel capabilities with decades of independent drug expertise, helping brands strengthen distribution while expanding opportunities across managed care organizations, Medicare Advantage programs, group purchasing organizations, hospitals and long-term care providers.
“Manufacturers have been asking for a simpler way to reach the independent drug channel without sacrificing the scale and capabilities they need across the rest of retail,” said Denise Wellander, senior vice president of Drug and Value at Acosta. “Rather than spending years building those capabilities ourselves, we chose to partner with the company that has already earned the trust and relationships throughout this space. Together, we’re making it easier for clients to pursue growth opportunities that were previously much harder to access.”
The partnership reflects Acosta’s continued investment in strategic growth areas where retail and health care increasingly intersect. It also creates new opportunities for SSI to extend its specialized expertise to manufacturers seeking broader, multi-channel solutions backed by Acosta’s national scale.
Where retail meets health
Independent pharmacies have long played a unique role in the health care ecosystem, serving as both neighborhood retailers and trusted health care destinations. Beyond prescription medications, they influence purchasing decisions across vitamins, nutritional supplements, over-the-counter medicines, personal care products and other wellness categories. Yet the channel has traditionally required specialized relationships and expertise that differ from other areas of retail.
SSI has spent decades building those relationships throughout independent pharmacy, wholesale distribution and health organizations. Acosta complements those capabilities with deep category expertise, national customer relationships, analytics, omnichannel commerce and retail execution, creating a more complete solution for manufacturers looking to grow across multiple channels.
“Our clients rely on us for specialized expertise and deep relationships within the independent drug marketplace,” said Dan Briggs, president of Salvatori-Scott Inc. “Partnering with Acosta allows us to build on that foundation while giving manufacturers access to broader capabilities across grocery, mass, value and other retail channels. Together, we’re creating new opportunities for clients without losing the specialized focus that has always defined our business.”
As consumers increasingly shop for health and wellness products across multiple retail and health care settings, manufacturers need partners that understand both environments. The Acosta-SSI partnership brings those capabilities together, helping brands navigate a more connected marketplace while creating new opportunities for growth.
The companies have already begun supporting shared clients and identifying new opportunities to expand distribution and strengthen market presence. Acosta and SSI will showcase their combined capabilities during the upcoming NACDS Total Store Expo, where they will meet jointly with manufacturers and customers to discuss opportunities across independent pharmacy and the broader health care marketplace.
