Corporate Archives - Page 8 of 37

Small businesses closed due to the pandemic start to see their products hit London Drugs store shelves

May 12, 2020 – Since the launch of London Drugs’ Local Central on April 28, more than 1,200 Western Canadian companies have submitted products for consideration to be made available on our store shelves.

This week, customers will start to see some of the products from local companies in select London Drugs locations. All of these companies have been severely impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and more products from local businesses will continue to be added to the Local Central initiative in the coming weeks.

“We have been humbled and more passionate than ever to support our local companies through these trying times,” said Clint Mahlman, London Drugs President and Chief Operating Officer. “Our customers can look for the Local Central signage to find these products in many London Drugs stores. The stories and backgrounds of these small businesses is truly remarkable. We are excited at the prospect of continuing to grow Local Central to help more local businesses.”

Be sure to check this list of small businesses supported and where you will be able to find them: https://londondrugs.com/local-central.html

Odd Society Spirits hand sanitizer is one of the local products now part of London Drugs’ Local Central.

“We are incredibly grateful to be given shelf space for our hand sanitizer at five London Drugs stores in Vancouver,” explains Gordon Glanz, Odd Society Spirits owner and distiller. “London Drugs continues to make small business a priority – initiatives like Local Central provide new opportunities to reach customers, and help businesses like ours through these difficult times.”

Small business owners have until May 15, 2020 to submit their products for consideration at https://www.londondrugs.com/local-central-application.html

London Drugs opens up end of day shopping hours to the public and introduces a new way to support COVID-19 relief efforts

May 8, 2020 – As more and more grocery stores and pharmacies have expanded their opening hours beyond 9 pm in the last couple of weeks, it has given frontline workers many more options to find the essentials for their families now. As a result, the past two weeks have seen a dramatic decline in frontline workers and first responders taking advantage of our exclusive end of day shopping hour. As of May 11, everyone will once again be able to shop during this time. We will reinstate the exclusive shopping hour in the future as needed.

At the same time, we are offering a new and noisy fun way for Western Canadians to support COVID-19 relief efforts. London Drugs is offering $5 cowbells at all stores as well as online with net proceeds going to COVID19 health care needs in each Western province.

“We love seeing the community spirit, support and togetherness during the 7 pm cheer,” said Clint Mahlman, London Drugs president and chief operating officer. “The purchase of a cowbell will not only add to the nightly cheer we hear across our cities but also the net proceeds will go directly into our provinces’ health care systems.”

The following foundations will be supported through funds raised by cow bell sales:

British Columbia
British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Foundation for Public Health

Alberta
University of Alberta Hospital Foundation

Saskatchewan
Hospitals of Regina Foundation
Saskatoon Hospital Fund

Manitoba
Manitoba Health Sciences Centre Foundation

For more information on London Drugs’ ongoing measures to keep staff and customers safe, please visit https://blog.londondrugs.com/tag/covid19.

Proudly Canadian Brand Stories – Earth’s Own Oat Milk – Canadian from the roots up.

One look at the Earth’s Own tagline, “We Dig Plants.”, and you know right away, it’s genuine.

“All of our oats are grown by Canadian farmers on the Prairies and in Quebec,” says Brittany Hull, Director of Marketing for Earth’s Own, “You can’t get much more Canadian than that.”

Local Ingredients, Local Production.

Earth’s Own sources ingredients locally wherever possible. They also produce all of their delicious plant-based milks in Canada instead of shipping product over borders. This results in a smaller environmental footprint for this growing brand and supports local farmers and plant workers to build a brighter and tighter sense of community.

Being bold in a most Canadian way.

The Earth’s Own brand takes a strong stand for their values. But this bold attitude is delivered with style, humour and above all, authenticity. From the cheerful packaging to their cheeky ‘Plantifesto’ their important message comes across as friendly, intelligent and tasteful –like their oat milk itself.

Saving the world – one plant at a time.

Earth’s Own knows that environmental impact goes beyond borders. Their solution: plants.

“Because of our Canadian climate, our oats don’t require irrigation,” Hull says, “This means that they are grown using 7x less water than dairy milk.”

Plant-based eating is inherently having a lower environmental impact because plants are grown to eat directly, rather than feeding animals for food production. And that’s not all, Earth’s Own containers are also made from plants and the company supports plant-based community projects.

Proud to be one of London Drugs’ newest Canadian brands.

“Our first time shipping Earth’s Own products in London Drugs stores was in April 2020,” says Michael Rende, Director of Sales for Earth’s Own, “This shows a great nimbleness to support local brands during these unprecedented times. Customers are always looking for brands they can trust, and Earth’s Own is grateful to be in London Drugs stores, supporting our Canadian roots right along with them.”

Shop Earths Own here!

To find out more about our Proudly Canadian program, click here.

We are Proudly Canadian: Finding common bonds during a time where we all need each other.

Proudly Canadian is a program London Drugs launched in 2018 to highlight our unique selection of products that have Canadian roots.

While #ProudlyCanadian is always near and dear to London Drugs and our customers, with many businesses across our country struggling to survive during COVID-19, we felt it important to share the successes of the many great Canadian companies within our communities. Companies with amazing stories about their beginnings through to their achievements. Stories that most importantly are about the people, it is with these people in mind that we share our Proudly Canadian program with you.

Over the coming weeks we will share a collection of stories about great Canadian companies. We think you will be surprised by how many products have Canadian connections. Products with ingredients sourced from across our country, products and concepts designed and developed here. Companies developing products with sustainability as a priority, making caring about the people and our world a significant reason for what they do.

To make it easy for you, you can find our Proudly Canadian products in-store by looking for our bold blue and red signs, or online at londondrugs.com. Be sure to follow our social feeds for ongoing Canadian stories and features!

What is Proudly Canadian ?

Designed in Canada – Products designed with Canadian innovation. In this category we also look for additional factors such as Canadian ownership, history of doing business in Canada and the number of Canadian employees.

Made in Canada – At least 51% of the total direct costs of producing the goods must be incurred in Canada. This can include Canadian ingredients, processing or manufacturing.

Canadian Proud – This designation lets us highlight products assembled in Canada with foreign parts, manufactured in Canada with imported resources, etc.

London Drugs is proudly 100% Canadian owned and operated since 1945

A thank you from Clint Mahlman, President & COO of London Drugs

To our valued customers,

We’d like to share with you our thanks and some of the small ways we are trying to meaningfully support our communities. Please take a few minutes to listen to Clint Mahlman express his gratitude to you, our members, and all Canadians.

Find out more about some of the ways we are supporting our communities through initiatives:

From our London Drugs family to yours,
Stay well and stay safe.

Attention local small business owners: London Drugs wants to help you sell your products

We are humbled by the overwhelming response to this initiative. We are excited to support our local communities and offer shelf space to businesses whose doors have been forced to close during the COVID-19.

April 28, 2020 – London Drugs is offering up shelf space in select stores to local small businesses who have had to close their doors due to COVID-19. Beginning today, small businesses in Western Canada are welcome to submit products for consideration.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business reports that only 21 per cent of small businesses in Canada are fully open due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and 50 per cent have reported that they are unsure if their business will survive.

“This is a really hard time for many small businesses, and we are in a unique position where we can really help out,” said Clint Mahlman, President and COO of London Drugs. “As a 75-year-old Canadian owned and operated company we have always supported fellow Canadian businesses and now is the time more than ever, to come together. As an essential service, we are here to help our local small businesses while also providing an opportunity for customers to pick up their favourite local items all in one place.”

In select locations, London Drugs will be transforming its centre aisles into Local Central, a dedicated space to help local businesses sell their products.
Mahlman adds, “Whether you sell coffee, local honey, or your restaurant’s graphic T-shirts, London Drugs is here to help.”

Small business owners can visit here to learn if their products qualify and apply to be part of London Drugs Local Central. Some rules and restrictions apply.

Keep an eye out on London Drugs’ social channels for when local products hit the shelves. Customers are also welcome to tag local businesses that they think could benefit from the initiative on London Drugs’ social media posts.

Be Kind. London Drugs and Carlton Cards invite random acts of kindness

Write a note, send a card, all just to say thanks.

With our world more connected than ever before, we are encouraging our customers to write a handwritten note or sentiment to brighten someone else’s day. Technology allows us to connect instantly, however there is an element of humanity that is lost in it. Now more than ever, people need be reminded they are appreciated. Whether that is sending love to your family or appreciation to a health care worker that you’ve never met, but know they are risking their own health to ensure the safety of yours. We want to help share that personalized tangible message to remind each other that we are in this together.

How it works – For healthcare workers

Simply write a thank you note in a card and drop it off at any London drugs location. You can choose to buy a card while in-store or bring one you already have at home, it’s that easy! We will send the card out to be delivered to health care workers on the front line at local hospitals in your community. Of course, you can also mail out your card to a loved one or pass your card along to anyone you feel deserves a thank you. This could be a delivery driver, retail cashier, teacher or anyone else who you appreciate. Our aim is to help spread the love in a tangible way.

FAQ

What about virus transmission? We understand some maybe concerned about virus transmission, however the virus doesn’t live on surfaces for very long. It can be a few minutes to no more than 24 hours, so there is little to worry about in regard to contracting the virus in this way.

Why Healthcare workers? We have chosen to thank front line healthcare workers for their continued hard work keeping us and our communities safe and healthy. As mentioned above, you can also mail/give a card to anyone who’s day you’d like to brighten.

What about sealing the envelopes? Stickers will be on hand to seal the envelopes, so you won’t have to.

What goes in the collection box? The collection box is just for healthcare workers, but if you were wanting to mail your card, you can do so at one of our Canada post locations.

Who do we address our letter/card to? You don’t need to address it to anyone specific if it is dropped of in our collection box in-store.

Also, if you do show an act of kindness through dropping off a letter or card in the box (or donate to United Way) we are going to gift you a London Drugs blue cowbell. You can use this to cheer for your frontline workers at 7pm each night!

From us to you, Stay Safe and be kind.

Small businesses closed due to the pandemic start to see their products hit London Drugs store shelves

London Drugs opens up end of day shopping hours to the public and introduces a new way to support COVID-19 relief efforts