About the RRF: CRN’s Retailer Relations Forum is open (by invitation only) to the senior sales and customer officers from CRN member companies that market finished dietary supplements and functional food to mass retailers in the chain drug, grocery, box store, and club venues. Forum members may include both marketers of branded products and contract manufacturers who manufacture store brand products for these customers.
SEE CRN's NEWSLETTER FOR RETAILERS
The Retailer Relations Forum provides opportunities for senior sales executives of member companies to stay up-to-date on regulatory and sector developments that will impact their business. Forum members keep abreast of retailer priorities, upcoming retailer initiatives, and requirements and expectations retailers have for the supplement and functional food categories. It also encourages these executives to become CRN brand ambassadors to the retail trade by helping to promote CRN’s initiatives to retailers in the context of their own brand image and alignment with our activities.
The Forum hosts at least one “engagement” experience a year providing a selected retailer the opportunity to host the Forum at its facilities, discuss its initiatives and expectations for the dietary supplement category—perhaps offer a tour of a model store or offer insights into its planograms for the future of the supplement “aisle”—and to network with our member executives.
Questions?
Please contact Steve Mister: smister@crnusa.org / 202-204-7676
RRF BREAKFAST AT TSE 2025
CRN NACDS breakfast briefing highlights retailer strategies and key trends driving today’s supplement marketplace
CRN member sales executives gained timely insights at the association's Retailer Relations Forum Breakfast Briefing on August 24, during the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Total Store Expo (TSE), where leading retailers and consultants outlined trends shaping the supplement marketplace and practical strategies for success.
Thank you to Alex Avram, senior sourcing manager at Sam’s Club; Katie Niles, Pharm. D., VP of merchandising and marketing at Kinney Drug; Alice Lee, director, client insights-wellness practice at Circana, for their insights and advice.
Attendees learned about Sam’s Clubs’ drive for innovation tempered by a demand for claim substantiation for new products. Avram urged companies to invest in the research to support their claims before they bring new products to Sam’s, and he reminded them to build in lead time for pre-vetting of products for quality by third-party auditors.
Kinney Drug gave participants a peek at their new Wellness Triangle and several condition-specific locations in the store helping consumers navigate hydration, GLP-1 support, and women’s health issues. The company's initiative to educate pharmacists on guiding consumers toward better supplement choices presents opportunities for a more proactive mindset towards health.
Yes, and: Circana shared that nutritionals are the fastest growing aisle in consumer healthcare at a rate of 9%. With e-commerce growing at more than 17%, winning brands have to offer personalized assortments, clean and natural labeling, and specifically target unique generational needs of each demographic.
What we're saying: “Our Breakfast Briefing gave CRN members a real-world look at how top retailers and data experts are thinking about supplements right now,” said CRN President & CEO Steve Mister. “It was informative, practical, and a reminder of why these conversations are so important for companies looking to innovate and grow responsibly.”
Questions? Contact Steve Mister.
OUR 2024 EVENT:
Thank you to our presenters and attendees at our Retailer Relations Forum breakfast briefing at the NACDS Total Store Expo Aug. 18, 2024!
Participants heard from Walgreens' Leigha Dunbar, Health Mart'sCrystal Lennartz and Nancy Lyons; as well as The Emerson Group's Lauren Alexander and Natalie Ryan.
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