Under terms of the agreement, which is expected to generate $3 billion over the term of the contract, BBDC will supply pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter products to all 103 Raley's stores with pharmacy operations.
"This new agreement represents a renewed commitment to expand our current relationship," said David Neu, president, BBDC Retail. "Bergen is confident that we can assist Raley's in integrating a superior central fill solution with a solid in-store strategy."
Flint Pendergraft, Vice President of Pharmacy and Wellness at Raley's, added, "This contract continues a very successful relationship between Raley's and Bergen. Bergen has shown a superior service relationship over the past seven years and has demonstrated the experience and initiatives necessary to serve Raley's long-term goals."
As part of the agreement, Raley's will employ many of Bergen's profit generating programs, including Generic Purchasing Program (GPP)(R), Private Label and the RePak product line.
"We have the opportunity to employ the GPP program as a mechanism for generic drug cost reduction," Pendergraft said.
Raley's operates a chain of 149 supermarkets in Northern California, Nevada and New Mexico. Raley's also owns Bel Air Markets, a chain of 18 supermarkets in the greater Sacramento area; Food Source, a chain of 8 warehouse format stores; and Nob Hill Foods, a chain of 26 supermarkets in south San Jose, Central Coast, and the greater Bay Area. Raley's has 97 Superstores found in Northern California, Nevada and New Mexico. Headquartered in West Sacramento, CA, Raley's employs more than 18,000 and has revenues exceeding $3 billion.
Bergen Brunswig Corporation, headquartered in Orange County, California, is a leading supplier of pharmaceuticals and specialty healthcare products, as well as information management solutions and consulting services. Bergen's customers include the nation's healthcare providers (hospitals, nursing homes and physicians), drug stores, manufacturers and patients. Through its subsidiaries, Bergen provides product distribution, logistics, pharmacy management programs, and Internet fulfillment strategies designed to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes across the entire healthcare spectrum.
Except for historical information, all other information set forth in this press release, such as earnings forecasts and earnings rate projections, consists of "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These "forward-looking statements" are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied. Such statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "think," "continue" or the negatives or other variations thereof or other similar terminology. Such risks and uncertainties include the risks described in exhibit 99(a) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2000 and in other reports and exhibits filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the costs and difficulties related to the integration of acquired businesses, the loss or disruption of one or more key customer or supplier relationships, changes in the distribution outsourcing pattern for pharmaceutical products and/or services, the ability to obtain general financing or financing rates that would be compatible with the Company's business operations, and the costs and other effects of governmental regulation and legal and administrative proceedings. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in the release.