SOUTH AFRICA— Dis-Chem Group in its ambitious expansion plan has added Berea Pharmacy to its extensive portfolio.

A short statement on Berea Pharmacy’s website read, “Dear Valued Customers, we wish to thank all our customers, who have supported this business and for your patronage. We must inform you that we have sold this pharmacy to Dis-Chem.”

Brian Anderson said that his family was grateful to their customers for their support and loyalty, as well as a special note of gratitude to their staff, past, and present, who had been an integral part of their journey.

Brian Anderson, previous Berea pharmacy owner said, “Our loyal customers, many of whom have been with us for decades, will reap the benefits of a larger organization with a focus on integrated healthcare.”

“We know that Dis-Chem will continue to serve our customers with the same level of commitment and dedication, and we are pleased that our shoppers now have access to a broader healthcare ecosystem,” he concluded.

From June 2023, the store will be known as Dis-Chem Berea and form part of Dis-Chem’s national pharmacy and clinic network.

According to the Dis-Chem group, the healthcare group has been South Africa’s first choice in pharmacies since 1978, with dispensaries, family clinics, and non-pharmaceutical and comprehensive self-medication centers.

Based out of Midrand, Johannesburg Dis-chem takes pride in its 300 retail stores spread across Southern Africa.

Dis-Chem is also recognized as a leading specialist in beauty, healthy food, sports supplements, health, and well-being, with a wide range of products in each category.

Stan Goestch the Executive director at Dis-Chem said, “Dis-Chem has never lost sight of its origins as a family business, and we place great emphasis on the value of personalized service within the community.”

Goestch noted that the acquisition represents the Dis-Chem group’s continued commitment to upholding and enhancing this tradition of excellence in the East London region while giving customers greater value and access to quality healthcare.

Based on its view that quality healthcare should be within everyone’s reach, Dis-Chem provides private day-to-day healthcare via access to a broad range of healthcare options.

The services include clinic services, video calls to doctors via the Clinic Connect offering, medical insurance, and gap cover that comprehensively cater to the whole family’s everyday health and wellness needs.

Furthermore, the store’s dispensary services will provide customers with access to value-add healthcare services such as the convenient PackMyMeds service which prompts shoppers to order and stay adherent to medication.

New acquisition in a changing organization

The acquisition of Berea Pharmacy is the last under CEO, Ivan Saltzman, who cofounded Dis-Chem with his wife Lynette in 1978 and will step down as chief executive officer at the end of June 2023.

However, Dis-Chem said that Saltzman will remain an executive director on the board and continue to serve as an active member of the executive management team, with his role including an emphasis on the group’s commitment to accelerate retail space growth, together with a concentrated focus on the trade of the retail store network.

Rui Morais, who is currently the group’s chief financial officer, will succeed Saltzman as CEO from 1 July.

Morais joined the group in 2010 and has been in the role of CFO and a member of the executive leadership team since August 2012.

He has been integrally involved in the development of the group’s strategy over the past 11 years.

Outgoing CEO, Ivan Saltzman, said, “Over the course of the past 45 years, Lynette and I have grown the business from a single store to what is today, the largest retail pharmacy chain by market share in South Africa, with a network of over 300 retail stores and over 20,000 staff.”

Incoming CEO, Rui Morais said, “I am excited and privileged to be given the opportunity to lead the Dis-Chem group. I thank the Saltzman family, the founding shareholders, and the board, for entrusting me with this responsibility.”

For all the latest healthcare industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, and YouTube Channel, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook.