
Helena Foulkes led CVS’s landmark decision in January 2017 to sell the generic version of EpiPen alternative Adrenaclick—which further established the tobacco-free drugstore chain as a leader in health care. She’s also driving these other new initiatives.
Retail redesign: People are moving “from sick care to self-care,” Foulkes says, meaning that shoppers are being more proactive about their health. In 2015, she started overhauling stores to highlight wellness and beauty products over items like seasonal merchandise and greeting cards. She also displayed products like vitamins and probiotics more prominently near pain relievers so that while people are re-covering from a cold, they can simultaneously start heading off the next one.
Delivery options: Through CVS Curbside, which debuted in April 2016, online orders (excluding pharmacy items) can now be brought directly to customers’ cars when they arrive at the store. Car delivery is currently available in 4,000 CVS locations. Same-day home delivery is next.
In-app simplicity: CVS’s Pharmacy app stores prescription and insurance data as well as credit cards and coupons. The info can be scanned by associates in any CVS department, shaving precious minutes off customers’ errand time.