WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Convenience-store retailer Kum & Go LC has named convenience-store health and beauty care (HBC) supplier Lil’ Drug Store Products as its 2016 Category Manager of the Year.
Lil’ Drug Store Products worked closely with Kum & Go category manager Richard Ginther to develop a growth plan, the company said.
“Our approach included consumer research and category sales analysis to help us better understand convenience channel shopper trends,” said Ginther. “We also made it a priority to agree on strategies that tied to Kum & Go’s business objectives.”
The collaboration led to several key updates to Kum & Go’s HBC category. One of the biggest changes was the decision to prioritize product placement of value sizes within the HBC shelf set. Both groups also saw an opportunity to offer more private-label choices for Kum & Go shoppers. These merchandising strategies contributed to significant HBC category growth at Kum & Go, which currently is trending five times above the industry average sales growth rate, according to the companies.
“The category management award from Kum & Go is truly a great honor for us at Lil’ Drug Store Products. We pride ourselves in developing partnerships that deliver results for retailers,” said Michelle Ridder, category manager for Lil’ Drug Store Products. “Our success with Kum & Go is an excellent example of what we can accomplish when we work together as a team to achieve a common goal.”
Founded in 1974, Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Lil’ Drug Store is a leading distributor of products to the convenience-store channel.
West Des Moines, Iowa-based Kum & Go has more than 400 convenience stores in 11 states (Iowa, Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming).
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