POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Shoppers who buy groceries from FoodFair will soon have more convenient access to picking up their prescriptions as well. A new partnership will bring Fruth Pharmacy inside two FoodFair locations — in Pomeroy, Ohio, in mid-June and Grayson, Ky., in mid-July.

Announcing the deal in May, Forth Foods Inc., FoodFair’s parent company, said Fruth will take over an existing pharmacy inside the Powell’s FoodFair in Pomeroy and will open a brand new pharmacy inside the Grayson store, marking Fruth’s entree in the Bluegrass state.

“We are looking forward to serving the people of Grayson and entering business in the state of Kentucky,” said Lynne Fruth, president of Fruth Pharmacy. “We have a unique variety of services to provide the citizens of Grayson and the customers of FoodFair.”

The openings will increase the number of the regional drug chain’s stores to 28, with locations in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. But, according to Fruth, these new stores are not the end of the company’s plans for growth.

“We’re looking at a number of acquisition opportunities both with FoodFair and beyond,” Fruth said, adding that getting a foothold in Kentucky presents a great launching point for future expansion into the tristate area. “There’s a fair amount of health care opportunity where these three states come together,” Fruth said. “We’re going to be getting into the speciality market and specialty drugs. There’s great opportunity.”

Although the new Fruth locations in FoodFair will be reduced in size, customers will still get to experience Fruth’s full-service pharmacy — offering prescription counseling, prescription savings cards, prescription rewards club, immunizations, medication flavorings for children and more.

Speaking to the partnership, Fruth said, “The Fruth family and the Forth family have a business relationship that started with founders Jack Fruth and Charlie Forth years ago. I am pleased to be expanding on that relationship with Forth Foods through the next ­generation.”

The added locations not only give customers the convenience of having their prescriptions filled while shopping at FoodFair, they will also be able to take advantage of the Fruth Mobile App, which can be downloaded from the Apple, Android or Windows stores free of charge, to streamline the prescription process.
Grand openings are in the works.