Dispensaries

What Dispensaries does

Dispensaries Ltd (legal entity: Dispensaries (1991) Limited) is a privately held, locally owned Canadian pharmacy group founded in 1934 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. The firm operates eight retail pharmacy storefronts across Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, and Spruce Grove, plus a dedicated Compounding Centre and a wholesale division supplying first aid and medical supplies. Owners Darrin Berlin (President) and Kanish Sangani (Secretary) lead the business, supported by a multi-pharmacist team largely trained at the University of Alberta.

The company's core offering is full-service prescription dispensing complemented by specialized compounding services, including bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), dermatology, pain management, pediatric, veterinary, erectile dysfunction, injectables, and low-dose naltrexone formulations. The Compounding Centre is a ~1,400 sq. ft. NAPRA-compliant facility with sterile hazardous and non-sterile compounding rooms, Health Canada License #6-1037, PCCA membership since 1995, and a patented compounding software system that increases accuracy and minimizes errors. Complementary services include vaccinations and flu shots, medication reviews, minor ailments treatment, travel medicine, in-home delivery, a Prescriptions mobile app, and a Shopify storefront for pharmaceutical-grade natural health supplements sourced from brands such as NFH, Sisu, Metagenics, NOW Foods, and Pure Encapsulations.

Revenue is generated through four primary streams: prescription services billed via Alberta provincial health plans and direct patient payments; compounding services for both individual patients and B2B pharmacy clients on a 24-hour-or-less turnaround basis; supplement sales via in-store and Shopify e-commerce; and wholesale first aid and medical supplies to enterprise and government customers including Alberta Health Services, Suncor, PCL Construction, and Canadian Western Bank Group. Distribution spans physical retail, mobile app refills, delivery, B2B compounding channel, e-commerce, and wholesale, while marketing relies on a Health Hub Blog, email newsletter, and local community presence rather than paid acquisition.

Name

Dispensaries

Legal name

Dispensaries (1991) Limited

Website

https://dispensariesltd.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dispensaries is a privately held Canadian compounding pharmacy operating since 1934, serving Edmonton and surrounding communities through 8 retail locations plus a wholesale division, offering prescription services, custom compounding, supplements, and specialty formulations such as BHRT and dermatology preparations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail pharmacy and compounding services

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611), Ambulatory Health Care Services (621), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)

akta.pro primary industry

Compounding Pharmacies (Sterile/Non-Sterile) (HLAFALAE)

Keywords

• Compounding pharmacy
• Retail pharmacy services
• Prescription fulfillment
• Pharmaceutical supplements
• Wholesale medical supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Prescription Services: Standard prescription filling, refills, and transfers for patients. Revenue generated through provincial health plans and direct patient payments.
2. Compounding Services: Custom medication compounding for patients and B2B pharmacy clients. Includes BHRT, dermatology, pain management, pediatric, veterinary, and other specialized compounding. 24-hour or less turnaround for pharmacy clients.
3. Supplements Sales: Sale of pharmaceutical-grade natural health supplements including vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies, and nutraceuticals. Available in-store and via online Shopify store.
4. Wholesale Medical Supplies: First aid kits, bandages, splints, gauze, tensor bandages, medical gloves, suture kits, and hard-to-find medical items sold to companies and healthcare organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Dispensaries Ltd operates a chain of community pharmacies in the Edmonton region delivering prescription filling, custom medication compounding, vaccinations, medication reviews, and pharmaceutical-grade natural health supplements. The business is anchored by a dedicated NAPRA-compliant Compounding Centre serving both walk-in patients and other pharmacies with personalized formulations (BHRT, dermatology, pain management, pediatric, injectables, low-dose naltrexone). A Wholesale division supplies first aid kits and medical supplies to corporate and government customers across Alberta.

Product overview

Dispensaries is a locally-owned Canadian compounding pharmacy operating since 1934, serving Edmonton and surrounding communities (St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove). The offering consists of a core prescription services business supplemented by specialized compounding services (BHRT, dermatology, pain management, injectables, pediatric, and more) delivered through a dedicated Compounding Centre facility (~1400 sq. ft., NAPRA-compliant, PCCA member since 1995). A digital Prescriptions App enables prescription management. Additional services include vaccinations, travel medicine, medication reviews, delivery, supplement sales (pharmaceutical-grade vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies, nutraceuticals), a Patient Hub for education, and a Wholesale division supplying first aid/medical supplies. A Health Hub Blog provides pharmacist-authored health content. The portfolio is organized around a unified pharmacy service model with compounding as a key differentiator.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Prescription Services Full-service prescription management including new patient intake, prescription refills, and prescription transfers across all eight Dispensaries pharmacy locations in Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, and Spruce Grove.
• Compounding Services Custom medication compounding for patients and B2B pharmacy clients since 1995. Personalizes drug strength, flavors, application methods (creams, capsules, liquids), allergen-free formulations, and multi-medication combinations across BHRT, dermatology, podiatry, erectile dysfunction, injectables, low-dose naltrexone, pain management, and pediatric specialties.
• Compounding Centre Dedicated ~1,400 sq. ft. compounding facility with separate sterile hazardous and non-sterile compounding rooms, state-of-the-art equipment, a patented compounding software system, NAPRA sterile and non-sterile guideline compliance, PCCA membership since 1995, and Health Canada License #6-1037.
• Prescriptions App Mobile application that lets patients upload new prescriptions, request refills, transfer prescriptions, and select a preferred pickup location across the Dispensaries network.
• General Pharmacy Services Standard pharmacy service line covering medication review, minor ailments treatment, skin care, travel medicine, medication disposal, and veterinary prescriptions across the Dispensaries locations.
• Vaccinations and Flu Shots Comprehensive vaccination offering including travel vaccines and seasonal flu shots, supported by a comprehensive vaccine inventory across Dispensaries pharmacies.
• Supplements Pharmaceutical-grade natural health supplements including professional-grade vitamins, minerals, herbal remedies, nutraceuticals, and hormone-support products sourced from trusted brands, available in-store and via the Shopify online store.
• Delivery Prescription and supplement delivery service complementing in-store pickup and supporting home-bound or remote patients in the Edmonton region.
• Wholesale Medical Supplies Wholesale distribution of first aid kits, bandages, splints, gauze, tensor bandages, medical gloves, suture kits, and hard-to-find medical supplies sold to organizations including Alberta Health Services, Suncor, PCL Construction, and Canadian Western Bank Group.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24-hour or less turnaround for compounding orders depending on location

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• PCCA - Professional Compounding Centers of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Proud members since 1995. PCCA provides compounding expertise, quality ingredients, and support for the Compounding Centre operations.
• NFH - Nutritional Fundamentals for HealthminorOthersSupplement brand partner. NFH offers professional-grade nutritional supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• Sisu Nutritional SupplementsminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Sisu offers professional-grade vitamins and supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• MetagenicsminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Metagenics offers professional-grade vitamins and supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• NOW FoodsminorOthersSupplement brand partner. NOW Foods offers vitamins and supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• Cyto-Matrix Vitamins and SupplementsminorOthersSupplement brand partner available at Dispensaries locations.
• Genestra BrandsminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Genestra offers professional-grade supplements and vitamins available at Dispensaries locations.
• AOR - Advanced Orthomolecular ResearchminorOthersSupplement brand partner. AOR Canada offers advanced orthomolecular supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• Designs for HealthminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Designs for Health offers professional-grade natural vitamins and supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• Pure EncapsulationsminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Pure Encapsulations offers hypoallergenic nutritional supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• Douglas LaboratoriesminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Douglas Laboratories offers professional-grade supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• EnerexminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Enerex offers vitamins and supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• Protocol for Life BalanceminorOthersSupplement brand partner. Protocol for Life Balance offers professional-grade supplements available at Dispensaries locations.
• Alberta Health ServicesmajorOthersGovernment healthcare provider receiving first aid and medical supplies from Dispensaries Wholesale.
• SuncormajorOthersEnergy company receiving first aid and medical supplies from Dispensaries Wholesale.
• PCL ConstructionmajorOthersConstruction company receiving first aid and medical supplies from Dispensaries Wholesale.
• Canadian Western Bank GroupmajorOthersFinancial institution receiving first aid and medical supplies from Dispensaries Wholesale.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Guardian / I.D.A. Pharmacy (McKesson banner): Canadian independent pharmacy banner networks with locations offering compounding, specialty Rx, and patient-focused care. Directly comparable to Dispensaries' independent-storefront, compounding-enabled pharmacy model.
• Pharmasave: Canadian independent pharmacy network with member-owned stores offering compounding, prescription services, and specialty health products across multiple provinces. Directly comparable to Dispensaries as an independent pharmacy group with a strong compounding and patient-care orientation.
• The Medicine Shoppe Canada: Canada's largest network of independently owned pharmacies, providing prescription services, compounding, medication management, and specialty care. Operates on a similar independent-storefront model with compounding as a key differentiator.

Regional players

• London Drugs: Western Canadian retail pharmacy and health retailer with strong Alberta/BC presence. Comparable as a regional pharmacy competitor serving the same Edmonton-area patient base with retail Rx, front-shop health, and broader general merchandise.

Emerging players

• BioScript Solutions: Canadian specialty pharmacy focused on complex, patient-specific therapies and compounding. Comparable as a compounding-forward specialty pharmacy operating at higher scale and offering broader patient support programs.

Broad incumbents

• Shoppers Drug Mart (Loblaw Companies): Canada's largest retail pharmacy chain, owned by Loblaw. Provides prescription dispensing, vaccinations, and front-shop health products at national scale. Competes directly with Dispensaries on retail Rx and adjacent services, but does not focus on custom compounding.
• McKesson Canada: Canada's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor. Comparable as a wholesale medical-supply counterparty; competes with Dispensaries' wholesale division on scale and breadth of SKUs to enterprise customers.
• Costco Pharmacy: Membership-based retail pharmacy with Edmonton-area locations dispensing at scale. Competes with Dispensaries on retail prescription pricing and convenience, though without custom compounding depth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dispensariesltdpharmacy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dispensaries-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dispensaries