Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs

What Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs does

Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs operate as a unified Western Canadian community pharmacy franchise network under Edmonton-based Pharmacy Brands Canada. The two retail banners were founded in 1978 (Value Drug Mart) and 1996 (Apple Drugs), and today encompass nearly 40 independently owned locations across Alberta and British Columbia, each operated by a local pharmacist-owner supported by Pharmacy Brands Canada's centralized purchasing, generic formulary, marketing, and distribution infrastructure. The network charges no banner fees to franchisees while providing full brand and operational support, positioning the franchise model around preserving local ownership autonomy alongside collective scale.

The core offering is full-service community pharmacy: prescription dispensing, Additional Prescribing Authority, medication reviews, compounding, immunization services (flu, COVID, shingles), travel health consultations, smoking cessation support, free medication delivery, compliance packaging, and OTC product sales. Underlying digital infrastructure includes dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications for each banner, a Quick Refill web portal for prescription management using phone number and Rx numbers, a Health Portal with A-Z medical condition articles, CASL-compliant email newsletters, and weekly digital flyers distributed through the Flipp platform. Social media engagement is maintained primarily via Facebook.

Revenue is generated principally through transaction-based prescription dispensing fees, OTC product sales, and professional service fees (immunizations, consultations, compounding) at the individual store level, supplemented by centralized franchise services provided by Pharmacy Brands Canada. The customer base comprises individual consumers and families seeking personalized community pharmacy care, with a secondary B2B segment of independent pharmacists seeking ownership with brand and operational support. Leadership is led by President & CEO Jon Johnson, with Kevin Sagert overseeing store operations. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds or external investors.

Name

Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs

Legal name

Pharmacy Brands Canada

Website

https://valuedrugmart.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs operate a Western Canadian franchise pharmacy network of nearly 40 independently owned stores under Pharmacy Brands Canada, delivering prescription dispensing, immunizations, and health services across Alberta and British Columbia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy Services

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro primary industry

Discount Drugstores (Value-Focused Chain Pharmacies) (CRAEAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail & Community Pharmacies (Chain/Independent) (HLAFALAA), Value Pharmacies & Deep-Discount Pharmacy Retail (CRAEAHAB)

Keywords

• Retail pharmacy services
• Prescription dispensing
• Community pharmacy network
• Pharmacy franchise operations
• Medication management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Prescription Dispensing: Full-service pharmacy dispensing prescription medications to customers with various services including Additional Prescribing Authority, medication reviews, and compounding
2. Over-the-Counter Products: Sale of OTC medications, health products, personal care, and home essentials
3. Immunization Services: Vaccination services including flu shots, COVID vaccinations, and shingles vaccines
4. Health Consultations: Travel health consultations, medication reviews, and smoking cessation support
5. Medication Delivery: Free medication delivery service to customers who cannot visit the pharmacy
6. Compounding: Personalized medication tailored to unique health needs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs operate a network of nearly 40 independently owned community pharmacies across Western Canada (Alberta and British Columbia), delivering prescription dispensing, immunizations, compounding, medication reviews, travel health consultations, smoking cessation support, compliance packaging, OTC products, and free medication delivery. Each location is locally owned and supported by centralized purchasing, marketing, distribution, and a competitive generic formulary from parent Pharmacy Brands Canada, with no banner fees.

Product overview

Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs operate as a unified pharmacy network offering comprehensive healthcare services through two branded retail chains. The company provides a core pharmacy services suite including prescription dispensing, medication management, immunizations, and travel health consultations. Digital offerings include mobile applications for both brands (Value Drug Mart app and Apple Drugs app) enabling prescription refills and health management, a Quick Refill service for convenient prescription renewals, a digital flyer system via the Flipp platform, and a Health Portal with educational content on medical conditions. The pharmacy services are delivered through approximately 40 independently owned locations across Alberta and British Columbia, supported by centralized operations from Pharmacy Brands Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Value Drug Mart Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android that lets Value Drug Mart customers order prescription refills, submit prescriptions, and manage their pharmacy needs on the go.
• Apple Drugs Mobile App Mobile application for iOS and Android that lets Apple Drugs customers order prescription refills and access pharmacy services from the Apple Drugs brand on the go.
• Quick Refill Online prescription refill service for Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs customers that uses phone number and Rx numbers to enable refills, with login access to view prescriptions before placing orders.
• Pharmacy Services Comprehensive suite of in-pharmacy services for Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs customers, including prescription dispensing, Additional Prescribing Authority, blood pressure monitoring, compliance packaging, compounding, immunizations (flu, COVID, shingles), medication delivery, medication reviews, OTC recommendations, prescription transfer, smoking cessation support, and travel health consultations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45+ years in business with nearly 40 locations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Pharmacy Brands CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1978Edmonton-based parent organization that owns the Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs brands. Provides franchise support including purchasing power, coordinated marketing, competitive generic formulary, and centralized distribution. Philosophy emphasizes preserving store owner independence while providing centralized support systems.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Rexall: Rexall is a Canadian chain pharmacy operating corporate locations across multiple provinces. It is comparable as a wide-format retail pharmacy competitor offering prescription dispensing, front-store merchandise, and clinical services in markets that overlap with Value Drug Mart's Alberta and BC presence.
• Shoppers Drug Mart: Shoppers Drug Mart, owned by Loblaw, is Canada's largest chain pharmacy operator with over 1,300 locations nationwide. It is comparable as a direct competitor in retail pharmacy and front-store merchandise across Western Canada, though it operates a corporate rather than independent ownership model.

Direct peers

• Pharmasave: Pharmasave is a Canadian-owned cooperative/network of independent community pharmacies operating across Canada with a similar franchise/associate ownership model. Like Value Drug Mart, it provides centralized purchasing, marketing, and operational support to independent pharmacist-owners while preserving local autonomy.
• Neighbourly Pharmacy: Neighbourly Pharmacy is a TSX-listed Canadian pharmacy consolidator that acquires and operates independent community pharmacies across Canada. It is directly comparable because it both serves as a competitive threat (when it acquires banner-affiliated independents) and operates in the same Western Canadian independent pharmacy market.
• IDA Pharmacy: IDA Pharmacy is a Canadian banner program for independent pharmacies operating under the McKesson Canada umbrella. It is comparable to Value Drug Mart as both offer independent pharmacist-owners a recognized brand, purchasing scale, and operational support while preserving store-level autonomy.
• Guardian Pharmacy: Guardian is a Canadian banner network of independently owned pharmacies that provides its member-pharmacists with centralized services, marketing, and purchasing support. The banner model is structurally similar to Value Drug Mart's franchise approach, addressing Canadian pharmacist-owners seeking independence with group benefits.

Emerging players

• PocketPills: PocketPills is a Canadian digital pharmacy offering free prescription delivery across Canada via a tech-enabled mail-order model. It is comparable as a competitive force in prescription fulfillment, particularly for refill-driven customers, representing a digital disruption vector Value Drug Mart's mobile refill tools must counter.

Others

• McKesson Canada: McKesson Canada is the country's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor, also operating the IDA and Guardian pharmacy banners. It is comparable as a key infrastructure provider (wholesale distribution) for independent pharmacy networks like Value Drug Mart and as the parent of two direct peers.

Regional players

• London Drugs: London Drugs is a Western Canadian retail chain with full-service pharmacies across BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. It is comparable as a regional competitor operating in the same geographic footprint as Value Drug Mart, offering similar pharmacy services plus broader general merchandise.
• Jean Coutu: Jean Coutu is a Quebec-based pharmacy chain serving primarily Quebec and New Brunswick. It is comparable as a regional chain pharmacy with a focus on pharmacist-owned franchise locations, though it operates primarily outside Value Drug Mart's Western Canadian geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ValueDrugMart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beverly-value-drug-mart-travel-clinic

Compliance1 record

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 Value Drug Mart and Apple Drugs