Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/1013207
Chain Drugstore Daily Monday, August 27, 2018 5 8 Market Chat with XIL Consulting An interview with Raymond McCall, President, XIL Consulting. CDD: You've recently joined XIL Consulting as company President. How did you move from pharmacy into the consulting space? RM: I actually started my career as a licensed pharmacist, behind the counter. Which I loved. Over the years, I moved into senior executive roles at companies like Albertsons, CVS and AholdUSA. It was Chuck Kneese's work with XIL that led me to the firm and Susan Lang, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder. XIL was answering big strategy ques- tions for clients: how to expand leverage in the market, how to create and mone- tize new products and services? Their results were so phenomenal, I decided to join the team. CDD: What are the needs in this space? RM: The biggest problem we're seeing is a of lack transparency. You have a sig- nificant knowledge gap between what clients are trying to do strategically, and what's actually happening in the market. Pharmacy is at a crossroads today. We're still defining the space for the con- sumer, which includes cash benefits. The same for PBMs. Aggregation is so over- whelming, people are looking for alterna- tives. And specialty drugs. What do you do when payers and sponsors can't sus- tain their costs? We like these types of complex issues. We tease them apart and come up with tangible solutions that move the industry forward. What will healthcare look like in 2025 and beyond? We get to help define that. CDD: Where is the opportunity for that type of work? RM: Everywhere. It's absolutely every- where. We have worked on multi- billion dollar acquisitions, with Fortune 50 companies on pricing strategies, Fortune 200 companies on what do to with drug rebates, and PSAOs on what do with their value prop. Right now, everybody is looking for a different way to approach the market, because at the end of the day the costs are not sustainable. CDD: In your work with XIL Consulting, how do you set yourself and your team apart? RM: First, we have a deep commitment to our client success. We want our clients to be the most competitive in the market. Part of that is knowledge transfer. We leave them better able to handle new ini- tiatives and challenges, internally. And with every one of our engagements, there has to be an economic outcome for the client. We're always on the lookout for that. Second, our people. We hire very deliberately. You have to have deep, deep knowledge of your busi- ness and be one of the top five at what you do. Third, we're multi-discipli- nary. That means our team brings every perspective to the table. We have knowledge across the medical and drug spend where most firms only offer a single piece. CDD: What's the focus for XIL for 2018? RM: Right now, we're building an ana- lytics platform using blockchain technol- ogy. Next, we're looking to move towards virtual consulting. We're a con- sulting company but we're also a tech- nology company, so we're always look- ing for ways to leverage new tech to the benefit of our clients. We think it's going to be a really great year. For more information, go to www .xilconsulting.com, call 239.249.5902 ext. 714 or email r.mccall@xilang consulting.com. Helping Consumers Stay Clean and Healthy Can Help Your Bottom Line Gas pump consumers are more con- cerned than ever with protecting their hands from the germs, grime and odors that gas pumps and nozzles are riddled with. One company has found a way for brands and c-stores to meet this rising consumer demand for cleanliness – all while increasing sales and store traffic. The Grabbies program puts promo- tional dispensers filled with disposable, certified compostable gloves at every gas pump or island column. Each disposable glove comes with a tear-off promotion – good for instant savings in-store. At the pump, consumers simply pull a glove, protect their hands, peel off the coupon, then purchase the promoted deal in the c-store. The Grabbies program is particularly innovative because it comes at a time when cleanliness and germ protection is of utmost concern to consumers. In fact, the majority of public locales (including super- markets, airports, hotels and restaurants) have been supplying germ-protec- tion products as a service to their consumers for years – all at their own cost. Today's consumers have grown accustomed to having hand sanitizer, disposable gloves and disinfecting wipes readily available when they need it. It's time that gas stations and c-stores caught up with this trend. Studies have shown that of all the public surfaces touched each day, gas pumps are the dirtiest – loaded with bac- teria because of the hundreds of hands touching them each day. In fact, it's been reported that 71 percent of all pumps are covered with bacteria that will make humans sick. Beyond germs, the pump experience leaves consumer's hands grimy, greasy and smelling like fuel. This is a top issue that the majority of both male and female gas purchasers report significantly disliking. Gas stations in Asia and Europe have been providing disposable gloves at their gas pumps for years. With Grabbies, that same benefit comes to the U.S. – with one important distinction: providing this in-demand service is now comes with an opportunity to increase sales and traffic. For more information, call 800.935.2059 or visit www.grabbies.com. Bell Plantation PB2: The Original Powdered Peanut Butter Bell Plantation founder JC Bell never set out to start a trend. But start a trend he did when his answer to a large surplus of stored peanuts, PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, began to make waves in the food industry. Today, PB2 leads the way in the latest trend in nut butters – powdered peanut butter. Powdered peanut butter is a lower fat alternative to traditional peanut but- ters and is made by squeezing the fats from slow roasted peanuts. The resulting peanut powder is mixed with a small amount of sugar and a dash of salt to deliver the rich nutty taste of peanut but- ter with 85 percent fewer calories from fat. PB2 can be mixed with water or fruit juice to make a spread for toast or waf- fles. Chefs love how easy PB2 is to mix into recipes and baked goods. Athletes love that PB2 allows them to have the protein, folate, niacin and vitamin E of peanut butter with a lower fat and calorie count. Bell Plantation PB2 is also a favorite among campers and hikers as a lighter weight way to carry peanut butter on long trips. Following the suc- cess of PB2, Bell Plantation introduced Chocolate PB2. Chocolate PB2 adds the lusciousness of premium chocolate to its original powdered peanut butter. Chocolate PB2 only tastes sinful, though, as it is just as healthful as the original PB2. In 2016, Bell Plantation introduced PB2 with Strawberry made with real whole fruit. PB2 with Strawberry is a taste reminiscent of the classic peanut butter and jelly, but in true PB2 style, free of the excess fat and sugar of the traditional. Bell Plantation PB2 and Chocolate PB2 are available in 6.5 and 16 ounce jars as well as a case of individual 24 gram serving packets. PB2 with real fruit is available in 6.5 ounce jars. For more information, go to www.bellplantation.com. New Cakebites from Cookies United Cookies United is changing the grab and go snacking category with its new line of Cakebites products. There are craft beers, craft chips, and now there are craft snack cakes. Cakebites is bringing bakery fresh product to the commercial category and it is resonating with consumers in a very big way! Cakebites are also hitting on all the new Millennial shopping trends, or as Cookies United likes to call them, the three "P's"... Portable, Permissible and Pleasing. The days of belly filler on-the-go snacks are no longer the only option. Cakebites are an amazingly unique high quality product line. Cakebites consist of three layers of cake with jelly in between each layer, fully coated in chocolate and topped with sprinkles. They truly are all the cake in just one bite! They come pre- packaged and pre-cut in perfectly por- tioned 2-ounce packages. Cakebites come in two flavors: Classic Italian Rainbow and Ultimate Party Cake. The Classic Italian Rainbow has been a corner bakery staple for genera- tions. Its uniquely colored cakes and distingué almond and raspberry jelly flavor combinations make it a family favorite. The Ultimate Party Cake is a huge hit with the kids and anyone who likes some- thing fun. The colorful vanilla party cake flavor enrobed in white chocolate and covered in party sprinkles is a real eye catcher! Cookies United is proud to announce the latest edition to the Cakebites family: Coffee Cinna-Crumb. It has taken the traditional coffee cake flavor that everyone has come to love and raised it to a whole other level of flavor. The Coffee Cinna-Crumb has light cinnamon layers as well as a super-rich dark cinna- mon layer, all between layers of cinnamon jelly and topped with a perfectly baked crisp streusel top- ping! For more information, go to www.love mycakebites.com, call 631.581.4000 or email info@cookiesunited.com.