Has Your Diet Company Missed The Opportunity?
We at Marketdata published a new report about Retail Healthcare Mini-Clinics, in Sept. 2012. We spoke about the opportunity for weight loss companies to align themselves with this growing number of clinics (about 1,500 now) as an entry point and new distribution channel for their programs. We talked about it in March 2013, when we published a new edition of “The US Weight Loss & Diet Control Market”. Then we talked about it again and again on this website. Did anyone listen? Apparently not.
We recetly picked up a brochure at a local CVS in Tampa to find out that they are now offering a personalized weight loss program by a nurse practitioner. It includes: online tools, meal plans, exercise tips, recipes and coaching sessions.They’ll do a health risk assessment, measure your body mass index (BMI), do an evaluation of your lifestyle, create a personalized plan, and give you a membership in DASH For Health (an online resource built around the DASH diet – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, rated the #1 diet by U.S. News).
This is a 6-month program. They will propose a number of coaching sessions for you, check your labs on an ongoing basis, and it’s all covered by insurance.
Cost: $122 for the first exam, including lab blood tests. Then $59 per visit for the first 4 visits (weekly), then $59 per visit for the remaining 10 visits (once every 2 weeks). Total cost: $948.
We predicted it 15 months ago. We recommended that diet companies approach CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. So, now, instead of having another PARTNER and a new distribution channel, they have a significant new COMPETITOR! Hello…Is anyone in the top managements of the large diet companies listening? Walgreens and Rite Aid are still up for grabs.