WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods has announced that they will focus on expanding their member base as an independent group after parting ways with the Sigma Healthcare group.
Original brand founders and owners Frank and Vince Pappalardo have announced a renewed commitment to reinvent the pharmacy and wellness landscape with the WholeLife brand.
Frank Pappalardo, co-founder and owner of WholeLife said, “The WholeLife concept aligns with the needs of today’s consumer when it comes to health and wellbeing. Over the past five years, we have worked to better understand changing customer needs and the success of our stores is proof that our research and investment is working. We know that consumers are wanting more from their pharmacy and WholeLife provides that complete one-stop health and wellness destination.
“We are now excited to focus on driving this proven concept with increased awareness and further growth in the footprint of the WholeLife brand across the pharmacy and wellness sectors – with a single-minded focus to be the most loved health and wellness destination for Australian consumers both instore and online.”
Research conducted by WholeLife in August 2022 showed that the WholeLife shopper is more likely to have a larger basket size, shop more frequently, and talk about the brand more favourably with friends when compared with other pharmacy brands.
Damian Young, Head of WholeLife said, “The future is very bright for WholeLife and our passionate team is excited about the journey ahead. We know that pharmacy owners are looking for ways to reinvent their pharmacies and make their stores more relevant for consumers. WholeLife provides a proven and successful model that has been shown to increase foot traffic, increase basket sizes and increase revenue across a broad range of locations, demographics and store sizes.
“Over the past twelve months to 30 September, our stores have experienced sales growth of 32%, which is more than double any other pharmacy brand in the Sigma portfolio. Our customers actively seek out our stores and so we have shifted the paradigm that convenience is the key driver for pharmacy store choice. We know our customers actively seek out WholeLife stores for their health and wellness needs.
“We have had a significant increase in enquiries from pharmacy owners who want to understand more about the WholeLife opportunity and who are looking to capitalise on the differentiated offering from the WholeLife portfolio to stand out in their local area.
“We are ready to hit the accelerator on our store expansion plans. Our WholeLife team includes a group of highly experienced industry experts who are the best in the business – handpicked experts who are ready to make an impact on the future of the pharmacy and support our franchise partners to succeed.”
Vince Pappalardo, co-founder and owner of WholeLife said, “Watch this space! We have big and exciting plans that are coming to fruition, and we can’t wait to share them with the market. Post-pandemic, with the increased consumer focus on health and wellbeing, this is the best time to jump onboard with the WholeLife brand and opportunity. The future is bright! The future is WholeLife!”
About WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods:
WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods was founded in Cairns by Frank and Vince Pappalardo after they transformed one of their pharmacies in Pease St, Cairns (North Queensland) in 2011 to embrace a more holistic health-focussed concept. The first WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods branded store opened in May 2017.
In 2019, the Pappalardos entered a joint venture agreement with Sigma Healthcare to drive growth in the WholeLife brand.
From February 2023, the Pappalardos reassumed full ownership of the WholeLife business and all associated brands.
Today WholeLife Pharmacy & Healthfoods stores are in a wide range of locations around Australia offering an ever-increasing range of pharmacy, health, wellness, and wellbeing products for all Australians. An expanded health foods focused concept, WholeLife Healthfoods Markets, was launched in December 2021 and has four stores across Queensland.
Text by: WholeLife
