The article examines how the drugstore chains “マツキヨココカラ＆カンパニー” and “Tomod” both pursue strategies in which food accounts for less than 10% of sales. It describes the placement of daily food items and frozen foods at suburban stores and the store-opening strategy for urban locations. It also notes that integrating points with the group’s “Summit” programme approximately doubled the number of users able to use the points across both businesses.
Part 4 examines drugstore food strategies, analysing how マツキヨココカラ and Tomod keep food’s share below 10%. The previous instalment covered stores with a high food mix, while this instalment focuses on efforts to differentiate themselves by strengthening their core pharmaceutical and cosmetics businesses.
At マツキヨココカラ＆カンパニー, the “beauty and health” category accounted for 72.4% of the sales mix in the previous fiscal year, while “food” accounted for 9.2%, below 10%. Suburban stores carry daily food items, alcoholic beverages and frozen foods, among other products, while assortments are tailored to the store format when food is stocked.
Food accounts for approximately 5% of Tomod’s sales mix, while dispensing, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics account for larger shares. The company operates 261 stores across Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama, primarily in convenient locations such as station buildings and commercial facilities. Food assortments consist mainly of daily food items, with some product placement targeting breakfast and lunch demand.
In its partnership with Summit, the companies integrated their ST Points member IDs, approximately doubling the number of users able to use the points across both businesses. The linkage between the two companies’ member IDs has improved convenience and helped expand customer touchpoints.