{{Short description|Chain of retail pharmacies in Canada}} {{About||the American chain of pharmacies|Rexall}} {{Use Canadian English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Rexall Pharmacy Group ULC | logo = Rexall Canada logo.svg | image = Rexall Ottawa Lincoln Fields Mall - May 2022.jpg | image_caption = A Rexall pharmacy in Ottawa, Ontario | type = Unlimited liability corporation | industry = Retail, pharmacy | founded = {{start date and age|1904}} | trade_name = Rexall | location = Mississauga, Ontario, Canada | num_locations = 400 | num_locations_year = 2022 | key_people = Ron Wilson (President) | num_employees = 8,000 | num_employees_year = 2022 | parent = {{nowrap|Katz Group of Companies}} (1996–2016)<br/>McKesson Canada<br/>(2016–2024)<br/>Birch Hill Equity<br>(2024-present) |owner = Birch Hill Equity Partners<br/>(2024–present) | website = {{url|https://www.rexall.ca/}} | footnotes = <ref name="about">{{cite web|url=https://www.rexall.ca/company|title=About the Company|website=Rexall|access-date=2 February 2018}}</ref> }}'''Rexall Pharmacy Group ULC''' is a chain of retail pharmacies in Canada. Founded in 1904, Rexall has almost 400 pharmacies across Canada with 8,000 employees.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About the Company |url=https://www.rexall.ca/company |access-date=2022-08-29 |website=www.rexall.ca}}</ref>
== History == Rexall was founded in 1904 during the early days of the United Drug Company and quickly established itself as a major retail pharmacy chain. At the same time, Tamblyn Drugs was establishing itself in Toronto, Ontario, and would eventually become Pharma Plus. These two companies would later merge to form the Rexall Pharmacy Group.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rexall.ca {{!}} Company|url=https://www.rexall.ca/company|access-date=2020-09-22|website=www.rexall.ca}}</ref>
McKesson Canada purchased Rexall in December 2016 for $3 billion from the Katz Group of Companies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rexall drug store chain to be sold to McKesson in $3 billion deal |url=https://financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/rexall-drug-store-chain-to-be-sold-to-mckesson-in-3-billion-deal |access-date=2020-09-22 |website=Financial Post |language=en-CA}}</ref> At the time, it was estimated that Rexall had an average annual revenue of approximately $2.0 to $2.5 billion.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shaw |first=Hollie |date=2016-03-03 |title=Rexall drug store chain to be sold to McKesson in $3 billion deal |language=en |work=Financial Post |url=https://financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/rexall-drug-store-chain-to-be-sold-to-mckesson-in-3-billion-deal |access-date=2022-08-29}}</ref> Around this period, one of the major rival pharmacies in Canada was Shoppers Drug Mart.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Rexall takeover shakes up Canada's drugstore industry |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/mckesson-to-acquire-rexall-drugstore-chain-in-3-billion-deal/article28994105/ |access-date=2020-09-22}}</ref>
In 2018, the president of Rexall at that point, Beth Newlands Campbell, announced that the Pharma Plus brand would be discontinued and all stores would be converted to Rexall in order to create a more consistent look for the chain.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Marina |date=2018-05-21 |title=How Rexall plans to slim down for healthier profit in a competitive market |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-how-rexall-plans-to-keep-up-in-the-competitive-drugstore-market/ |access-date=2022-09-08}}</ref>
The company was in partnership with Air Miles, which Rexall accepted as a loyalty program. In May 2020, Rexall discontinued its partnership with Air Miles as a loyalty program at its stores and created its own loyalty program called Be Well, with which customers can collect points in order to redeem in-store items, similar to Air Miles.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Rexall drops Air Miles to launch its own loyalty program |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-rexall-drops-air-miles-to-launch-its-own-loyalty-program/ |access-date=2020-09-22}}</ref>
In January 2024, ''The Globe and Mail'' reported that McKesson had begun exploring the possibility of selling Rexall to potential buyers.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-01-11 |title=Rexall pharmacy chain put up for sale as American owner rethinks Canadian footprint, sources say |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-rexalls-american-owner-puts-pharmacy-up-for-sale-as-it-rethinks/ |access-date=2024-01-14 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}</ref> On September 5, Birch Hill Equity Partners (BHEP) announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with McKesson Corporation to acquire Rexall Pharmacy Group.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Partners |first=Birch Hill Equity |title=Rexall and Well.ca to be acquired by Birch Hill Equity Partners |url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/rexall-and-well-ca-to-be-acquired-by-birch-hill-equity-partners-847785153.html |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=www.newswire.ca |language=en}}</ref>
On December 20, 2024, BHEP completed the purchase of the company.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://privatecapitaljournal.com/mckesson-completes-sale-of-rexall-and-well-ca-businesses-to-birch-hill/|title=McKesson completes sale of Rexall and Well.ca businesses to Birch Hill|work=Private Capital Journal|access-date=2025-01-23|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{Commons category-inline|Rexall (Canada)}} *{{official|https://www.rexall.ca/}}
Category:Canadian pharmacy brands Category:2016 mergers and acquisitions Category:Pharmacies of Canada Category:Canadian companies established in 1904 Category:McKesson Corporation Category:2024 mergers and acquisitions
{{canada-retail-company-stub}} Category:1904 establishments in Ontario Category:Companies based in Mississauga