ALPHA PHARM: Safeguarding A Healthier South Africa Across Generations

Set in prime positions in Silverton, Bloemfontein, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town are Alpha Pharm’s sextuplet of distribution centres, strategically located to facilitate the wholesale and fine distribution of a nearly 16,000-strong product range of unique and affordable pharmaceutical wares. “Our national footprint ensures superior service and delivery times,” Alpha Pharm lays out, “and our warehousing facilities ensure compliance to storage and delivery of pharmaceutical, surgical, natural and FMCG products, including cold chain and specialised products.”

The Alpha Pharma approach is fortified by the three primary principles of care, service and value. “These core corporate values echo in our operational culture,” Alpha Pharm goes on, “and our operational efficiency ensures products are received, stored, handled, dispatched and delivered to the highest standard and efficiency by our more than 800+ dedicated and professional wholesale employees via our own fleet of over 150 vehicles and logistics partners.” 

“Our embrace of the best technology and systems ensure operational efficiency, accuracy and timeous delivery whilst our devotion to service and our clients reflects in our ever-increasing franchise and corporate retail stores.”

PATIENT-CENTRIC HOLISTIC CARE

Alpha Pharm Pharmacies is the largest independent community care pharmacy group in South Africa. Its network of more than 400 franchised pharmacies and nearly 150 nationwide clinics is backed by the country’s biggest independent pharmaceutical wholesaler, and ensure that the patient is always the top priority. “Our patient-centred care focuses on you, the patient, and your particular health care needs,” Alpha Pharm explains.

“The goal is to empower patients to become active participants in their own health care management; to this end, we provide tailored care that is respectful of and responsive to each individual’s preferences, requirements and values, ensuring that these meld to guide all clinical decisions.”

Over the last more than half-decade Alpha Pharm has come to be the nation’s choice for a suite of reasons: fast and reliable access to health care is arguably paramount, as is the efficient and effective treatment available delivered by top professionals. “We also work to ensure continuity of care and smooth transitions,” Alpha Pharm is anxious to addend, “and at all times only the clearest, most comprehensible information and support is on offer.”

“Independently owned, we place care of communities as our first priority with emotional support, empathy and respect firmly at the vanguard of what we do.”

Over time, the Alpha Pharm offering has grown into an holistic, all-encompassing provision, where a suite of services is available in one quick and practical stop. “Alpha Pharm Healthcare Division ensures that pharmacies have every opportunity to differentiate themselves as multi-disciplinary primary healthcare centres of excellence,” the group expounds, with the AlphaDoc system alone revolutionising the manner in which patients receive health screenings in clinic.

“Paving the future of reliable and sustainable healthcare, AlphaDoc is a solution for everyone,” Alpha Pharm says of this sophisticated medical device. “Not only does the AlphaDoc offer convenience and discretion, the service is also far more affordable than a regular visit, with the same level of care.” Much more comprehensive than the average alternative, Alpha Clin clinics boast a range of service from baby assessment and blood pressure testing to urine samples and wound care. “We do our best every day to make your experience peaceful, convenient and easy,” the service outlines succinctly.

“Alpha Clin clinics,” the group adds of a further differentiator form the competition,, “are connected to many of the leading medical aids, making it possible for you to enjoy the convenience of professional care right where you buy your medicines.” There is the added might of the PharmaShop 24 and its nearly 100 products, to make pharmaceuticals accessible anytime. “The PharmaShop 24 vending machine allows access to real-time solutions for nearly all healthcare needs, with the added convenience of discretion,” the group says of the concept modified and refined since 2012.

FRANCHISING SECURES GROWTH

The nation’s oldest traditional pharmaceutical wholesaler, AlphaPharm was originally founded to serve as a buying group supplying pharmacies in the region, before establishing itself as a wholesaler and expanding its distribution network from Bloemfontein to Vereeniging and later Pretoria. By the mid 1990’s Alpha Pharm, then known as Kemco, was delivering to all northern provinces, and the establishment of Alpha Pharm in 2015 effectively united the group’s wholesalers from the Eastern and Western Capes, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State under one national banner.

Alpha Pharm operates as a network of independent pharmacies, dispensaries, community pharmacies and large superstores, and through its established franchise network numbering nearly 500 across the country, Alpha Pharm services the greater South African population, geographically offering the widest reach into some of its remotest regions.

One of the key elements to Alpha Pharm’s success through the years has been the personal touch created by operating a series of community pharmacies, it explains. “Avoiding the one-size-fits-all model often applied by pharmacy franchises, Alpha Pharm ensures relevant differentiation wherever possible.”

“The intimate relationship between pharmacist and customer should never be underestimated and while many large corporate retailers see the provision of healthcare as just another commodity, Alpha Pharm’s community-based pharmacies offer professional advice, care, service and value.”

“We offer our franchisees and our customers fair rates, through a diligent network of procurement and unique offers.”

Welcomed into the Alpha Pharm contingent and nestled in the heart of Randpark Ridge is the Eagles Landing addition, poised to personalise the West Rand community pharmacy experience. “Since filling out its first prescription,” Alpha Pharm reports, “Eagles Landing has been making good on its promise to provide quality prescriptions, build community relationships and support local philanthropies and causes.”

Pharmacist-in-charge Laurence Dumisani Mtetwa draws on extensive experience in the pharmaceutical world, where he observed a growing disconnect between patient and product. “Giving our patients that one-to-one attention is what is sorely lacking in pharmacies today,” Mtetwa states. “We want to know our patients and be able to take care of them, and to bring back the old pharmacy environment.”

Alpha Pharm’s wholesale operation is the backbone of this customer-focused matrix, with its six distribution centres supplying products and services to its litany of touch points and, ultimately, allowing independently-owned community pharmacies to compete with the biggest chains.

As it continues its growth and journey towards being the South African leader by the midpoint of the decade, Alpha Pharm is remaining committed to its original vision to ensure sustainability of in a rapidly changing healthcare environment, it summates. “Through unity, trust and technology we are able to continue our evolution whilst still remaining true to the vision of Doreen Berger, the Founder of Alpha Pharm. We are united across generations for a healthier South Africa.”