The Maui News

Foodland Pukalani’s pharmacy is one of seven statewide that will close after the supermarket chain struck an agreement to transfer all its prescriptions to Longs Drugs.

All seven Foodland pharmacy locations will close permanently by mid-April, with prescriptions transferred electronically so customers can continue to fill their prescriptions at the Longs Drugs location of their choice, Foodland Super Market Ltd. announced Wednesday.

“The decision to exit the pharmacy business was not an easy one for us,” Jenai Wall, Foodland chairman and CEO, said in a news release. “While compressed margins and rising costs have led to increasing losses, we were concerned about the impact any closure would have on our many loyal pharmacy customers and employees.

“We are grateful that our agreement with Longs Drugs will help ensure our customers’ access to care will be uninterrupted, while also enabling us to better focus our attention on delivering great grocery shopping experiences and meeting the ever-changing food needs of our customers,” Wall added.

Foodland pharmacies will close on the following dates:

• April 11: Foodland Waimea, Foodland Laie and Sack N Save Puainako.

• April 12: Foodland Kapolei.

• April 13: Foodland Pukalani and Foodland Kailua.

• April 14: Foodland Princeville.

All Foodland pharmacy customer prescriptions will be automatically transferred to Longs; customers do not need to take any action, the company said. Customers may continue to call their usual Foodland pharmacy for 90 days after closing and the phone will ring at Longs.

Longs offers services that include rewards for filling prescriptions, text alerts and refill services, easy-to-read prescription labels, pharmacist-administered vaccinations, multidose packaging and other services, the news release said.