Nutrisystem strikes deals with Walgreen and Sam’s Club for its weight loss programs

Nutrisystem in deals with Walgreen, Sam’s Club

HORSHAM, Pa. — Nutrisystem Inc. said Monday that it has a new distribution deal with Walgreen Co. that will see its weight loss program cards available in more of the drugstore operator’s locations.

Nutrisystem said the alliance will put its weight loss program cards into the diet section of local Walgreens stores on Christmas Day, giving people who make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight early access to its offerings.

Once a card is purchased, buyers must active them either online or through a toll-free telephone number. After the card is activated and an order made, customers receive food through the company’s home delivery system.

Walgreens will exclusively sell the 28-day Nutrisystem D weight loss program for people with Type 2 diabetes. It will also have the 14-day silver starter program for mature dieters and the 14-day ready-to-go starter program available. The program’s cards will be sold in almost 7,000 Walgreens stores as well on the company’s Web site.

In addition, Nutrisystem announced a deal with Sam’s Club that will make its 35-day program available to the warehouse club operator’s members. The program, which includes Omega Chew products, will be available in more than 600 Sam’s Clubs starting later this month. Sam’s Club is a division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Financial details on the plans weren’t immediately available.

Nutrisystem also has distribution deals in place with Costco Wholesale Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores.

The company’s stock gained $1.88, or 7.2 percent, to $27.89 in afternoon trading. The shares reached a fresh 52-week high of $28.33 earlier in the session.