This year marks 10 years since BENU Aptieka started its operations in Latvia – during these years almost 80 pharmacies and BENU e-Aptieka have been opened and are operating in all major regions of Latvia, employing more than 400 people in total. BENU Aptieka has also become one of the leaders and leading experts in the pharmaceutical care industry and has been involved in a number of socially significant projects.
"The 10th anniversary is an important reference point not only to look back at what has been done and the results achieved, but also to look forward and continue to implement a clear vision for the company's development and long-term goals. For 10 years BENU Aptieka has always been at the forefront of innovation, continuously researching market trends and boldly introducing new technological solutions – mobile app, digital customer card and BENU e-Pharmacy. During this time, almost all of our pharmacies have been completely renovated – modern design and customer-friendly layout have been introduced, as well as improved energy efficiency and other sustainability-oriented solutions have been implemented. The goal of every strategic step and even the smallest improvement has been the same over these ten years – to provide our customers with more accessible pharmaceutical care of even better quality. On this occasion, I would like to thank every employee of BENU Aptieka for their invaluable work, our partners for their joint ideas and projects, and our loyal customers for their trust," says Anete Rožkalna, Director of BENU Aptieka.
Evaluating how the role of pharmaceutical care has changed in 10 years, A. Rožkalna notes that the pharmacist has become an essential part of the healthcare system.
"The worst months of Covid-19 showed that the pharmacist is often the only immediately available health professional for support with disease, prevention and other health issues. It is our knowledgeable and responsive pharmacists and pharmacist assistants who have consistently been a great asset to the company and whom we are proud of!" A. Rožkalna emphasised.
In 2021, BENU Aptieka was recognized the customer service quality leader among all pharmacy chains in Latvia, with the highest customer service quality indicators, according to a survey conducted by DIVE. In addition to very high overall customer service quality, BENU Aptieka received a 100% rating for pharmacists' courtesy and customer service skills, which significantly exceeded the industry averages for both Latvia and the Baltics as a whole.
Another important area of BENU Aptieka's activity is charity - since 2017 BENU Aptieka, in cooperation with the Children's Hospital Foundation, has been organizing the campaign "With sincerity against disease! Donate with BENU!" It aims to organize an annual collection of donations for the treatment of young oncology patients, to get involved in donating themselves, as well as to raise awareness of the pediatric oncology issue in society and inform parents about the support available in the event of their child's illness. So far, the campaign has raised a total of EUR 57,000, helping more than 100 children with oncological diseases.
"If there is an opportunity to help someone else, we should not remain indifferent – this is the principle we follow every year when supporting charity activities of various scales, including medical and first aid supplies to support Ukraine in its fight against the aggressor," says A. Rožkalna.