Kohl's partners with Weight Watchers for wellness initiative

American fashion brand and retailer Kohl's has teamed with WW - the newly rebranded Weight Watchers - to promote its new mission for healthy living. The strategic collaboration is meant to bring together the companies' shared dedication to empowering families to live healthy lifestyles.

Kohl's has been adapting its retail approach to incorporate more size inclusive offerings and speak more broadly to consumers with diverse lifestyles and interests. Similarly, WW's recent rebranding to its initials took place alongside its new positioning as a wellness company rather than a weight-loss company.

The new collaboration between the two companies entails a variety of health and wellness offerings provided to both customers and Kohl's employees. These include the sale of WW Healthy Kitchen products in select Kohl's location and on its e-commerce site as well as subsidized WW Freestyle program memberships for the retailer's employees to help them achieve wellness goals.

Kohl's also plans to debit its first in-store WW Studio. The studio will serve as a pilot community space hosting WW Wellness workshops for WW members, Kohl's customers and Kohl's employees. This first WW Studio space will take up 1,800 square feet withing the retailer's Chicago market location.

“We want to encourage families to lead healthy and fulfilled lives,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief executive officer, in a statement. “As a destination for active and wellness for the entire family, we continue to seek out new ideas that support our customers’ health goals.”