More pets in Switzerland: Fressnapf Switzerland remains firmly on its growth path

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Fressnapf Switzerland’s sales rose 6.6 percent to 147.8 million francs in 2023, the group announced on Monday. Growth in fixed retail was 7.6 percent, while online sales after the relaunch of Fressnapf.ch remained the same as in 2022.

The Fressnapf Group as a whole increased its sales by 13 percent to approximately 4 billion euros. More than half of this was achieved in Germany. The group also grew thanks to the acquisition of Dutch pet retailer Jumper in the autumn.

«Unlike other European markets, Fressnapf’s growth in Switzerland is not due to inflation. Switzerland is one of the few markets where we continue to see growth in sales volume,” country manager Hermann Aigner said in an interview with the AWP news agency. This means that the company can sell more in this country, while elsewhere the increase is only possible thanks to higher prices.

70 branches, 500 employees

In Switzerland, Fressnapf is growing, on the one hand, thanks to a wider range of products, and on the other hand, thanks to the fact that dogs, cats and other pets are living in more and more Swiss households. Aigner estimates the number of domestic cats in Switzerland at 2 million and dogs at 600,000.

Other reasons for Fressnapf’s success, according to Aigner, include the expansion and transformation of the branch network and the expansion of service delivery. Eight branches were modernized last year, and 14 more locations are planned to be updated in 2024.

In Switzerland, Fressnapf has 70 branches and approximately 500 employees. Following the addition of six new locations in 2023, five more new locations are planned to open this year. The first is expected to be built soon in Ticino. “We don’t have a branch in Ticino yet, but we want to open three branches in the long term,” Aigner said.

According to the statement, Fressnapf Switzerland has a budget of 4 million francs for the transformation and expansion of its branch network. One goal is to connect the offline and online worlds without these worlds competing with each other. The number of branches is expected to increase to 90 in the long term.

Increase online sales

According to the information provided, Fressnapf Switzerland currently makes approximately 12 percent of its sales online. They want to increase this share to 20 to 30 percent in the next five years, relying on the “Click & Collect” concept and collaborations with other online platforms such as Galaxus.

Fressnapf also wants to offer customers more pet-related services. These include GPS trackers for dogs and cats, advice from cat experts in dog salons or branches. The group also plans to launch a health insurance product for pet owners in 2025. (SDA)

Source :Blick