Cologne, February 28, 2025 – From e-commerce to specialist stores: two and a half years after the opening of the first pilot store in Norderstedt near Hamburg, ZooRoyal has passed the test in stationary retail. All four specialist stores got off to an extremely successful start and have shown a continuously positive development since the opening, significantly exceeding expectations. REWE plans to gradually roll out the specialist pet store across Germany from 2026. The company is already intensively searching for suitable locations in all REWE regions. The aim is to initially open ZooRoyal stores in urban regions, which will be operated by independent REWE retailers.<\/p>\n
At least one pet lives in 45 percent of German households. According to forecasts, total sales in the German pet industry are set to rise to 8 billion euros by 2030. For REWE Group, pet supplies retail is a strategic growth area. The long-term plan is to open a high double-digit number of ZooRoyal stores.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n With over 25 years of experience in (online) pet retail, ZooRoyal is an established brand in the industry. Since April 2022, ZooRoyal has opened four brick-and-mortar pilot stores in the REWE North region, welcoming pet lovers in Norderstedt, Hamburg-Niendorf, Hamburg-Stellingen and Elmshorn.<\/p>\n Over the past two years, the company has tested product ranges, store layouts, service offers and advertising materials in order to develop the ideal concept for the national rollout. With success: customer frequency has risen steadily and sharply since the openings. Regular surveys also confirm the high level of customer satisfaction with the product range and store design. In the future, the product range will continue to vary from store to store in order to meet the needs of local customers.<\/p>\n The stores operate according to the cooperative principle: they are managed by independent REWE-Marktplatz retailers who have extensive retail experience. The pet supplies trade is growing continuously – both online and in stores. ZooRoyal is already an established player in the pet supplies trade. Together with our partners, we now want to take the next step and complete our omnichannel strategy,<\/q> says Peter Maly, REWE Group Management Board member and COO REWE.
ZooRoyal will soon be available to our customers everywhere: online, in the food retail sector, in hardware store and in in specialty stores.<\/q><\/p>\n
Positive results from the pilot markets in the Hamburg area<\/h2>\n
The figures show that customers increasingly trust specialist retailers when it comes to pets – and rightly so. Our pilot stores in the Hamburg area have impressively proven that ZooRoyal is also successful as a REWE Group brand in brick-and-mortar stores,<\/q> says Marcel Bersch, Managing Director of ZooRoyal Petcare GmbH.
We are delighted that the rollout is now starting and that pet lovers will soon be able to experience our ZooRoyal stores right on their doorstep.<\/q><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n