Fressnapf plans to increase its grooming salons by 500%
The German pet retailer wants to reach the 300-location mark by 2026.
The expansion is focused for now on the current Fressnapf and Maxi Zoo markets, mainly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Ireland.
“By the end of 2023, we plan to have over 80 salons in a total of 9 countries,” says Kristina Kain, the retailer’s International Head of Sales and Expansion Salon.
Some of the shops that Fressnapf has in Hungary will start opening grooming salons at the end of 2023. Poland will follow with its first grooming salon in 2024.
The company is also considering expanding the service in some recently expanded markets, such as Luxembourg, Denmark and Belgium. Kain admits that the company only started to expand into those countries in 2023 and is “still collecting insights and learnings.”
An important part of the ecosystem
The German retailer, which entered the grooming business in 2016, has reportedly experienced a sharp increase in demand for pet care services.
Kain confirmed to GlobalPETS that the grooming business is an “important part” of the ecosystem expansion. “From the experience we gained so far, the salons accelerate the business in the market,” she adds, especially in customer loyalty.
To help fill the grooming salons with qualified staff, Fressnapf has established its own salon academy to train and certify groomers.