REWE to open ZooRoyal locations across Germany from 2026

After 2 years of pilot testing 4 locations in Hamburg, Rewe is gearing up for a nationwide rollout of its ZooRoyal store concept, bringing physical pet retail to urban locations across Germany starting in 2026 and gradually expand.

COO Peter Maly says that the online pet player “is already a fixture” in the pet trade and that this is the next step in their business strategy.

According to the The Cologne-based firm, experienced REWE retail managers would run each location. The supermarket chain aims to open a “high double-digit” number of ZooRoyal stores while focusing on sustainable growth.

Pilot results

ZooRoyal has tested product ranges, service offerings, and layouts to perfect its physical store concept before broader expansion.

The new offline shops will hold around 15,000 items and offer services like grooming and a snack bar. The brand will also continue to provide online services.

While specific financial results were not disclosed, REWE says the ZooRoyal stores exceeded performance expectations.

Omnichannel boost

Like many retail industries, the pet sector has moved toward omnichannel sales in recent years. For many companies, this means transitioning a physical store concept into an online retail operation. While the increasing popularity of e-commerce has buoyed this shift, brick-and-mortar shops are here to stay.

A survey conducted by Statista in 2023 showed that German consumers are divided on their shopping channel preferences. While shopping in a physical store is preferred most by Baby Boomers and older Germans (71%), younger Germans have less strong preferences.

38% of Gen Z customers say they are more inclined to shop online, 33% would rather buy what they need in-store and 30% have no preference.

REWE’s investment in physical stores shows the retail group’s interest in omnichannel sales, even when it means opening physical stores based on a formerly online-only concept.