The fast lane to pet care: These are the latest retail partnerships

Pet retailers are forming new delivery partnerships to keep pace with growing consumer demand for speed and convenience. 

From quick-commerce platforms to supply chain tech upgrades, companies are expanding how they get and deliver pet essentials into the hands of pet owners. Here’s a look at the latest moves in pet product delivery.

Arcaplanet

Italian pet omnichannel retailer Arcaplanet has partnered with Spanish delivery platform Glovo to offer 30-minute deliveries to pet owners across Milan, Rome, Turin, Bologna, Florence and Palermo.

The partnership comes at a time of strong growth for Q-commerce (quick-commerce) in the pet sector. According to Glovo, the pet category has seen a 103% increase globally over the past year, with significant peaks in retail (+146%) and grocery (+85%).

This is accompanied by high loyalty rates with 80% of first-time customers returning, with an average of 2.4 purchases per month. 

“Our goal is to build an ecosystem where brands can connect directly and immediately with their customers, integrating technology, logistics and customer experience,” says Alberto Dolcetta, Director of Q-Commerce and Brand Ads for Glovo Italy.

Earlier in the year, the Italian pet retailer launched a home delivery service for pet supplies in Milan in partnership with delivery app Deliveroo. 

Jollyes 

British pet retailer Jollyes has announced a partnership with Uber Eats to launch “Zoomies,” a fast-delivery service now available across 13 trial stores. 

“We’re excited to launch our trial with Uber Eats and become their first national pet partner. The new service will allow us to reach more shoppers than ever before, more quickly than we ever have,” says CEO Joe Wykes. 

Jollyes, which has been in the pet food and accessories market for over 50 years, operates more than 100 stores across the UK. The partnership complements the retailer’s own delivery service introduced in 2014.

PetSmart

American pet retailer PetSmart has teamed up with Canadian delivery platform Skip to offer pet parents in the country direct access to over 15,000 pet supplies. These products range from pet food and litter to toys and accessories. 

“We’re creating a retail experience where getting what you need, whether it’s dinner, groceries or dog food, is fast, easy and hassle-free. Now Canadians can sit and stay, while Skip handles the fetching,” says Paul Sudarsan, Skip Retail and New Verticals VP.

Skip operates a network that connects millions of consumers in more than 450 Canadian municipalities with 50,000 partners, including restaurants, grocery stores, convenience shops and other retailers.

The company, headquartered in Winnipeg, is on a mission to become Canadians’ go-to destination for everyday convenience.

Petco Mexico

Petco Mexico and retail planning platform RELEX Solutions have partnered to enhance their forecasting, replenishment, and supply chain operations as the pet retailer expands across Latin America.

RELEX’s AI-driven platform will enable Petco Mexico to optimize inventory, improve seasonal planning and ensure seamless product availability across its 145 stores and 2 distribution centers in the region.

Through this partnership, Petco Mexico aims to enhance product availability while addressing key pet retail challenges, including long import lead times, heavy promotional spending and efficient e-commerce fulfillment.

“This investment allows us to streamline supply chain planning, reduce inefficiencies and, most importantly, ensure that pet owners can always find what they need for their best friends, when they need it,” says Armando Lopez, Commercial Director at Petco Mexico.

AliExpress 

Chinese online retail platform AliExpress, owned by the Alibaba Group, has launched a same-day grocery delivery service in London, offering hourly delivery on a range of products, including pet supplies, household essentials, drinks, snacks and cupboard staples.

This move will allow consumers to access hourly delivery services. Products marked with “Local+” will be delivered from nearby warehouses.

“This move reflects our commitment to provide upgraded service to consumers and our mission to support local businesses,” notes Bonnie Zhao, General Manager at AliExpress UK.

A company spokesperson tells GlobalPETS that the new service offers a range of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products, but that the pet category is not a particular focus at the moment.