Fressnapf heads for France

Vive la France! No sooner had the German franchise organisation Futterhaus announced its intention of opening two stores in September in Alsace, in Strasbourg and Colmar, than a story began to circulate in early August – in the middle of the silly season – that Fressnapf would also be getting involved in the French market. The company’s new partner is vet Mathieu Bonnier, who formed City-Zoo in 1993 and runs ten large-scale stores covering the main French conurbations apart from the Paris area. Bonnier knows the pet market very well, but as an individual operator has not so far been in a position to expand further, and for the last two years he has been looking for a company with which he can form a cooperative partner-ship. Mathieu Bonnier was one of the first in the busi-ness to draw attention to the lamentable near-surrender of the lucrative pet food segment by the French pet product trade to the big supermarket chains like Carrefour, Auchan and Leclerc.
The City-Zoo stores have an average retail area of 1,100 m².
This might change now that Fressnapf has entered the French market. Europe’s leading speciality chain will in all probability introduce the majority of its current range, including private label products, into the City-Zoo stores, which are to be converted to the Maxi-Zoo format by the end of the year. Together with Bonnier, who as master franchisee will also be managing director of the new French subsidiary, Fressnapf is also intending to produce a plan of action covering essential changes and restructuring in the EDP, marketing, purchasing and logistics sectors.
Fressnapf is counting on the Maxi-Zoo concept being ready for the French market at the start of the year. The concept is then to be tested and refined at two new locations, and plans will be elaborated for further expansion.
Fressnapf intends to retain country-specific products and features particular to the French market, such as the sale of dogs and cats, in the City-Zoo stores. The company also plans to familiarise consumers with Maxi Zoo through aggressive pricing and a series of promotions.
The chances of it working out are good. As the success of the discount supermarket chains Aldi and Lidl demonstrates, the French are very receptive to new suppliers. And in view of the weak French economy, most pet owners are watching the pennies when they do their shopping. 
Nevertheless, penetrating the French market will not be easy. Before Fressnapf achieves the desired success, it will first…