A dynamic market

The principal players, listed in alphabetical order, are Animax, Maxi-Pet, Pet-Center and Zoomania. What is common to all is their interest in the Romanian pet owner. While Animax and Zoomania have the most experience and a comparatively high number of stores considering the conditions in Romania, the two newcomers Pet-Center and Maxi-Pet are now trying to reel in the market from behind. Successfully established Animax is the store chain belonging to the wholesale company Pet Product. Proprietor Cristi Pop is regarded as an expert in the business and has a good reputation both among competitors and manufacturers at home and abroad. Pet Product was established in 1998, initially functioning as a pet accessories distributor in the area of Romania’s capital Bucharest. Three years later the first retail shop Animax was opened. Pop’s company now operates 17 Animax stores, six of these in Bucharest alone. Plans are in hand to expand the chain to 21 stores by the end of 2010, with new stores opening in Oradea, Botosani, Giurgiu and Rm. Valcea. The largest store covers 200 m², but the average store size is around 130 m². Given the current situation in Romania, Cristi Pop doesn’t believe it sensible to operate bigger retail areas than this. The Zoomania chain belongs to the Profipet wholesale firm in Ploiesti and currently has 16 outlets across the country, in Arad, Bacau, Baia Mare, Bucharest, Cluj, Craiova, Foc¸sani, Oradea, Pite¸sti, Ploie¸sti (3), Sibiu, Suceava, Târgu Mure¸s and Timi¸soara. A branch also exists in Bulgaria, with one store so far. Profipet’s wholesale range includes such well-known brands as Bewital, Eheim, Ferplast, Vitakraft, Tetra and Juwel. The Zoomania stores are located in large shopping centres, but the chain is not afraid of moving into regions with a weaker economy, or smaller towns. In line with this philosophy, the company only has a single store in the capital Bucharest. Newcomers with new concepts With three outlets in Bucharest and one store in Pitesti, Pet Center entered the Romanian market on 6 January 2010. It is the Romanian offshoot of Gimborn’s Czech chain. Managing director Marcel Flaugnatti, who is overseeing expansion in Romania on the ground, expects to be able to open up to 20 stores in Romania. A detailed feature on Pet Center Romania will appear in the next issue of PET worldwide. Under Croatian control, Maxi-Pet entered the stakes on 10 May 2010. Located to the west of Bucharest, the store has a retail area of 750…