Ready for brick-and-mortar rollout

“We have an exciting journey ahead of us,” says Zoo Royal managing director Marcel Bersch in an interview with PET worldwide. Shortly before, Rewe announced that it would be launching further brick-and-mortar Zoo Royal specialty stores throughout Germany starting in 2026. “Since opening, our four pilot stores in the Hamburg area have shown continuous positive development that has significantly exceeded our expectations. This is confirmed by regular customer surveys, but also by Google reviews, where we score better than the competition,” explains Bersch. “Above all, customers repeatedly cite the modern store layout, the feel-good atmosphere in the stores, our exciting services, but also the expert advice on site and the wide range of products as our strengths.”

This assessment largely coincides with the opinions of numerous suppliers, who attest to Zoo Royal’s good work. The first pilot store was opened two and a half years ago in Norderstedt. This was followed by three more Zoo Royal locations in the Rewe North region in Hamburg (2) and Elmshorn. Over the past two years, Zoo Royal has been testing product ranges, store layouts, services and advertising materials in order to develop the ideal concept for a national rollout.

In future, the product range will continue to vary from store to store in line with local customer needs. Regional product ranges will also be taken into account – a strategy that Rewe is already successfully implementing in its grocery stores. On-site services such as dog grooming – Fell Spa is already available in Elmshorn and Norderstedt – veterinary practices, special events and training courses will also be offered in the stores. “In our stores in Hamburg, we also sell innovative products from start-ups and regional suppliers with whom we would like to work more closely in the future. Young, innovative companies are particularly important for the pet industry. They can grow with us,” says Bersch.

“The trade in pet supplies is growing steadily – both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Zoo Royal is already an established name in the pet retail sector. Together with our partners, we now want to take the next step and complete our omnichannel strategy,” says Peter Maly, Rewe Group Board Member and COO Rewe. “Soon, Zoo…