Largest retailer

Two large pet supply companies from Poland and the Czech Republic are strengthening their cooperation: Under the agreement, the Aquael Zoo chain will gain 82 new stores, making Aquael the largest polish retailer of pet supplies. ‘Together, we will operate a chain of over 120 stores on the Polish market, making us the second-largest pet retailer in Poland’, says Janusz Jankiewicz, founder and owner of Aquael, in a press release end of September. ‘The strategic agreement will also allow us to strengthen our leading brands in the Czech and Slovak markets through increased presence in the Super Zoo chain.’

Dušan Plaček, owner of Plaček Group, added: ‘Part of our long-term strategy is to replace some imports from the Far East with products manufactured within the European Union and expand more our main concept of Super Zoo. Aquael is the ideal partner to help us achieve this goal.’

Aquael is a renowned Polish manufacturer with a strong portfolio of brands including Aquael, Comfy, Comfy Appetit, Have a Pet, Diversa and Amiplay, successfully selling its products to over 90 countries around the world. Aquael also operates a nationwide Polish pet retail chain under the name Aquael Zoo.

Plaček Group operates more than 400 retail stores under the banners Super Zoo, Dino Zoo, and Kakadu Zoo, and is also active in wholesale and export. The group has a strong market presence in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Latvia.

Under the agreement, both groups will significantly strengthen their cooperation. Plaček Group will increase its purchases of Aquael’s products, while Aquael will expand its range by purchasing Plaček Group’s strong pet food brands such as Ontario, Elbeville, Prospera Plus, and Rasco Premium for the Aquael Zoo retail network.

As part of the agreement, 82 Kakadu stores in Poland will be transferred to Aquael. Plaček Group will continue to operate in Poland as a retailer under its flagship Super Zoo concept, focusing exclusively on large-format stores of 500-1,000 m² in major cities. Both companies have a decades-long and very fruitful history of cooperation.

Such actions will significantly strengthen the market position of both companies and create new opportunities for development in the dynamic pet products industry, they explain in the statement. ‘Customers will also benefit from the closer cooperation between the companies thanks to a more diverse product…