Tom & Co.: Over 100 stores in Belgium already

At present the successful group's market share is estimated to be about 15 per cent. There is no sign of any serious competition for Tom & Co. in the Belgian specialist trade. For lack of success the German franchise operation Fressnapf quickly broke off the activities it had initiated in Belgium, and the specialist chain Animal Planet, which is headed by the Belgian Philippe Paré, has not so far expanded any further than a modest three outlets in French-speaking Wallonia.
To enable it to increase its market leadership still further Tom & Co. has taken over the 13 stores of the Amizoo specialist chain, which achieved a turnover of approx. 7.5 mio euro in 1999. These outlets now operate under the label of Animal Center Tom & Co.
Tom & Co. is undisputed market leader in the Belgian specialist pet trade.
Strong though the position of Tom & Co. may be in the accessory and care products segment, pet food business is still principally transacted in the food retailing sector. Experts estimate the market share of dog food sold in supermarkets at 74 per cent, and of cat food at way over 80 per cent. However, cracks are appearing in the powerful dominance of the food retailers where pet food is concerned. Belgium used to be a traditional wet food market above all, one that the two market leaders Masterfoods and Friskies carved up between them. Though it has become evident over the last few years that the demand for dry food products has been on the increase. In the meantime the share of the overall market taken by dry dog food is estimated at approx. 35 per cent already. This is a development from which the specialist retail segment might well profit in years to come. The situation is different where cat food is concerned: In this segment the share of moist food has for years remained unchanged at over 85 per cent. Nevertheless, dry food products have for several years now been notching up strong growth ­ though on a low level.
The Belgians are animal lovers par excellence. The number of pet dogs, cats, rodents and birds they keep is put at over 11 mio. Every household has an average of three pets ­ which puts Belgium up at the head of the field in Europe, along with France and Italy. This has an effect on the business, of course: with 3 per cent annual rates of increase the market in Belgium continues to follow a gradual growth curve. If it were only possible to grow the percentage of owners who buy convenience food for their dogs, which is quite…