Expansion continues

Company proprietor Rolf Boffa.
It all began with a mail-order business. Since 1984 the company has been sending pet accessories by post to thousands of pet owners. Nevertheless, Qualipet AG was only founded officially in 1991 and shortly afterwards opened a 1,500 m² pet store in Dietlikon – a rarity at that time. Since 1992, the company has opened two to three Qualipet Centres every year. After concentrating for a long time on the German-speaking part of Switzerland, Qualipet is now established throughout the alpine country. Its latest outlet opened on 28 April in Sursee in the canton of Lucerne. Most Qualipet Centres stock a full range of products, with live animals and a so-called “Quali-Horse” department offering a wide selection of equestrian products. The store locations are a special feature of Qualipet: they are situated almost exclusively in well-frequented shopping centres with extensive car parking.
The expansion of Qualipet received a significant impetus in 1999 when the company purchased its main rival, Tierfreund AG, which ran 16 Zoo-Tierfreund stores. This move was made possible by cooperation between Qualipet AG and Delphin Amazonia AG, the parent company of Tierfreund AG. Delphin Amazonia immediately became the unrestricted central buying organization of all Qualipet Centres and Zoo-Tierfreund stores. Qualipet declared itself willing in turn to cease its wholesale business and transfer its agencies in Switzerland to Delphin Amazonia. 
The Qualipet Centres are located in well-frequented shopping malls.
New outlets were subsequently opened in parallel with the integration of the Zoo-Tierfreund stores into the Qualipet system. Last year the company opened its first store not featuring live animals in Volketswil. The range on offer comprises only pet food and the 1,000 best selling accessories, with all products sold at especially customer-friendly prices. For the first time, each brand also has a promotion running continuously. Each supplier is provided with an area for promotions from the outset, so that the range of promotions is constantly expanding. Plans are in hand to introduce this new branch format in other locations also.
Qualipet has plans for this year, too. On 1 March the company acquired the well-known speciality shop Tropic-Zoo in Wohlen when its owner and founder, Rainer Schmid, relinquished the business for “health reasons”. The new store in Sursee, Qualipet Centre no. 39, was opened in a former Coop branch just 350 metres from the…