Going for growth

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With 128 outlets operated by 125 franchisees, the subsidiary of food retailing group Delhaize is the undisputed market leader in the Belgian pet supplies sector. Under the brand name Tom & Co. it operates stores with retail areas of between 100 and 500 m², which stock an extensive food and accessory range comprising approx. 5 000 items but no live pets. In roughly 20 locations the company operates Tom & Co. Animal Centers. These stores, which are between 600 and 1 000 m² in size, have a more in-depth product range of around 5 000 items plus live animals. In contrast to the classic Tom & Co. shops, the Animal Centers also cater for less mainstream segments such as equestrian sports. Last year Tom & Co. opened nine new stores in Belgium and Luxembourg, and on 12 December it opened its first French store in Hellemmes, close to Lille. Occupying a retail area of 300 m², this outlet offers a range of over 3 500 products. Before proceeding with expansion in France, Tom & Co. wants to monitor the development of its test store closely to get a better feel for the French market. In Belgium, on the other hand, it expects to open a further ten to fifteen new pet stores this year. A brace of private labels The stores are supplied with goods from a logistics centre in Londerzeel. The product range is decided by the head office and introduced consistently in all stores. When determining the range, the head office endeavours to work closely with the franchisees. This cooperative relationship is to be developed further in the future to facilitate rapid feedback on customer reactions to new product launches or other changes in the product range. Tom & Co. sells two private label lines of its own: "Pet's Budget" in the low-price segment and "Tom & Co.", comprising food and accessory products, in the medium- and high-price segment. The individual departments of Tom & Co. have been housed hitherto in different buildings of the parent company Delhaize, but they are to be brought together in the course of this year at the Asse site. The Tom & Co. head office currently employs 24 people, including seven to take care of the speciality stores. Although competition in the Belgian pet product market has stiffened with the arrival of Zoomart on the scene, Tom & Co's senior vice president Dr Jean-Thomas Geelhand sees good growth prospects for the future. He points to the fact that human food leftovers still…