Leading the market for 15 years

There are only a few places left on the map of Romania that are not located close to an Animax store. 14 outlets are distributed across the capital of Bucharest alone with its approx. 1.9 mio inhabitants. Another 46 stores are operating in 20 other cities, most of which have a population of over 100 000. The larger cities always have more stores, which are nicely geared to the retail hotspots. Store openings have taken place up to the summer of 2016 in Ploiesti (1 shop), in Drobeta (2 shops), in Craiova (2 shops), in Tg. Mures (1 shop), in Brasov (3 shops), in Bucharest (2 shops), in Sibiu (1 shop) and in Cluj (1 shop).
They are supplied almost exclusively by the chain's own wholesale company Pet Product srl. This was established in 1998 and its range includes countless international brands including Imac, Flexi, Bosch, Gimborn, Finnern, Croci, Zolux and Intersand. "With 17-plus years of experience in the pet sector, we know that every pet is unique in its way and has differing requirements," Cristian Pop told PET worldwide. "That's why we offer a wide range of high-quality products in our stores, carefully selected from the world's best known manufacturers."

Different formats
Animax has specialised in locations within well-frequented shopping centres, which continue to boom in Romania, because the population loves the modern possibilities that shopping offers. The commitment to shopping malls is underlined by the fact that just three of the 60 Animax stores are located outside one. "We have adjusted the concept for commercial centres and malls. It's a complete and coherent retail concept, with a large entrance, prominently visible from outside, live animals in each corner of the shop and innovative products, intensive customer service and a wide range," stresses Cristian Pop.
Animax stores are categorised into three sizes. The big format covers 700 m2, the medium format 100 m2 and the small format 50 m2. The smallest of the shops covers 21 m2, the largest covers 658 m2. The total average size is 96 m2. The roughly 90 m2 stores in shopping malls and commercial centres have proved most profitable, along with the 50 m2 stores in Kaufland galleria.
Franchising is another option that has been taken up, with the first Animax franchise store opening recently in Alexandria in…