Nationwide pet retailer Jollyes is pushing ahead with ambitious growth plans after seeing sales surge to a record high, including its busiest Christmas Eve when dog owners rushed out to buy presents for furry family members.
In the half year to 30 November, revenue increased to £42 million, a 12.5 per cent rise in like-for-like sales against a year earlier and by 30 per cent the same period in 2019.
The latest results indicate the UK has still not reached ‘Peak Dog’ as Britain became a nation of pandemic pet parents.
December sales broke all company records, including a surge in demand for dog toys – reflecting the broader trend for “humanisation”, as dogs, cats and other animals are treated like companions amid growing awareness of the mental health benefits of keeping pets.
Jollyes is building on its success with plans to open 20 new stores in the next 12 months and looking for more acquisitions following the successful purchase of two businesses in 2021 which took the total number of stores to over 70 for the first time.
It is also investing in its existing store portfolio, in new product ranges, marketing and in recruitment and training to reinforce its position as “The Pet People”.
Key business highlights:
- Acquired Yorkshire-based The Pet Store in October 2021 with three stores at Barnsley, Denby Dale and Wakefield, and bought Bannerbrook Pets in Coventry in November.
- Moved into a new store at Warmley, Bristol, replacing the existing store at Longwell Green, and relocated stores at Newtonabbey, Northern Ireland, to Glengormley and Cadbury Garden Centre in Congresbury, Somerset.
- Gave makeovers to stores at Totton, Wakefield and North Harbour as part of the portfolio investment programme.
- Continued investment in its online offer at www.jollyes.co.uk to bring a nationwide delivery on over 6,000 key items, integrating with a full click-and-collect service through its store network.
- Launched a recruitment drive for 150 young people to get their dream job working with animals and invested in training to build on its reputation for expert advice.
Key sales highlights
- Footfall hit a record high in December.
- Membership of Jollyes’ PetCLUB rewards scheme rose by over 20 per cent.
- Sales of its exclusive, high quality Lifestage dog food rose by 60 per cent.
- Continued trends in pet food that saw the combination of wet & dry purchases, and acceleration in frozen food raw feeding.
- Top Lifestage choice for dog owners was the brand’s salmon grain free recipe, beating the Turkey Grain variety at Christmas.
- Year-on-year growth in dog treats hit all-time highs with products like Natural Antlers doubling in sales.
- Almost a quarter of sales in December came from products new to Jollyes.
- Stores also supported local dog and re-homing charities, donating 10,000 meals for free.
Backed by Kester Capital, Jollyes has 20 new store openings in the pipeline over the next 18 months, including important growth in Scotland and Wales.
In the first half of 2022, Jollyes will open new Scottish stores in Edinburgh, Glenrothes and Stirling, a new Welsh store in Wrexhamand as part of its investment in Northern Ireland, opening a new store in Cookstown next month.
In England, it will open new locations in Brislington (Bristol) and Stockton on Tees.
It has cemented its relationships with existing suppliers, to develop new and extended ranges, such as its Lifestage dog food supplied by Mackle Petfoods of County Armagh, widening the availability of frozen yoghurt made by Belfast-based Frozzys and introducing dog beds from Dublin-based Beddies.
Richard Cotter, executive chairman of Jollyes, said: “To come through the pandemic and all of the challenges it has presented to retailers in such good shape is testimony to the hard work of everyone at the business.
“The tremendous half year sales and record December numbers show how much customers appreciate the work we’ve done to develop our ranges and invest in our people.
“We’re well placed to push ahead with our ambitious growth and investment plans with an exciting pipeline of new stores and refurbishments, and keen looking for acquisition opportunities across the UK.”
Among the top performing stores during the half year were Enniskillen, Skegness, Maidstone and Gloucester all delivering like for like growth of over 30 per cent compared to the prior year.
