Following the successful launch of the first four stores in the Hamburg area and the recent opening in Düsseldorf, the nationwide roll-out of the specialist stores is now gathering further momentum: ZooRoyal will continue its expansion later this year with a new specialist store in Halle. The expansion plans for 2027 have also already been finalised: Bielefeld (2 locations), Heppenheim, Hildesheim, Leipzig, Mannheim, Osnabrück (in alphabetical order). Further locations are already under consideration and additional openings are planned.  

In addition, there are plans to expand shop-in-shop areas within the food retail sector and the DIY sector. The REWE Group is thus emphasising the strategic importance of brick-and-mortar specialist retail as a key growth area and an important pillar of its successful omnichannel strategy. 

The driving force behind this expansion is the integration of digital and brick-and-mortar sales channels and their respective strengths. With ZooRoyal, the REWE Group is pursuing a consistent omnichannel strategy that specifically links digital and brick-and-mortar sales channels. In this context, e-commerce, the ZooRoyal shop-in-shop concepts in the food retail sector and in DIY stores (REWE and toom Baumarkt) as well as the standalone pet shops complement and reinforce one another. 

The model acts as a traffic driver and a bridge between quick, everyday in-store shopping and the more comprehensive range of products available in specialist shops and on ZooRoyal’s e-commerce site.

“We are consistently strengthening our omnichannel model, thereby creating a retail platform with enormous reach and a high level of reliability for our partners in the industry,” explains Clemens Bauer, Director of REWE E-Commerce. “We combine the footfall of the food retail sector and DIY stores with the expert advice of our specialist stores and the dynamism of e-commerce. So we are exactly where the customers are. For manufacturer brands, our planned expansion means genuine investment security, maximum visibility at the point of sale and the opportunity to scale with sustainability alongside a strong retail group.” 

The ZooRoyal specialist shops, run by independent REWE retailers, offer pet owners a full-range of over 15,000 products, personalised advice and an immersive experience for both people and pets centred on the themes of ‘health and wellbeing’.  Whether it’s the health section, the dog grooming salon, washing stations or the veterinary practice – these specialist shops bring ZooRoyal to life and play a central role in building the brand and raising its profile. REWE’s co-operative model enables its retailers to contribute their local market knowledge and entrepreneurial responsibility directly. 

“With our specialist retail concept, we have reimagined the pet retail sector. Wherever we open, we offer innovative services, modern retail technology, a customer-focused product range and highly specialised staff,” emphasises Marcel Bersch, managing director of ZooRoyal. “We are not aiming for indiscriminate coverage, but are selecting locations very carefully across all REWE regions. Unlike traditional specialist retail concepts, we already have numerous touchpoints with our customers – via REWE, Penny, toom, our specialist stores and the online shop. This gives us the freedom to invest precisely where we see the greatest potential. With the locations firmly planned for this year and next, we’re shifting up a gear – the successful launch in Düsseldorf gives us further strong momentum for our expansion.” 

Alongside the expansion of its specialist stores, ZooRoyal is also continuing to develop its shop-in-shop concept as a convenient everyday shopping option. By expanding its high-street presence, ZooRoyal is strengthening not only its sales capabilities but also the brand’s visibility. New specialist stores and shop-in-shop concepts create additional touchpoints and combine the ZooRoyal brand experience with the strengths of the respective retail channels. 

ZooRoyal currently operates 89 shop-in-shop outlets within the German retail sector – 69 of these are in the food retail sector and 20 in toom Baumarkt DIY stores.  

In REWE supermarkets, the shop-in-shop areas enable customers to seamlessly combine their everyday grocery shopping with specialist pet products. These areas offer a curated range of best-selling products right within the familiar surroundings of the supermarket. The shop-in-shop concept is set to be rolled out across the majority of existing REWE Centres in future.  

Over the coming years, there are also plans to gradually roll out the enhanced ‘shop-in-shop’ concept to almost all toom DIY stores. In retail spaces of up to 300 square metres, customers will find an expanded range of up to 5,000 products.