The officials of the company did not return ZF’s calls for comment on the information by press time.
Animax launched in 1998, first as a wholesaler, and then added its first store three years later, at a time when having a pet was not yet a trend in Romania. It has since developed year by year and now covers most of the cities of the country. The retail chain numbers almost 70 stores located mostly in malls, shopping centers and hypermarket galleries. Its sales reached almost 100 million (EUR22 million) last year.
The decision to sell comes at a good time for the Animax business, which has been growing steadily since 2008. Growth came from expansion and from more and more Romanians deciding to get a pet. Moreover, the economy saw growth in 2015-2016 and so did consumer spending.
This is also a time when there is interest in the local market from both strategic and financial investors.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)