At present, Brasov-based Ecofarmacia is among the top 25 operators of pharmacy networks, with revenue of 56 million lei (EUR13 million) in 2013.
Cherecehes holds 25% of the company’s stock. His partners are Bio Eel drug maker and distributor (50%) and Ioan Radu Pavel (25%), an entrepreneur who is not at his first pharma investment.
Between 1996 and 2001, Marius Chereches was the chief executive officer of Pharmatech of Targu-Mures, then chief operating officer of Terapia drug maker and CEO of PharmaFarm, business development manager of Ozone and a consultant for Labormed.
“We thought that if we set up a pharmacy brand during the crisis, it should be an affordable one. We created a district pharmacy concept,” says Marius Chereches.
This year, Ecofarmacia expects revenue of EUR15 million, positioning it as a medium-sized player in drug retail.
“The short-term plan is to turn profitable,” said Marius Chereches.
In Romania, drug sales through pharmacies reached EUR1.2 billion in the first half of this year. Beside drugs, though, pharmacies also sell cosmetics, medical devices and other products, so that their overall business is much bigger.
(English version by Catalina Apostoiu)