Pet retailer Jollyes set to open branches in Edinburgh, Glenrothes and Stirling in coming months

Pet retailer Jollyes is set to open new Scottish stores, in Edinburgh, Glenrothes and Stirling, in the first half of this year, after seeing sales reach a record high on the back of soaring pet ownership.

The business said it is pushing ahead with “ambitious” growth plans, after revenue in the half year to November 30 increased to £42 million, a 12.5 per cent year-on-year rise in like-for-like sales and 30 per cent up on the same period in 2019.

It also said December sales broke all company records, including a surge in demand for dog toys, “as dogs, cats and other animals are treated like

companions amid growing awareness of the mental health benefits of keeping pets”.

The pet retailer says it is pushing ahead with 'ambitious' growth plans after seeing sales reach a record high. Picture: contributed.

Jollyes’ Scottish expansion plans form part of its bid to open 20 stores in the next 12 months, also encompassing England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The firm, backed by Kester Capital, is also targeting more acquisitions following the purchase of two businesses in 2021 – Yorkshire-based The Pet Store and Bannerbrook Pets in Coventry – which saw its total number of stores overtake 70 for the first time.

Richard Cotter, executive chairman of Jollyes, said: “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.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.