Jollyes, the pet retail chain crowned as the Pet Industry Federation’s Retail Chain of the Year, is set to achieve a significant expansion milestone. The company has announced the opening of three new stores, which will propel its total store count beyond the 100 mark for the first time. These new locations include Belfast Connswater in Northern Ireland, Newport in Gwent, and Rotherham in South Yorkshire, set to open on 23 February, 1 March, and 22 March respectively.
This expansion comes after a period of rapid growth for Jollyes. Since the beginning of 2022, the chain has doubled its size by opening 34 new stores. The Newport store, which will mark the chain’s 100th location, is scheduled to open on St David’s Day. This expansion underlines Jollyes’ commitment to South Wales, following recent store openings in Llanelli and Merthyr Tydfil, and the creation of 36 new jobs at private label supplier facilities in Llangadog and Pencader.
Jollyes has also shared exciting news about its Christmas trading performance. The company experienced record-breaking sales during the festive period, with a 13 percent increase in like-for-like sales over five weeks leading to 31 December 2023. The total growth for this period was an impressive 25 percent. The week leading up to Christmas marked the chain’s strongest seven-day trading period in its history, with customer numbers up by almost 45 percent compared to the previous year and a 26 percent increase on a like-for-like basis.
In addition to these financial achievements, Jollyes has reached a notable milestone in customer satisfaction. The company has received over 50,000 reviews on Trustpilot, with over 88 percent of these reviews rating Jollyes as excellent.
Furthering its commitment to growth, Jollyes confirmed that the first deliveries from its new Wincanton distribution centre in Middlewich, Cheshire, are scheduled for next week. This new facility will provide the company with ample space to support its rapid store growth. The partnership with Wincanton will allow for an increase in case deliveries by up to 25 percent annually, catering to all Jollyes stores, which now number over 100.
Joe Wykes, Chief Executive Officer of Jollyes, commented on the company’s success and future plans: “Christmas saw us continue to fly, delivering market-leading trading both in stores and online as we brought our special combination of expertise, service, and value to UK pet parents. A big thank you to our 1,000-strong team – I know these excellent results are powered by their hard work for customers in the communities they serve. We’re looking forward to trading from 100 stores for the first time and continuing to invest in 2024 in building a platform for even more growth in the months ahead.”
Jollyes plans to announce additional new store locations for 2024 in the coming months, signaling ongoing expansion and growth in the retail sector.
