Pet Express is “working like a dog” in these pandemic times as it moves to expand its retail “paw” print with the opening of three stores this year.
In the wake of hard lockdowns, the need for pet companionship has seen a healthy surge. Pet retail stores are now deemed as an essential business, providing the needed cat and dog food that take up the lion’s share of demand. Other essential items being sold are toiletries, medicine and supplements.
Pet Express will open stores in Grand Central in Monumento, Caloocan; SM Southmall in Las Pinas and in SM Clark in Pampanga within the fourth quarter in service of the growing pet community. The opening of new stores will increase Pet Express stores to 20 by the end of 2021 from the current count of 17 stores.
As pet owners stocked up on pet essentials to prepare for extended lockdowns, Pet Express also saw increased volumes and online sales. At end-2020, online sales grew 98% versus 2019.
“We continue to position Pet Express to be the supermarket store of choice of pet parents for their cat and dog needs. We also strive to be the go-to store for all our customers health and wellness needs for their pets,” Jason Go, Senior Assistant Vice President for Merchandising at Pet Express said.
Pet Express has strong local brands that are unique to its stores such as Whole Pet Kitchen for frozen gourmet dog food; Muddy Paws for all-natural health and wellness products; Goodboy Dog Food, SM’s in-house local affordable brand; Pupkits for bed and apparel; and Dogs & More for quality pet beds.
Some international brands carried in Pet Express stores are: Ezydog and Zeedog which are both brands for dog leashes; Nina Ottoson for educational dog toys; My Family for engraved dog tags and Iams for premium affordable dry dog food.
As mobility is constrained by hard lockdowns, Pet Express is also moving to launch an Online Vet Consultation & Grooming Home service for pet grooming and medical needs.
Pet Express introduced a Click/ Call and Collect service in its stores in the following malls– SM City North EDSA, SM Megamall and SM City Dasmarinas– to provide shopping convenience for customers who were staying at home.
Further extending its products and services on digital platforms, it has enhanced its presence among online communities and messaging apps and boosted its own online store, petexpress.com.ph as well as online flagship stores in e-commerce sites.
For the brick and mortar business, Pet Express is also expanding its existing stores in SM North EDSA, SM Makati, Mall of Asia in Pasay City, SM Fairview in Quezon City and SM Molino in Cavite.
“We will continue to evolve as a store, as customers can watch out for more exciting new store concepts and openings to come. We will continue to adapt to and serve the ever-changing needs of our customers,” Mr. Go said.
