Jollyes reaches its 125-store milestone as a five-year expansion gathers pace

The Evesham opening became a marker in the UK retailer's plan to more than double its estate, with the next wave focused outside London.

By Good Company Editorial Desk

THE NEWS

Jollyes Pets opened its 125th store at The Valley shopping center in Evesham on August 14. The location created seven roles, including manager and deputy manager positions. It was followed by a Great Yarmouth superstore described as the chain's 126th branch, with additional openings scheduled for Seaham, Sheffield and Mansfield. Trade reporting says Jollyes has nearly doubled its store count over the past three years.

THE NUMBERS

Jollyes has outlined a five-year plan to grow beyond 250 UK stores and previously identified more than 160 potential target locations. The retailer has said it is generally seeking spaces of 3,000 to 7,000 square feet in retail parks or prominent roadside sites. The 2026 opening program has included Derby, Evesham and Great Yarmouth, followed by Seaham and Sheffield in September, with Mansfield scheduled for October 6. The new Great Yarmouth branch includes chilled and frozen raw food and Uber Eats delivery.

WHY IT MATTERS

The rollout is a vote for physical pet retail at a time when convenience can be delivered online. Stores can compete on immediate availability, advice, services and categories that are awkward to ship, including frozen food. Jollyes is also concentrating recent openings outside London, extending its value positioning into regional communities. A larger estate creates purchasing leverage and brand reach, but it also raises rent, labor, inventory and execution demands across a more complex network.

WHAT TO WATCH

The ambition now depends on site quality and store productivity, not milestone counts alone. Watch whether new locations build repeat traffic, whether frozen and own-label ranges lift the basket, and whether services and delivery add incremental demand rather than cost. The 160-location target list is a pipeline, not a commitment that every site will open. The strongest evidence will be comparable-store sales, new-store payback periods and steady service levels as the chain moves toward its longer-term footprint goal.

Sources

Pet Trade Xtra; GlobalPETS; Retail Gazette. Reporting is based on disclosed announcements and cited coverage; undisclosed terms and open questions are identified in the story.