Founded in 1971, Jollyes is the UK’s second-largest specialty pet retailer, operating more than 100 stores nationwide and employing over 1,200 people. Headquartered in Essex, the company provides everything from pet food, accessories and toys to services such as grooming, washing and basic veterinary. Jollyes has a distinct value offering focused on its popular own-brand products and price leadership.
Initial investment
2024
Sector
Retail
Initial transaction size
c. £140m
We spent a long time monitoring the UK pet retail space, a sector underpinned by attractive fundamentals including high pet ownership, strong customer loyalty and repeat purchases.
Within this resilient sector, Jollyes represented a clear opportunity to back the leading value-focused operator, attracting customers seeking affordability without compromising on quality or service. With significant roll-out potential, TDR was well positioned to support the next phase of growth through our experience in scaling multi-site consumer businesses.
Since acquiring Jollyes in 2024, we launched an Everyday Low Pricing (“ELDP”) strategy, shifting the approach to pricing to focus on consistency and transparency for customers. This has supported good sales growth and reinforced the company’s value positioning.
We have strengthened the senior leadership team, bringing in experienced retail and data specialists to support the next phase of growth.
We are working to place data science at the centre of decision-making, with the aim of transforming the business into a data-led retailer. The company is developing an in-house data science capability to enhance top-line growth, product availability and site selection, drawing on TDR’s experience in applying advanced analytics across its retail portfolio to drive more informed and agile commercial decisions.