European pet care retailers Musti Group and Zooplus are announcing major expansions across Europe in 2026, with Musti Group achieving 14.7% sales growth and expanding its store network from 420 to 522 locations. Meanwhile, Zooplus is launching a new marketplace in Germany, joining one in France, to increase product selection and reach.
- Musti Group reported €277.1 million (US$321.5 million) in net sales for the first half of 2026, a 14.7% increase year-over-year, with particularly strong performance in Norway.
- Musti Group expanded its physical footprint from 420 to 522 locations (stores and veterinary clinics) in the first six months of 2026 across Nordic, Baltic and Portuguese markets.
- Musti Group's customer base grew to 1.9 million pet parents, demonstrating strong market appeal and network expansion across seven countries.
- Zooplus launched a new marketplace in Germany with nearly 10,000 additional products, with 65% in the pet accessories category. Its French marketplace selection has tripled.
- Both retailers are pursuing strategic acquisitions and marketplace expansion to strengthen their omnichannel presence and respond to growing demand for broader product selection across Europe.
Finland’s pet care specialist Musti Group has announced that, in the first half of 2026, the business achieved net sales of about €277.1 million (US$321.5 million), representing an increase of 14.7% compared with the same period a year earlier, with growth particularly strong in the Norwegian market.
In a statement, David Rönnberg, the chief executive of Musti Group, said the second quarter of 2026 marked a period of robust growth for the business.
“Like-for-like growth of 3% for the first half and 2.1% in the quarter was temporarily impacted by the re-platforming of our e-commerce offering,” he said. “Store traffic reflects resilient underlying demand across our core markets, and the expansion of our customer base to 1.9 million pet parents demonstrates the ongoing appeal of our network and its offering.
“Our core markets continue to perform well,” Rönnberg continued. “Norway delivered exceptional growth and profitability improvements. Finland remained stable despite the impact of the e-commerce platform transition. Sweden maintained positive momentum in customer acquisition and network expansion, which will be further enhanced by our acquisition of ICA’s Gaston stores and developing long-term partnership.”
Rönnberg also said the acquisition of Pet City in the Baltic States is nearing its final stages, and the takeover of ZU in Portugal “is progressing according to plan.”
In the first six months of 2026, Musti Group also managed to significantly expand its brick-and-mortar presence in Europe, with the number of locations increasing from 420 to 522, including stores and veterinary clinics, as indicated by data released by the holding.
Musti Group is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. The business is an offshoot of Sonae Group, a multinational conglomerate headquartered in Portugal. Musti Group said that, alongside its strong presence in the Nordic pet care market, the company has an increasing footprint in the Baltic countries and Portugal.
“Our omnichannel business model caters to the needs of pets and their owners across Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Portugal,” the statement said. “We offer a wide, curated assortment of pet products. We also provide pet care services such as grooming, training and veterinary services in selected locations.”
Zooplus opens new marketplace amid European expansion plans
Munich-based Zooplus has unveiled a new marketplace in Germany, the company’s largest market, adding nearly 10,000 additional products to its portfolio.
Of the 10,000 products, as many as 65% fall within the pet accessories category, a market segment that has become particularly popular among customers in Germany, the business said in a statement. By launching sales via the new marketplace, the company said it aims to respond to “growing demand for a broader product selection and laying the foundation for further expansion of its marketplace strategy in the coming years.”
“Our customers want more choice, relevance and a simple shopping experience,” said Pierre-Yves Delforge, chief merchandising officer at Zooplus, quoted in the statement. “With the launch of our new marketplace in Germany, we are responding to this feedback and can expand the breadth and depth of our product range even faster.”
Zooplus said it already operates a marketplace in France, another major European market, where the product selection has now tripled. “After successfully introducing marketplace offerings in Germany and France, we are ready to drive the expansion further,” Delforge continued. “Marketplace models enable us to respond flexibly to our customers’ needs and tailor our product range to the specific characteristics of individual markets.”
Alongside the expansion in Germany, in the coming years, the company’s offering will be gradually extended to additional markets. “In this way, Zooplus is strengthening its platform strategy and continuously developing its product range in line with customer needs,” the business stated.
Zooplus said it has operated in e-commerce for pet supplies since 1999. The company runs dedicated online stores in more than 27 European countries, according to data released by the German retailer.
