Ren`s Pet DePot - The Canadian Business Journal

Ren’s Pet Depot
www.renspets.com
CB
02
Ren’s
Ren’s Pets was established in
Ren’s Pets has grown to beco
s Pets DEPOT
n 1975 in Oakville, Ont. and during the 38 years since its doors first opened,
ome Canada’s largest independent retailer of pet products and supplies.
CB
SERVICES
4
SERVICES • Ren’s Pet Depot
Ren’s PETS DEPOT started as a farm & feed
carries more than 15,000 products from hundreds
store, launched by Ren and Sharon Job. With the
of manufacturers sourced from around the world.
changing business environment, the company
The company’s purchasing team scours the world to
slowly transitioned into a destination pet store.
deliver clients with unbeatable prices on the prod-
Colin Job, youngest son of Ren and Sharon, took
ucts loved by owners and their pets. The company
over the business in 1998, and continues to
also supplies Canadian groomers, breeders, kennels
drive Ren’s Pets’ business model to a whole new
and other pet-based businesses with the products
level. Today, with its head office in Guelph, Ont.
they require to deliver a quality service.
and with four retail stores in southern Ontario
The Canadian Business Journal spoke with Co-
and 110 employees, the company continues to
lin Job, President and Owner, Joe Lynn, Vice Presi-
offer superior service to pet lovers in Oakville,
dent and CFO, and Scott Arsenault, Vice President
Guelph, Kitchener, and Waterdown.
of Sales and Operations, discussing the company’s
Ren’s Pets Depot strives to provide pet lovers
with the best value on the market. Ren’s Pets Depot
business model, and the upside of shopping for pet
supplies with Ren’s Pets Depot.
APRIL 2013 • The Canadian Business Journal
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History
farming started to retreat northwards, and the
“My father [Ren Job] started the business back
company started to lose its Farming clientele. At the
in 1975, following in his father’s footsteps. At
same time, urban pet lovers started to come into
the time, the company was selling feed to farms
the picture, which prompted the company to adapt
(cattle, poultry, etc.), but we were also the Purina
to the new geography and changing times. “At this
distributor for Ontario, selling to mom & pop pet
point we had to take a new direction. We realized
shops. We were a wholesaler with a focus on
that we were already getting the best price for the
purchasing, so we never had a retail store other
pet food, and we decided to open a pet store.”
than a farm supply shop for day-to-day farming
It proved to be the right move for the compa-
equipment. We were more of a feed store rather
ny, as Ren’s Pets has doubled its business over
than a pet store,” says Job.
the past four years alone, and the company aims
Located right outside the GTA, in the 1990s
to double again over the next three years, with
the company started to see increased urbanization
a plan to open at least two new stores in 2013,
of the area, and due to the rising real estate costs,
focusing on southwestern Ontario.
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SERVICES • Ren’s Pet Depot
APRIL 2013 • The Canadian Business Journal
7
Distribution
lies with the company’s size and flexibility. While
“Our business has grown substantially over the
the company is large enough to be capable of
years and it continues to grow. Four years ago, our
purchasing products at wholesale rates, it is also
Oakville location was bursting at the seams, as we
small enough and therefore flexible enough to
had decidedly outgrown that location. That’s why
act faster in response to market opportunities.
we’ve built a 26,000 square warehouse and a retail
“Everybody seems to be in this category
location in southern Guelph, which serves as our
today, and the margins are getting tighter. This is
main distribution centre,” says Jobs.
a mature market and we have to work hard every
The company’s state-of-the-art distribution
day to keep our market share and to keep grow-
centre allows Ren’s Pets to offer a multi-channel
ing. This all comes down to our team and the
experience to their multi-market customers. Out of
infrastructure that we have behind us, so we can
its main Distribution Centre, Ren’s Pets fulfills on-
buy better and react quicker than the large retail-
line and mail orders not just to retail customers but
ers. We can turn around on a dime and make
to professional groomers and breeders as well. It
decisions more quickly in regards to new oppor-
also leverages this existing infrastructure to provide
tunities. Our competitors don’t have this option
best-in-class third party order fulfilment for a wide
because they are either a franchise business, or
variety of ecommerce clients. This competitive ad-
they don’t have a distribution centre to be able to
vantage to serve a larger roster of clients provides
redistribute to their locations,” says Job.
Ren’s Pets with the ability to source high-end prod-
The company sells products to about 90 per
ucts affordably, and offer them to the Canadian pet
cent of professional groomers and breeders across
market.
Canada. Supplying this huge customer base allows
Ren’s Pets to purchase high-end professional prod-
Challenges
ucts, and also offer these products at competitive
According to Job, the pet industry has been
prices to pet owners in its retail stores.
recession-proof, with many businesses seeing
“Also, we don’t compete with any of the
an opportunity in this area: grocery stores, big
professionals out there. We look at our clients—
box stores, and online businesses entering into
humane societies, groomers, dog trainers, and
the industry and increasing the competition. The
breeders – as our partners, so we don’t sell
distinct competitive advantages of Ren’s Pets
dogs, we don’t groom dogs, and we don’t train
8
SERVICES • Ren’s Pet Depot
Thompson, MacColl & Stacy LLP practices in the areas of corporate,
commercial law, commercial litigation, real estate, family law,
employment law and estates. At Thompson, MacColl & Stacy LLP we
believe it is critical that the client is fully involved and has full
understanding of all legal issues in order to make the best business
decisions possible.
Proud to be a ‘partner’ in support of Ren’s Pets Depot
Suite 5, 1020 Matheson Blvd E Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4J9
Phone: 905-625-5591 | Fax: 905-238-3313
www.tmslaw.com
“Our philosophy is that the bigger
we get, the smaller we act. Personal
relationships with all of our
customers are an integral part of
our business and our No.1 goal is to
ensure those relationships continue
and even strengthen as our business
grows. ” — Colin Job
shipping rates, and let the new technologies help
us to do these things effectively,” says Job.
To this, Arsenault added, “Our biggest challenges on the retail side would be the competi-
dogs. We give a non-competition policy to our
tion from the grocery chains, as they are taking
customers, and in return we receive the referral
on most of the retail business, and we have to
business from these professionals,” says Job.
work hard every day to create value for our cus-
The company also remains attuned to the
tomers, and deliver the best prices and the best
latest marketing channels, and has relaunched
selection. We are trying to give them a really
its web store to better serve its customers across
good selection so they are wowed when they
Canada. According to Job, the largest challenges
come to our stores. ‘Best service’ is not some-
here are making the online ordering viable for the
thing we advertise, but it’s something we prove
Canadian customer. “The shipping rates in Canada
to our customers every time they visit.”
are not aligned with the cost of shipping from the
U.S., and in order to compete with some of the U.S.
Pet-Friendly Policy
pricing, we really have to work on very tight mar-
In regards to service, the company strives to employ
gins, and be as efficient as possible in our ware-
people who are devoted to customers’ pets, pro-
housing and logistics, constantly negotiating better
viding the very best expertise and advice on all
APRIL 2013 • The Canadian Business Journal
products. As a part of the exceptional customer
selection compared to the big box stores, but
experience, Ren’s Pets has a 100 per cent pet-
also competitive pricing and knowledgeable
friendly policy, encouraging customers to bring
staff. These are all aspects of our exceptional
their dogs shopping with them, where these furry
customer experience,” says Lynn. CB
companions are always pampered with a tasty
treat. Another integral part of the Ren’s Pets tradition is the old school carry-out service, where
an employee helps the customer carry their purchase straight to the car.
“While we offer a huge product selection, we
are really looking at the customer experience.
We also offer customers our rewards and
frequent buyer program that are not offered by
our competitors. We compete by offering great
www.renspets.com
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