pl

Retail

more than
5.9 thousand

staff

Sales of
PLN 2.6bn
Around
4m

Patients
served in Poland
and Lithuania
every month


8m

users a month
visiting
the doz.pl website

over
1,200

company-owned
and franchised pharmacies
in Poland and Lithuania

DOZ S.A.

DOZ S.A. manages the largest number of modern pharmacies in Poland, operating under the joint brand of DOZ Apteki dbam o zdrowie (DOZ ‘I Care for My Health’ Pharmacies); at the end of 2015, the chain consisted of almost 900 pharmacies. Of that number, around 600 were company-owned while the other were franchised outlets.

Through constant care to ensure full availability of medicines, low prices and superior service quality, DOZ Apteki dbam o zdrowie pharmacies set new standards and reinforce their position as a business leader and preferred pharmacy for millions of Poles. In line with the slogan ‘PATIENT IN THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION’, they make every effort to ensure that all patients receive the best pharmaceutical care and professional advice.

The day-to-day business of DOZ Apteki dbam o zdrowie pharmacies relies on three pillars:

According to patients, these three factors are key in selecting a pharmacy. Every month, DOZ Apteki dbam o zdrowie pharmacies are visited by 3 million patients.

They can purchase pharmaceuticals not only at brick-and-mortar pharmacies, but also order them via the Internet drug ordering system on the doz.pl website, a mobile application, smart tv, and by telephone. The doz.pl website attracts 5 million visitors per month.

With more than 2.5 thousand licensed pharmacists and pharmacy technicians ensuring safe pharmaceutical treatment of patients, DOZ S.A. is the largest employer on the pharmacy market.

2016 marks 15 years of the Dbam o Zdrowie brand’s presence on the Polish market. Currently, it stands for the largest number of pharmacies, the doz.pl website, beauty stores, proprietary branded products and a foundation helping individuals who are in need due to financial difficulties or personal circumstances to purchase medicines. It also organises a marathon in Łódź. In 2015, the pharmacies underwent a brand revamp in order to streamline and strengthen the brand’s image. A change of the signboards was accompanied by remake of all marketing and corporate materials as well as pharmacy interiors to make them even more patient-friendly. The brand cares about patients’ health also through healthy lifestyle promotion, in partnership with the Dbam o Zdrowie and Magazyn 60+ magazines. The ‘Created in Poland Superbrands 2015/2016’ title awarded to the brand strongly attests to patients’ trust.

In 2015, DOZ S.A. expanded its activities to include a concept combining the pharmacy and beauty store businesses. Under the ‘DOZ Drogerie’ brand, new outlets offer a wide range of personal care and make-up products, complemented by a rich selection of dermocosmetics. In 2015, the first ten beauty stores were launched at pharmacies.

In response to patients’ growing expectations, in 2015 DOZ S.A. developed and began to market its proprietary brands. At the end of 2015, DOZ S.A. had three such brands: DOZ Product, DOZ Zielnik and DOZ Daily, comprising almost 50 products, from food supplements, to medical supplies to top-quality cosmetics developed jointly with experts − doctors and pharmacists. Each product has been tested for quality by independent certified laboratories.

CHALLENGES AND GOALS

The regulations currently governing the pharmaceutical market obstruct its growth and prevent the introduction of modern solutions for patients. The ban on pharmacy advertising and lack of a clear definition of advertising in the Pharmaceutical Law restrict the patients’ access to pharmaceuticals and relevant information. On the other hand, non-pharmacy retailers, such as shopping malls, discount stores and service stations, are not bound by the ban on informing patients on the available dietary supplements and medical products. Additionally, since 2012, when the regulator introduced a new procedure for computing pharmacy margins on reimbursable drugs, the profitability of sales in this product category has significantly deteriorated. And yet it is the role of pharmacies and pharmacists to build an offering which would guarantee that patients receive drugs they need within a safe distribution system and at competitive prices, to addition to professional pharmacotherapeutic advice. To balance these two aspects of a pharmacy’s operation – the difficult regulatory environment and care for patients – is the main challenge faced by DOZ Apteki dbam o zdrowie pharmacies. Accordingly, DOZ S.A.’s objective for 2016 is to continue work on building the best possible offering for patients, based on low prices, availability of pharmaceuticals sought by patients and professional service.

Natura Sp. z o.o.

Natura is the largest Polish chain of company-owned beauty stores. As at the end of 2015, it comprised 245 own stores and 31 stores operated on an agency basis. In August 2015, an online store was additionally launched (www.drogerienatura.pl).

The stores are located at shopping centres in large cities, and in high-street locations in smaller ones. Since the launch of the chain’s operation in 1997, the company’s focus has always been on its customers. Currently, the company employs around 1.6 thousand staff all over the country. In 2015, the company was implementing a new store concept. The change consisted in creating in-store space in which customers would be led by intuition and feel comfortable, and be encouraged to return soon. The company’s strategy was also changed to focus on promoting Polish producers and the company’s own, domestically manufactured brands (My Secret, Sensique and KOBO Professional make-up cosmetics, Sensique and Seyo body care lines, and Intimelle intimate hygiene line, as well as other brands, such as Milly and Natura Accessories). Thanks to this approach, Natura has indirectly or directly created almost 5 thousand jobs across the country. The aspects of the Natura proprietary brands most appreciated by customers include high quality at affordable prices, as well as the well defined profile of specialist beauty stores and professional advice from personnel. The highest customer service standards and personnel training programmes are consistently promoted and implemented across all levels of the organisation. With this approach, the chain keeps expanding and ensuring premium customer service quality. The company’s consumer-oriented approach has been recognised four times to date with a prestigious Customer Service Quality Emblem (Godło Jakości Obsługi Klienta) award. In 2015, the Drogerie Natura beauty store chain was distinguished for the third time by the independent body Rada Marek (the Brands Council) with the ‘Superbrands − Created In Poland’ title, which is awarded to Polish brands enjoying the highest customer recognition in their respective categories. Every year, 2,400 brands take part in the certification process.

The Natura beauty store chain regularly engages in community outreach and charity projects. In 2015, it supported the ‘Lucky Ducats’ charity campaign organised by Mennica Polska S.A. and the Fundacja TVN ‘Nie jesteś sam’ foundation.

CHALLENGES AND GOALS

The Natura beauty stores operate in an extremely competitive market – apart from typical beauty stores, also super- and hypermarkets and, since 2015, the largest discount stores operating in Poland, hold strong positions on the market. Therefore, the creation of a unique, distinctive offering, based on highest-quality products, attractive prices and professional advice is the foundation of the Natura chain’s growth. It has been rewarded by very good brand recognition and awareness: according to the Interactive Research Center, Natura is the second most recognisable beauty store chain in Poland.

In 2016, the company plans further growth through several initiatives, including roll-out of a new store format and special offering of products, as well as addition of company-owned stores to the chain. Based on its unique experience in operating a retail chain, the company is able to develop the agent-based model, which is an attractive solution for people with their own retail premises or access to attractive retail space.

The Group operates in Lithuania through UAB NFG, which owns two pharmacy chains, Gintarine Vaistine and Norfos Vaistine (329 pharmacies in total), and Limedika, a wholesale distribution business.

The sale of pharmaceuticals through brick-and-mortar pharmacies is combined with online sale through www.vaistine.lt. In addition, UAB NFG cooperates with 151 partner pharmacies of the Baltijos Vaistiniu Grupe (BVG). As at the end of 2015, Limedika held a 25% share in the wholesale market and a 24% share in the retail market (in terms of value). With the partner BVG pharmacies included, the share amounted to 35%. As at the end of 2015, the company was the national leader in Lithuania in terms of its share in the market of reimbursable drugs.

The company’s service standards and everyday dedication have been expressed in its mission ‘Partner for a long and healthy life’ and vision ‘The best one. For customers. For employees. For partners. For society’.

What distinguishes the company is its personalised approach to patients, thanks to which it gives them the pharmaceuticals they need and ingrains good habits in patients.

The offering on the Lithuanian market also includes unique sales and marketing programmes aimed at improving the availability of pharmaceuticals for selected target groups, such as young mothers and babies (the Mazylio programme). Approximately one million patients per month buy products at the company’s own pharmacies in Lithuania.

The company procures drugs from almost all (around 340) manufacturers supplying drugs to the Lithuanian market, which guarantees the best possible terms of business. That cooperation model is built on partnership and constant search for solutions enhancing patient service, which is reflected in steadily growing market shares.

The company has also been successfully developing its own brands available at pharmacies, for which it was awarded a gold and a silver medal in the Lithuanian Product of the Year 2015 award.

CHALLENGES AND GOALS

The Lithuanian retail pharmaceutical market is highly concentrated, with the four largest chains controlling 80% of all pharmacies and holding a combined 85% share in the market value, which results in fierce competition and growing expectations of patients. An additional new challenge may come from a proposed amendment to the Pharmaceutical Law, under which not only pharmacies, but also shops, service stations and other retail outlets are to be allowed to sell OTC drugs. On such challenging market, the UAB NFG Group’s key goal is to build long-lasting value and relationships with patients, customers, employees, partners and local communities. Building on its team of well-motivated professionals, continuous improvement of service quality and intra-group synergies, it intends to steadily increase its operating efficiency.