Chemist Warehouse
Chemist Warehouse
With over 300 stores across the country, Chemist Warehouse is the largest pharmacy retailer in Australia and still growing. There product offerings cover a large range of categories and brands, including fragrances, skincare, makeup, vitamins, medicines, lifestyle products and weight loss programs.
Founded in the year 2000 and has grown to more than 500 stores, often known as ‘The Bunnings of Chemists’.
As at March, 2024 there are 519 Chemist Warehouse pharmacies in Australia, with more than 40% of the stores situated in Victoria.
Click to view currently available Retail Franchise Opportunities here.
Chemist Warehouse believe the customer comes first, and have an online portal where customers have access to over 13,000 products, including free shipping on orders above $50.
They use aggressive pricing tactics and by selling large volumes of products, they can provide customers large savings in the health and beauty product range.
The company’s low-cost business model is a favourite amongst shoppers who love the opportunity to buy half-price vitamins or beauty products while they pick up their cheaper generic prescriptions.
The first store in a European expansion in 2020 has opened in Ireland.
Chemist Warehouse’s first international expansion was in 2017 when it opened Stores in New Zealand. Then in 2020, it expanded to Ireland and has followed that with it’s first store in China being opened in October 2021
The business model utilised by Chemist Warehouse group involves an equity investment by the licensed Pharmacist who then adhere to the trading terms that are dictated across the group of stores.
What makes Chemist Warehouse so successful?
This provides those pharmacists working under the group umbrella to benefit from the enormous buying power that they can achieve massive price reductions across the board.
Products and Services found in stores can be seen here and include:
Pharmaceutical products, health products, health supplements, perfumes baby care products, weight loss products and cosmetics etc.
Chemist Warehouse’s growing popularity has had an impact on other Pharmacies and Chemist groups. Retailers such as Chemmart, Priceline and Terry White have all lost market share to the aggressive pricing structure utilised by Chemist Warehouse.
The company is a big player in the advertising world spending more than $200 Million annually on both media and marketing to both new and existing customers.
Chemist Warehouse are not currently actively looking for new franchisees, however are always open to approaches from fully qualified Pharmacists who wish to join the group. We will advise if that changes.
Chemist Warehouse has extended its Fast Pharmacy, door to door delivery service.
Optometrist Warehouse, a spinoff chain of Chemist Warehouse, is set to revolutionize the optical sector with its opening in Malvern, Victoria.
This chain will provide customers with high–quality, easily accessible, and reasonably–priced eye care.
Peter Larsen, Optometrist Warehouse MD, said, “Optometrist Warehouse is focused on broad–based patient health as well as eye wellness, working hand–in–hand with our pharmacy colleagues, in each community we serve.”
The eyecare chain will be open seven days a week, offering affordable prices on optical items along with modern eye care services and hospital–grade clinical technology, aiming to help with the early detection of eye diseases that can lead to poor vision or even eyesight loss.
Read more about Optometrist Warehouse launch and expansion here.
In early December, 2023 Chemist Warehouse has said it is preparing to list on the Australian Stock Exchange by become the majority shareholder in Sigma Healthcare essentially giving Chemist Warehouse a backdoor listing to the ASX.
In December, 2023 , The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Sigma is raising $350 Million to be able to have the liquidity needed for a much larger entity.
ACCC greenlights Sigma-Chemist Warehouse merger – 2024
What makes Chemist Warehouse so successful? Diversification and
finding a strategic advantage has seen the brand increase its number
of stores more than tenfold since the beginning of the millennium.
Chemist Warehouse has reported double digit growth for the first Fiscal quarter of 2025 continuing the strong growth the brand showed in the prior year.
Troubles for Chemist Warehouse with authorities.
In June, 2026 Sigma Healthcare, the parent company of Chemist Warehouse, has confirmed preliminary discussions regarding a potential acquisition of the UK pharmacy chain Boots. Valued at an estimated $14 billion, the transaction would mark one of the largest international acquisitions by an Australian retailer to date.
In a statement submitted to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), Sigma Healthcare addressed the negotiations:
“Sigma continuously reviews opportunities that would create value for shareholders and has engaged in preliminary discussions in relation to the sale process. There is no certainty any transaction will eventuate.”
The prospective deal was initially reported by the Financial Times, following approaches by Boots owner Sycamore Partners to several potential suitors after acquiring the business last year.