ERKAFARM

Erkafarm is one of the largest players in the pharmaceutical market in Russia, managing more than 1.1 thousand pharmacies in eight federal districts. The group of companies owns such brands as "Ozerki Network of Pharmacies," "Doctor Stoletov," "Rainbow," "Network of Pharmacies First Aid," "Samson-Pharma" and others.

History

2023: Katren increases its stake in Erkafarma to 100%

On April 7, 2023, it became known that the pharmaceutical company Katren was fully buying out the Erkafarm group. The Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS) has already approved the corresponding petition.

Erkafarm unites the pharmacy chains Doctor Stoletov, Ozerki, Samson-Pharma. According to the company itself, it operates approximately 1,000 pharmacies in eight federal districts (by April 2023). Points of sale work in different formats - from discounters to pharmaceutical markets. Each month these pharmacies serve more than 7 million buyers, and the volume of the loyal consumer base reaches 7.9 million people.

Katren buys 100% of the Erkafarm group

Katren, founded in 1993, is one of the leaders in the Russian pharmaceutical market. It meets the needs of pharmacies and hospitals for medicines and products that improve the health and quality of life of people. It is reported that as part of the deal, Katren will become the owner of a 100% stake in the Erkafarm group. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Having become the sole shareholder of the Erkafarm pharmacy chain, Katren plans to synchronize the main standards for operating management and corporate governance of the retail segment of the Katren group of companies, which consisted of the Melody of Health and Erkafarm pharmacy chains, representatives of the company said.

Since 2022, "Melody of Health" and "Erkafarm" together report on the financial results of their activities, but the real unification of pharmacy chains has not been carried out. Each structure is managed by its own management team. In particular, Erkafarm is developing a Moscow office led by Anastasia Karpova, and Melody of Health is controlled from the Novosibirsk headquarters of Katren. After the acquisition of the Erkafarm group, market participants believe, Katren is transforming its B2C business into an omnichannel network.

2021

Katren bought 50.01% of Erkafarm

On May 13, 2021, it became known about the sale of the Erkafarm group of companies, which owns the second largest pharmacy chain in Russia (combines the Doctor Stoletov, Ozerki, Samson-Pharma brands), one of the largest Russian pharmaceutical distributors - Katren.

According to Vedomosti, the Federal Antimonopoly Service received a petition to acquire 50.01% in Erkafarm Management Company JSC from Katren General Director Vladimir Spiridonov (he is also a partner of the main owner of the distributor Leonid Konobeev).

Katren acquired Erkafarm

The deal will be the largest in the pharmacy market since 2017, when Erkafarm acquired the network of the Rosta group, which at that time was three times higher in terms of the number of points, DSM Group CEO Sergei Shulyak told the publication.

It is expected that during the deal, Erkafarm will attract 5 billion rubles. This money will allow the company to get rid of debts to Sberbank and suppliers - Central Bank Protek and FC Pulse. In total, the company could owe them 8.5 billion rubles.

Katren is the second largest pharmaceutical distributor in Russia, Vedomosti writes. According to the DSM Group for the first quarter of 2021, the market share was 12.5%. She also owns the Melody Health pharmacy chain and the country's largest online drug ordering service, Аптека.ру. Thanks to the Erkafarm deal, the group can become the largest operator on the market with a combined share of more than 10%. At the same time, Apteka.ru will be able to get another large partner (Erkafarm had 1135 pharmacies at the end of 2020) to build a sales network.

Erkafarm is the second largest pharmacy chain in Russia after Rigla. The fact that its owner is considering the possibility of selling the company, Vedomosti sources reported in February 2021. However, Erkafarm denied these rumors.^[1]

Roskomnadzor blocked the Superapteka.ru website for selling prescription drugs via the Internet

In mid-April 2021, Roskomnadzor first blocked the website of a large pharmacy chain for selling prescription drugs via the Internet. The work of the Superapteka.ru site belonging to the Erkafarm Group of Companies was suspended. Read more here.

2016

According to the results of 2016, ERKAFARM Group of Companies is one of the top 3 largest Russian networks (according to the industry publication Vademecum). Revenue in 2016 amounted to 26.7 billion rubles.

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