Frequently Asked Questions

We are a team of professionals and business owners who believe the co-operative pharmacy should be owned by pharmacists and run by a management team who are passionate about retail pharmacy. Our role is to faciliate and structure a deal using our relationships and contacts to make the aqcuisiton happen via the fund route. This ultimately keeps the pharmacy chain in pharmacist's hands.

There is a strong appetite in the market to own a pharmacy business. The demand currently outstrips supply. Opening a pharmacy is becoming increasingly difficult. Purchasing an existing pharmacy is out of reach for many pharmacists. This fund represents a long term viable opportunity to invest in the third biggest pharmacy chain.

Opportunities of this magnitude come once every 15-20 years. So now is your chance to invest. The CO-OP pharmacy has great locations and the branches are well kitted out. There is significant opportunity to increase margins, increase market share in the £13 billion of retail sales done through pharmacies.

This fund is geared towards pharmacists who are passionate about the industry, that want to make a difference and steer pharmacy’s future. Pharmacies are well placed in the community to offer valuable primary care services. The macroeconomics suggests that the role of pharmacies and pharmacists will play a bigger part in the healthcare provision of the population. CO-OP pharmacy is perfectly placed to take advantage of the changing landscape.

The fund is designed primarily for qualified pharmacists and pharmacy support staff. The fund could be opened to other healthcare professionals and other types of private and professional investors.

No. The only time you will be expected to transfer money is once the fund is created. At this stage the investment houses and their advisory partners will be managing the fund.

The returns will be performance driven and will be comparable to other investment vehicles. Once there is enough interest, work will begin on formulating the business plans, ROI structures etc. This is a medium to long term investment approach that will yield returns pro rata the investment made. Once the business plan and investment prospectus have been completed.

Initial calculations look promising showing a healthy return on investment.

Absolutely! We have had a great amount of interest from CO-OP pharmacy employees. That means CO-OP employees are employee investors in the pharmacy business.

The CO-OP pharmacy is a way to invest that will generate returns and shareholder value. Investing doesn’t mean an employment opportunity will be available. Normal routes to employment will apply.

Individual investor's details will be kept confidential and will not be divulged to the seller. It is the fund, not individual investors that will be purchasing the chain.

Once the demand exceeds the threshold, the fund will be formalised by the selected investment house and their advisory partners. At this stage the investment house will be responsible for collecting pledges and managing the process. If the demand is not fulfilled, there is no need to commit to any pledges in principal made.

There will be no conflict of interest.

One of the main benefits of pharmacists owing the chain via the fund is to get their views, ideas and concerns heard. So there will be mechanisms in place for investors to contribute. There will also be a chance to attend and contribute at bi annual and Annual General Meetings.

Should the consortium be successful, there will be further opportunities to invest into the fund.

At the moment we are accepting all pledge amounts. The average pledge in principal is around £20,000. There is no limit to what you can pledge. The largest pledge in principal so far is £1,500,000 from a single pharmacist investor.

NM Rothschild, who is managing the sales process for CO-OP pharmacy are in the preliminary stages of the sales process. By the end of April, more information will be available to buyers who can demonstrate they can finance the deal. The time horizon for the transaction to be completed by is 4-6 months. There is a sense of urgency with building the fund to a level where a competitive bid can be made. Other competitors have expressed an interest. However, the fund has several advantages over other competitors. The biggest advantage is strength in numbers.

The fund is designed for investors to take advantage of the market position of the CO-OP chain, its brand, infrastructure and size. The breakup value would not yield the kind of return that an intact chain would to provide investor value and return

Once the fund becomes formalized, it will be managed by one of the two investment houses that are experienced in managing funds. They will draw up the necessary paperwork.

We are currently in the process of conducting due diligence on the transaction. We will have access to accounts shortly to formulate the business plan and strategy.

Before allocating significant resource and bandwidth to do the work, the appetite for investing in the chain has to be identified and crystalized. If the demand is high enough, then the resource will be put in.

These FAQs will be updated on a regular basis. If you have any questions please contact us.