A Malta pharmacy chain wants to go global, without opening a single pharmacy
Brown's says it turned down an offer to buy its retail operation as it targets tech-led model
The man who helped turn Brown’s from a single pharmacy into one of Malta’s biggest pharmacy groups, is now aiming for a business that could one day be listed on an international stock exchange, without opening a single new outlet.
Alexander Fenech said Brown’s had recently turned down an offer to buy its entire brick-and-mortar operation, as it focuses on building a platform, codenamed Oxygen, to support remote consultations and prescription fulfilment.
“We have no regrets… but the future of our business, and of the entire retail industry, is evolving and we have to adapt accordingly,” he said.
Brown’s, which employs almost 250 people, has spent the past year developing the platform as an end-to-end system for digital patient engagement, consultation workflows and prescription management, linked to a mail-order pharmaceutical distribution operation.
The company already operates a UK mail-order pharmacy, Mediva, and says it has begun onboarding doctors to the platform. Around 500 healthcare professionals have signed up so far, with a target of 4,000 by the end of 2027.
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