Romanian pharmacy chain Help Net plans to open 28 new units by the end of 2014, adding to its existing 152 pharmacies.

Help Net Farma, which is part of the Farmexim group, should reach a network of 180 units by the end of 2014.

Last year, Help Net posted a turnover of about EUR 84 million and has over 1,200 employees.

The group also includes the pharma distributor Farmexim, as well as the cosmetics importer Green Net.

The pharmacy chain was founded in 1998 as an MBA graduation project by Isabella Iacob, who was then a marketing director at Farmexim.

The pharmacy chain started with a first unit in Timisoara. Isabella Iacob (in picture) is currently Help Net's CEO.

Help Net's main competitors on the Romanian market are Sensiblu, run by A&D Pharma, Centrofarm, Catena, among others.

editor@romania-insider.com