Chemist Direct

About Chemist Direct

Chemist Direct is an online pharmacy retailer founded in 2007 by Mitesh Soma and Krishna Soma. Mitesh Soma, a former management consultant with a business and computing degree, was inspired by observing the price markups in his wife's pharmacy. He launched the business with £100,000 of his own funds, initially operating from a garden shed in Leicester. The company's business model is centered on purchasing medications and healthcare products in bulk to offer them to consumers at discounted prices. It generates revenue through the online sale of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, personal care products, beauty items, and pet health products. An additional service includes paid online consultations with pharmacists.

The company received a significant £3 million investment in 2009 from Atomico, a venture capital firm co-founded by the creators of Skype. This funding facilitated team expansion and a broader product offering. Stuart Rowe, former managing director of Play.com, was appointed CEO in 2011 to further scale the business. By 2013, Chemist Direct had secured an additional $10 million in a funding round involving Atomico, Lepe Partners, and DMG Media. In July 2016, Chemist Direct merged with Pharmacy2U in a deal valued at over £40 million, creating a combined entity with a customer base of 1.5 million. Following the merger, the business continued to expand its NHS repeat dispensing and clinical services.