Farmacias Similares

Farmacias Similares
IndustryRetail
Founded1997 (1997) in Mexico City, Mexico
FounderVíctor González Torres
Area served
Mexico, Latin America, United States, Japan
ProductsPharmacy

Farmacias Similares is a Mexican pharmacy chain. It was founded by the businessman Víctor González Torres in 1997 to sell generic drugs at prices lower than those of brand-name medications. The chain operates under the slogan "Lo mismo pero más barato" ('The same, but cheaper'), and its mascot is Dr. Simi, a physician.[1] The chain has franchises in Mexico, multiple Latin American countries, the United States, and Japan.

History

A Farmacias Similares store in La Chinesca, Mexicali. Both the store and Dr. Simi are decorated with Chinese-inspired design elements.

Businessman Víctor González Torres is the son of Roberto González Terán, founder of Laboratorios Best, a laboratory company that supplies generic drugs to the federal government of Mexico. Following the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, the healthcare sector was subject to new regulations that allowed for these sale of generic drugs.[2]

González Torres founded in 1997 Farmacias Similares, a pharmacy chain, with the intention to sell generic drugs at prices lower than those of brand-name medications[3]—up to 75 percent cheaper and comparable to those offered by the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).[2]

Some stores also include physician clinics, a model also shared by other private pharmacy chains, such as Farmacias del Ahorro and Farmacias San Pablo. This model contributed to the growth of these chains by making healthcare services more accessible, particularly in underserved areas. In 1998, Farmacias Similares operated two clinics. By 2022, that number had grown to 7,597 across Mexico.[2]

In 1999, the company was reorganized into its main corporate entity and several philanthropic foundations. By 2002, the company had expanded to over 1,000 stores in Mexico. In 2002, Farmacias Similares opened its first international stores, in Argentina.[4] Then expanding to Guatemala in 2003,[2] Chile in 2005,[5] Colombia in 2024,[6] United States in 2025,[1] and Japan in 2026.[7]

In December 2022, González Torres was replaced by his son Víctor González Herrera as CEO of Farmacias Similares.[8]

Other ventures

In 2023, Farmacias Similares launched Similandia, a thematic store offering entertainment areas, selling official merchandise, as well as pharmacy and medical clinic services.[9] In 2025, the company opened SimiPet Care, a chain of veterinary clinics whose mascot is Dr. Lares, the wife of Dr. Simi.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Vega Torre, Paola; Gayol, Rafael; Millán, Carolina (8 May 2025). "Farmacias Similares debuta en EU al ritmo del Dr. Simi" [Farmacias Similares makes its debut in the U.S. to the rhythm of Dr. Simi]. El Financiero (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "La historia del Dr. Simi y la expansión de sus consultorios privados en México" [The story of Dr. Simi and the expansion of his private clinics in Mexico]. Expansión (in Spanish). 17 August 2022. Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Víctor González Torres: la mente detrás del Imperio de Farmacias Similares" [Víctor González Torres: the mind behind the Farmacias Similares Empire]. Quién (in Spanish). 31 July 2024. Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  4. ↑ Kroll, Cristina (18 October 2004). "Dr. Simi y Dr. Ahorro, con su pelea familiar a la Justicia" [Dr. Simi and Dr. Ahorro, with their family feud in court]. Infobae. Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "Farmacias Similares: Así fue como el Dr. Simi logró abrir 450 sucursales en Chile" [Farmacias Similares: Here's how Dr. Simi managed to open 450 locations in Chile]. El CEO. 14 December 2023. Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Reyes Espinosa, Daniel Esteban (23 August 2024). "Quién es el Dr. Simi, personaje de famosa cadena de farmacias en México y por qué está en Colombia" [Who is Dr. Simi, the mascot of a famous pharmacy chain in Mexico, and why is he in Colombia?]. Infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Beltrán, Jesús F. (18 April 2026). "Dr. Simi conquista Japón: abre tienda en Tokio y causa ternura al bailar vestido de samurái" [Dr. Simi takes Japan by storm: he opens a store in Tokyo and charms everyone by dancing in a samurai costume]. Infobae (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Víctor González Herrera lleva su misión social a Jardines de México con la Gala con Causa de Fundación SimiREDI" [Víctor González Herrera brings his social mission to Jardines de México with the SimiREDI Foundation's Gala for a Cause]. ¡Hola! (in Spanish). 10 April 2026. Archived from the original on 30 July 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  9. ↑ Castillo Trejo, Nayeli (28 September 2023). "Abren Similandia, cuánto cuesta la entrada y qué atracciones hay" [Similandia opens: How huch are tickets and what attractions are there?]. Archived from the original on 22 August 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Herrera López, Edgar (23 July 2025). "SimiPet Care en CDMX y Edomex: ¿Dónde se ubican las 12 nuevas clínicas de la Dra. Lares?" [SimiPet Care in Mexico City and the State of Mexico: Where are Dr. Lares's 12 new clinics located?]. W Radio. Archived from the original on 17 February 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
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