The owner and operator of Poland's largest chain of convenience stores, has published its annual Responsibility Strategy report outlining its positive impact on the Polish economy, as well as helping the country's dietary habits.
In its sixth successive year of publication, Żabka Group's report shows the 'significant positive impact' its activities have had on the development of the Polish economy. It also outlines an ambition to help improve Polish people's eating habits, under the new 'Porcja DobreGO!', or Portion of Good campaign, which helps consumers make better food choices.
Private Label
One of the main areas on which Żabka has focused is developing private label products that promote a sustainable lifestyle. This has included reducing the use of ingredients that are considered harmful, including salt, sugar and palm oil, as well as introducing the Nutri-Score labelling system to help people make more informed nutrition choices.
Rafał Rudzki, Sustainability Director at Żabka Group, explains, "Our analysis of trends and consumer expectations around nutrition revealed that ready-to-eat meals account for up to 70% of food bought in Poland. To meet this demand, the stores provide balanced meals, co-created by a dietician and approved by quality experts – and following the campaign we saw sales of our private-label products carrying Nutri-Score A and B labelling rise by 85%."
The group has also taken action to improve animal welfare and promote sustainable sourcing for its private-label ranges. Under its Policy for the Sustainable Sourcing of Raw Vegetable Materials, Fish and Seafood, the suppliers of private-label ranges must hold appropriate certification covering sensitive commodities.
Rapid Expansion
Żabka Group is comprised of 10,500 Żabka stores across 9,000 franchisees, a growing network of Żabka Nano unmanned stores, q-commerce and e-commerce solutions. Over 3 million shoppers shop across its stores. Last year, Żabka also began its international expansion, launching and developing a chain of stores in Romania under the Froo brand.
The company also continued to drive its rapid expansion drive, opening over 1,000 new stores. Today, its 10,500-plus outlets are operated by some 9,000 franchisees. According to the group, its growth has a strong positive impact on Poland's economy and labour market, with Żabka Group and its franchisees sustaining over 63,000 jobs.
The total added value generated by the Group and its franchisees totalled PLN 9.1 billion (€2.13 billion) in 2023, a 30% increase over the previous year. Żabka Group's Responsibility Strategy comprises four pillars: Sustainable Lifestyles, Positive Environmental Impact, Responsible Organisation, and Green Planet.
