Zabka opens 89 stores in Romania but sees potential at 4,000

Polish convenience retail giant Żabka has accelerated its expansion in Romania, reaching 89 stores under the Froo brand by April 2025 and outlining plans to scale to as many as 4,000 locations nationwide, according to Economica.

The announcement came as part of Żabka Group's annual results presentation, which confirmed its total European store count at 11,069 as of December 31, 2024, solidifying its position as the continent's largest convenience chain.

Żabka launched in Romania in 2024 through the acquisition of local distributor DRIM Daniel Distribuție FMCG. By year-end, it had opened 60 stores and has since added 29 more, operating in Bucharest (68 stores), Ilfov County (11 stores), Pitești in Argeș County (4 stores), and most recently, Constanța, where its first three outlets opened in March.

According to Tomasz Blicharski, Group Chief Strategy and Development Officer, the company intends to maintain its pace of expansion with over 1,000 new stores annually across its markets. "A major milestone in 2024 was our entry into the Romanian market. Our medium-term ambition is to double sales to the end customer between 2023 and 2028," Blicharski stated.

Żabka's expansion in Romania is part of a wider growth strategy that includes digital transformation and adapting store formats to local consumer preferences. The Froo-branded outlets in Romania mirror the Żabka model in Poland, which is built around rapid, high-density rollouts and tailored neighborhood formats. The company's IPO documentation estimates the Romanian market could support up to 4,000 stores, with Poland's capacity assessed at 19,500.

(Photo: the company)