1Minute Smacznego! launches franchising in Poland

Lagardère Travel Retail in Poland is opening its 1Minute Smacznego! brand to independent entrepreneurs. The concept, which combines a convenience store with a food service offering, will also expand through franchising alongside its existing agency model. The operator promises support with opening and running outlets, as well as a temporary waiver of the initial fee. For prospective franchisees in Poland, this provides another opportunity to work under a brand already present at railway stations and airports.

Franchising will complement the agency model

Polish food industry news website Portal Spożywczy reported the launch of the 1Minute Smacznego! franchise on 14 October 2026. Until now, the brand has expanded primarily through an agency model. Independent entrepreneurs will now also be able to run outlets under its name. The change is intended to accelerate the network’s growth.

This does not mean that the existing partnership model is being withdrawn. As Grzegorz Łyczak, Director of New Retail Concept Implementation and Franchising at Lagardère Travel Retail in Poland, explained, franchising is intended to complement the agency model and provide another route for the concept’s expansion. Both models are to operate in parallel.

This is an important distinction for anyone considering the offer. The announcement concerns a wider choice of ways to work with the operator, rather than plans to convert all existing outlets into franchises. Prospective partners should therefore discuss the terms of the specific model they are considering, rather than assume that the rules for running an agency outlet and a franchise are the same.

A brand rooted in travel retail and food service

1Minute Smacznego! launched in 2021 at Warsaw Central railway station as a concept developed in-house by Lagardère Travel Retail in Poland. It combines a convenience store with a food service offering. The partnership therefore involves both retail sales and running a food service operation.

In 2026, the brand opened at locations including Warsaw West railway station and the newly expanded commercial area at Warsaw Modlin Airport. These illustrate its expansion to date in locations serving travellers. However, these openings should not be treated as outlets launched by new franchisees: the announcement of the new partnership model does not identify them as such.

The concept is backed by a travel retail and food service operator. According to the offer, partners will gain access to its operational expertise and support infrastructure. For prospective franchisees, the key will be how that experience translates into the requirements of a particular outlet: its set-up, supplies and day-to-day operation. Examples of existing locations are no substitute for assessing the proposed investment site.

Monthly franchise fee set at 5% of net sales

The monthly franchise fee for 1Minute Smacznego! is 5% of net sales. The standard initial fee is PLN 20,000 excluding VAT, but the operator says it will waive this until March 2027. The temporary exemption therefore applies to a specific fee for joining the network, not to the entire cost of opening an outlet.

These two charges should be distinguished from the outset when assessing the offer. The initial fee is a one-off entry charge, while the monthly fee is linked to net sales. The ongoing fee is not calculated on the franchisee’s profit. This matters when preparing financial forecasts and assessing how much money will remain after operating costs have been covered.

Before deciding to join the network, prospective franchisees should request a full breakdown of the investment costs and the precise terms of the initial fee waiver. Calculations should separate opening costs from the funds needed to run the outlet on an ongoing basis. The promotional entry terms should be one factor in the assessment, not the sole reason for signing an agreement.

Training and support beyond opening day

Lagardère Travel Retail says that previous food service experience is not required. Preparing franchisees to run their outlets is to form part of the partnership. The announced package includes training, assistance with opening the outlet, marketing activities and HACCP food safety documentation.

Partners are also to receive access to suppliers and the commercial terms negotiated by the network. Support is not intended to end once the outlet opens: the operator promises ongoing operational assistance and advice throughout the partnership. During discussions, prospective franchisees should clarify the scope of training and how this support can be accessed in day-to-day operations.

Franchising is not new to Lagardère Travel Retail’s business in Poland. It has operated alongside the agency model at So Coffee since 2016, and was also made available to local Costa Coffee partners in 2025. 1Minute Smacznego! therefore joins the operator’s other brands expanding through this form of partnership. The company is also a member of the Polish Franchise Organisation.

Practical takeaway: interested entrepreneurs should start with a full outlet budget, the rules for calculating fees and the scope of support set out in the agreement. The waiver of the initial fee of PLN 20,000 excluding VAT should be considered alongside the costs of opening and running the outlet.