Żabka: 1,008 new shops in Poland in nine months

Żabka opened 1,008 shops in Poland in the first nine months of 2026, including 302 in the third quarter alone. Together with its outlets in Romania, the chain reached 13,405 locations. For those considering a franchise in Poland, the key takeaway is the scale of continued expansion: the domestic market accounted for the vast majority of new openings, while the group plans to reach around 16,000 shops by the end of 2028.

Poland remains the main market for new openings

According to figures presented alongside Żabka Group’s third-quarter results, the chain opened a total of 1,143 new shops between January and September 2026. Of these, 1,008 were in Poland and 135 in Romania. This means that almost nine in ten openings during the period were in the Polish market.

In the third quarter alone, 365 outlets opened: 302 in Poland and 63 in Romania. These figures show that, despite expansion abroad, Poland still accounts for most of the chain’s growth. Romania is, however, increasing its share of new openings: 63 of the 135 shops opened there since the start of the year launched in the third quarter.

At the end of the reporting period, the total number of shops stood at 13,405, up 10.8% year on year. This figure covers both countries, not just Polish outlets. The distinction matters when assessing the brand’s domestic reach and comparing its current scale with earlier reports on its expansion in Poland.

Two milestones and a target for 2028

Tomasz Suchański, head of Żabka Group and Chairman of its Board of Directors, announced in a statement that the chain had passed two milestones: 13,000 shops in Poland and 300 in Romania. He also noted that more than 1,400 outlets had opened over the previous 12 months, while the Romanian network had more than doubled in size.

The figure of more than 1,400 openings covers a full 12 months, whereas the total of 1,143 relates to the first nine months of 2026. They therefore measure different periods. Taken together, however, they show that opening more shops remains an important part of the group’s growth strategy.

The long-term plan is to reach around 16,000 outlets by the end of 2028. This is a target for the entire chain. It should not be interpreted as a commitment to that number of shops in Poland, nor as an indication of how many new outlets will open in each country. For entrepreneurs interested in a franchise, it primarily signals the brand’s intended direction of growth, rather than promising the availability of a particular location.

Revenue grows faster than like-for-like sales

Expansion was accompanied by stronger financial results. In the third quarter of 2026, Żabka Group’s revenue reached PLN 8.463 billion, compared with PLN 7.440 billion a year earlier — an increase of 13.8%. Net profit rose from PLN 463 million to PLN 528 million over the same period.

A separate measure is like-for-like sales, known as LfL. These rose by 3.5% in the third quarter and by 3.6% across the first three quarters. This measure should be analysed separately from total group revenue, as it tracks sales across a comparable base of shops rather than the scale of the expanding business as a whole.

For the first nine months, the group reported revenue of PLN 23.129 billion, adjusted EBITDA of PLN 3.392 billion and net profit of PLN 777 million. The adjusted net profit margin was 3.4%, an improvement of 0.6 percentage points year on year. These are group-level results, not figures for an individual shop’s profitability or its franchisee’s income.

What these figures mean for a prospective franchisee

For the franchise community, the pace of openings is an important indicator of the chain’s activity. It is not, however, a substitute for assessing a specific franchise offer. The number of new outlets, growth in group revenue and positive like-for-like sales growth describe different aspects of the business; none of these measures, on its own, indicates the financial outcome a prospective franchisee can expect.

Before deciding to join the chain, it is worth requesting a forecast for the proposed shop, the underlying sales assumptions and a full breakdown of the costs borne by the franchisee. When assessing a location, you should also ask about local competition and planned openings nearby. These are questions to discuss directly with the chain, rather than conclusions that can be drawn from quarterly results alone.

Practical takeaway: The opening of 1,008 shops in Poland confirms the substantial scale of Żabka’s expansion. Prospective franchisees should nevertheless base their decision on the contract terms and the financial viability of the individual shop, rather than the growth rate of the group as a whole.