It is the largest network of retail stores in Poland. It counts over 7.000 branches and knows it every Pole. Zabki (Frogs), because they are so nice shops creating one network, began to appear in Poland until 1998. Their phenomenon is that a frog will meet almost everywhere, some are in close proximity. They have the same brand and a deployed equipment. Zabka stores are open from 6:00 to 23:00. This is the longest operative stores in Poland. Because the Poles love to drink alcohol and can not do without cigarettes, especially in toughness evenings, the main mission of Zabka stores is to provide customers with their beloved stimulants.

Zabka are also open every day. When a Polish government under the influence of the pressure of the trade unions of large retail chains has introduced a ban on trade on weekends and closed the centers and supermerkets. Zabka defended her position as a small one-person franchise staff. In this way, this is the only network of a trading network that carries out on Sunday and it is very salvific for those who have not had time or possibilities to make purchases earlier.

Another attribute of Zabka became extension of the range of services for quick snacks in the form of a roll with a warm hotdogs. There are also sandwiches and ready dishes that can be heated in a shop microwave. So far, such meals could only be purchased at gas stations. If you lack something you are going to Zabka. In Żabka, you can withdraw money just like from an ATM (cash machine). I miss only the possibilities of buying electricity in the Prepaid system but this is already a policy of the Polish government, which is held in a strong monopoly and afraid of losing control, hinders transaction progress in retail electric purchasing.

The network of Zabka shops repeatedly changed the owners. The initiator of the network was Mariusz Switalski, who started from 7 stores. After seven years of stores, it was already 1.700 (2005). In 2011, Mid Europa bought a Zabka from Penta Investments for approx. 400 million EUR, and in 2017 sold the CVC Capital Partners Fund for approx. 1 billion EUR. Within 6 years, the network value increases by 600 million, or 100 million EUR per year. This was the largest transaction of the retail network in Polish history.

A martekting incident as took place in 2008. At that time, a campaign was carried out under the slogan “Close up The Zabki”. The campaign was to consist of two editions, one based on the Hall “Close up The Zabki” and the second with information about the favorable balance sheet of the edes at the end of the year. According to the name is a closure of the year. But no one of this verbal game did not understand and Polish consumers came up with a dagger. They did not want a frog to cease to exist. The Polish Office for Consumer Protection and Competition (UOKiK) imposed a penalty of 1.5 million PLN (c. 375.000 USD) to the network for entering consumers. It was an undeniable dating of the loyalty of the Polish consumer. Jacek Spychala Press Director Zabka Poland did not guess with UOKiK’s allegations and never apologized to publicly clients. I wanted to get more information about this unsuccessful campaign but the Zabka Press Office treats it as a failure and ignores the query.

Not everything in Zabka is correct. Over 70% of stores are franchise that is, such renting stores. The Zabka commercial network carries out a wide campaign by offering a work on the network as part of your own business, that is, leading a shop of Zabka. The analysts of this business model show the risk of such activities with low income for the tenant. Problems are a lot and sociological research carried out Joanna Jurkiewicz by developing scientific material in the form of a book “Dekada Ajentow” 2016. The book was not released or in Poland or abroad. The reason was to intimidate Jurkiewicz with a court process. It was one year before the sale of the network.

The uncomfortable topic of Zabka franchise moved the journalist “Gazeta Wyborcza” Adrianna Rozwadowska in 2020. The CVC Capital owner of the commercial network Zabka, after the publication of the article threatened the journalist by court. The blackmail about defamation also concerned media that would imagine to quote publish. This is a very serious matter showing how corporations can influence journalists who want to write the truth. In the past, in Poland, the oppression was the security service, currently such a function perform Polish courts, independent and privileged, for which no one has the impacts beyond the persfusion of the corruption factor, i.e. a guidance law of the law protecting the largest capital, against which the entity has no chance of defense. The government towards such acts of violence is indifferent or gives full consent. I have already written repeatedly that the legal system in Poland is the worst evil of this country. It makes him a non-confident and very dangerous country for citizens.

When performing photos to the current publication, I have observed a few disturbing phenomena. To take pictures inside the store, get the consent of the central shopping chain Zabka. This is evidence that in fact franchise store is not his owner and has a limited decision field. Another thing is the fear of Zabka network management from the media and aggressive attitude that is stronger than building a friendly brand. What CVC Capital wants to hide? Is the fact that Zabka stores are driving force for alcoholism in Poland?

I do not think that profits and working conditions were unfavorable for all ajites and employees of Zabka stores. If this was the case, the network development would not be so dynamic. All the more worth paying attention to the mentality of which they show the Management Board in the CVC Capital Fund. Their approach to the problem of weaknesses of the network is difficult to understand. Marketing every failure, publicly glad to repair, you can convert in opinion successful tricks. Here, however, the low personnel ethics of people from the highest positions will be stronger. What will happen to the future when you are the richest and influence will they be the worst of people? (Brux)

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