Żabka Nano, Warsaw, Poland
Company overview
Żabka Group is a ultimate convenience ecosystem in Poland, designed to make people’s life easier. We support consumers throughout the day by offering convenient grocery shopping, hot meal on the go, parcel services, cash withdrawals, and dietary catering with delivery. Żabka is one of the most recognizable brands in Poland, serving over 4.2 million transactions daily.
The Group operates through three main business units: Żabka Polska, Żabka Future, and Żabka International, supported by strategic leadership and corporate functions. Żabka Polska manages retail operations, including the development of the convenience store network and nationwide logistics. Żabka Future focuses on building a digital convenience ecosystem and advancing technology across the Group. Żabka International is responsible for entering new markets and executing the company’s international expansion strategy.
With more than 12,500 physical stores, door-to-door delivery services, and advanced digital solutions, Żabka ensures that products and services are always accessible, convenient, and available on demand. Our Żappka mobile app has over 10.2 million users.
Together with 10,000 franchisees, Żabka has been supporting the Polish economy and local communities since 1998. Today, Żabka Group is recognized as one of the most dynamically growing organizations in Europe.
Set the Scene
This entry presents three innovations that are transforming convenience retail: Żabka Nano technology Robbie Chief initiated in 2022, and the Retail Media Network (Żabka ADS).
Nano technology introduces autonomous convenience locations designed for fast, seamless shopping. Firstly implemented in the Żabka Nano format, it enables fast and simple shopping and allows stores to operate in specialistic locations such as offices, hospitals, or campuses.
The Żabka Future Program launched in 2022 set the strategic direction for a data-driven and automated customer experience. From this initiative emerged Robbie Chief, a robotic food preparation system designed to operate both in autonomous Żabka Nano stores and in traditional Żabka locations, improving efficiency, availability, and consistency of hot food service.
At the same time, Żabka launched Żabka ADS, one of Poland’s largest retail media networks, enabling real-time, targeted communication with customers in more than 6,000 screens.
Together, these innovations create an integrated smart retail ecosystem built on autonomy, robotics, and data-driven technology.
Innovation Overview
Żabka Nano is an innovative retail concept redefining the customer experience. The first stores opened in June 2021 in Poznań, and today, with around 50 locations, Żabka operates the largest network of autonomous stores in Europe. Nano stores are located in office buildings, university campuses, dormitories, logistics centers, and city centers. These unmanned stores operate 24/7, allowing customers to enter, take products, and leave while payment is processed automatically.
Żabka introduced Robbie Chief—a robotic hot dog preparation system designed for both autonomous Żabka Nano stores and traditional Żabka locations. Robbie Chief autonomously prepares and serves hot dogs with consistent quality and hygiene, enabling hot food availability even without staff while improving efficiency in traditional stores.
At the same time, Żabka launched Żabka Ads, one of Poland’s largest retail media networks, enabling targeted digital communication with millions of customers across thousands of stores.
Using digital screens and anonymised sales data, brands can run both national and local campaigns and measure their impact on purchases.
Together, Żabka Nano, Robbie Chief, and Żabka Ads create an integrated retail ecosystem powered by autonomy, robotics, and data-driven media, redefining convenience retail.
Challenge & Opportunity
Żabka Nano addressed several connected challenges in convenience retail. Żabka Nano enables stores to operate in locations where traditional formats are not feasible, while the autonomous model removes the need for on-site staff.
At the same time, customers expected warm, ready-to-eat food in both autonomous and traditional stores. In Nano locations this was impossible without staff, while in traditional stores manual preparation increased workload and caused inconsistent quality. This led to the development of Robbie Chief, a robotic system that prepares hot dogs autonomously in Nano concept store and improves efficiency and consistency in traditional ones.
In parallel, Żabka Ads solved the challenge of limited in-store communication by introducing digital screens that enable real-time, targeted messaging at the point of purchase, supporting better customer engagement and purchasing decisions.
Partnerships & Ecosystem Collaboration
To make this innovation possible, Żabka partnered with multiple technology providers and specialized organizations. The autonomous Żabka Nano concept was built from scratch, with AiFi providing the core computer vision technology enabling staff-free shopping. Additional partners supported store construction, AI installations, and voice communication systems. The store entry system was developed with NANOVO, while ADYEN implemented the payment solution, creating a seamless autonomous shopping process.
Robbie Chief was developed within the Żabka Future ecosystem through collaboration between robotics engineers, food technologists, UX designers, and data specialists. Technology partners (Velox Alfa) contributed robotics, heating systems, motion control, safety features, and IoT diagnostics, ensuring integration with both autonomous and traditional store operations.
For Żabka Ads, Żabka partnered NANOVO with a hardware provider for in-store screens and a technology company that built the advertising platform. Within one year, 6,000 screens were installed, enabling remote campaign management, targeted communication, and campaign performance reporting.
Setup & Early Experiments
Robbie Chief development started in 2022, where customer insights, rapid prototyping, and concept testing shaped the initial solutions. Early prototypes of Robbie Chief were tested in controlled environments to validate preparation speed, hygiene perception, transparency, and ease of use.
Żabka Nano stores became the first real testing environment, enabling validation of fully autonomous operation, IoT telemetry, and remote diagnostics. Tests focused on heating cycles, mechanical precision, and product consistency.
The Żabka Nano concept itself evolved through several store formats and system iterations, refining entry, payment, and operations over two years before becoming ready for rollout.
At the same time, Żabka Ads was developed using an Agile approach, gradually expanding functionality to enable scalable digital campaigns, remote management, and performance reporting across the network.
Digital & Data Enablement
Technology and data are at the core of Zabka’s innovation ecosystem, enabling the implementation of autonomous retail, robotic foodservice, and data-driven media.
In Żabka Nano, computer vision technology from AiFi analyses in-store video streams to identify products picked up by customers. Each visit generates data used to verify entry, process payments, and automatically issue digital receipts. Data also powers operational tools such as replenishment recommendation systems, which analyse sales patterns to optimize daily product orders.
Robbie Chief is fully connected through IoT, enabling remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, ingredient monitoring, and automated alerts. This improves reliability and allows centralized monitoring in autonomous stores while supporting forecasting and operational planning in traditional locations.
In Żabka Ads, data enables precise campaign measurement. By combining sales data with digital media management, the platform evaluates campaign effectiveness, measures impact on purchases and calculates return on investment.
Together, computer vision, IoT telemetry, and analytics enable operational efficiency, scalable automation, and measurable commercial outcomes.
Scaling the Innovation
Scaling the innovation followed a test–learn–expand approach.
For Żabka Nano, a dedicated internal team and external partners developed and tested multiple store concepts and prototypes. After launching the first store, additional locations formed a test group, generating operational data and customer insights. Continuous improvements were made to store design, assortment, entry systems, and payments. After two years of testing and refinement, the concept became stable and ready for large-scale rollout.
Robbie Chief was deployed first in Nano store to validate full autonomy, remote monitoring and 24/7 availability. It was then introduced to traditional store, refining staff workflow, cleaning processes, and operational KPIs.
For Żabka Ads, testing focused on optimal screen placement and advertising content. Trials evaluated visibility, campaign formats, and impact on sales. These insights helped define a scalable model for nationwide deployment across stores.
Operational Transformation
Żabka Nano introduced a new type of autonomous store with different processes, operational models, and dedicated IT systems. A specialized team was created to develop and manage this format. At the same time, many AI and IoT solutions developed for Nano are being adapted to traditional Żabka stores, improving operational efficiency and store management across the network.
Robbie Chief optimised foodservice operations. In Nano stores, it enables fully autonomous preparation of hot dogs, supporting 24/7 availability without staff. In traditional store, it reduces manual workload, improves service speed during peak hours, and ensures consistent product quality while standardizing hygiene and safety processes.
Żabka Ads revolutionized in-store communication by enhancing printed posters with digital screens. This allows dynamic, data-driven campaigns integrated with the mobile app and adjusted in real time based on factors such as time of day, weather, or local events—creating a more engaging and flexible customer communication system.
Setbacks & Pivots
The development of Żabka Nano helped us understand how customers adapt to autonomous shopping and the importance of balancing customer expectations with technological capabilities. Through continuous improvements, we established standards that customers accepted and trusted.
During the development of Robbie Chief, early challenges led to key improvements. Heating calibration and mechanical handling required redesign, while autonomous operation revealed the need for stronger remote monitoring and error-recovery systems. In traditional stores, cleaning routines were refined to better fit staff workflows. Customer feedback also showed that visible preparation increased trust, leading to clearer interfaces and greater transparency.
Through Żabka Ads, we learned how screen placement affects customer engagement. These insights allowed us to define optimal locations for digital displays and establish effective standards for in-store digital communication, supporting further expansion across the network.
Impact & Results
After a period of intensive development of the Żabka Nano project, we are currently focusing primarily on opening autonomous stores in specialistic locations. This is a well-considered business decision that allows us to better respond to the real needs of our customers. Stores are now opened in locations carefully matched to specific environments and customer segments, improving performance and scalability. Standardized operational processes were also developed to support efficient management and consistent customer experience in autonomous stores.
Robbie Chief delivered measurable benefits across customer experience, operations, and commercial results. Customers benefit from faster service, consistent product quality, improved hygiene perception, and 24/7 availability in Nano stores. Operationally, the solution reduces manual food preparation, improves service speed during peak hours, lowers error risk, and enables predictive maintenance to minimize downtime. Commercially, it increased hot-dog sales and improved profitability through labour optimisation and reduced waste.
The implementation of Żabka Ads also delivered clear financial and operational outcomes. Digital screens enhanced printed posters, reducing distribution costs while enabling dynamic campaign management. At the same time, the platform created a new revenue stream via retail media advertising for brands.
Scalability & Future Potential
Żabka Nano chain is is entering its next phase of expansion with new locations planned in factories, office complexes, and campuses where 24/7 autonomous access is most valuable. Technologies developed for Nano are also being adapted to traditional Żabka stores, improving efficiency through
AI and automation. Hybrid stores—staffed during the day and autonomous at night—extend opening hours and operational flexibility.
Robbie Chief forms the foundation of Zabka’s robotic foodservice platform, creating an wow experience to clients around innovation and AI-driven world.
At the same time, Żabka Ads will expand to more, creating a fully digital communication platform enabling real-time campaigns, personalized messaging, and data-driven retail marketing across the network.
