This article follows the research focused on food service at AMIC ENERGY network. Unlike Ukrainians, Poles rely on cooperation with well-known brands.
The article was prepared by the NaftoRynok team. Read the original article by following the link.
The availability of fast-food services at stations is not only an opportunity to generate additional income but is also a must-have to keep the customer flow. Meaning, that the quality of coffee drinks, sandwiches, and hot dogs has a direct impact on the amount of fuel sold. As a current global trend indicates, the highest sales of petroleum products are at the stations with the best food service and related products. For a station business, there are two ways to deliver the service: to create a unique concept with a personal brand from scratch and develop it, or to collaborate with a well-known partner. AMIC ENERGY has both paradigms implemented: in Ukraine, it offers its own food service, while in Poland, it actively collaborates with well-established brands.
Preferences in Poland
In the first part of the article, NaftoRynok attentively examined the range of pre-made food available at Ukrainian AMIC ENERGY stations. The Polish network is focused on developing fast-food service in a slightly different way, considering the market's specifics and local tastes and preferences.
As stated at AMIC Polska, local cuisine is an essential part of the national culture, with certain habits serving as a part of a national identity.
"From the range of food products offered at gas stations throughout Poland, we see that Polish cuisine is still very popular. Traditional Polish dishes are served at most gas stations," said AMIC Polska.
What is traditional Polish cuisine?
The daily course of meals in Poland consists of several iconic treats prepared in strict accordance with well-established recipes. The day usually starts with sandwiches, known as 'kanapki', consumed for breakfast and as snacks throughout the day. For main courses, Poles love meatballs, pork cutlets, fried poultry, as well as soups including 'rosol', 'żurek' (white borscht), goulash soup, or 'flaki', as noted by the company.
'Knedliki' (dumplings) are also very popular. There are thousands of recipes, but primarily, it should include flour and water (sometimes with added eggs or boiled potatoes) with various fillings.
Poles also admire traditional sausages made from smoked meat seasoned with pepper and garlic. They can be eaten in a sandwich or separately. "Ideally, they are fried on an open fire or a grill during summer barbecues. The smell would guide you through the streets of Polish cities, as it is one of the most popular dishes sold in Poland," revealed AMIC ENERGY.
Globalization
However, new trends are gaining popularity and attention as well, and nowadays, the menus of Polish restaurants include sandwiches, hamburgers, bruschettas, and burritos. These dishes are becoming more and more popular as young Poles are open to new international experiences coming from abroad. For instance, vegetarian food is becoming a big deal. At the same time, as stated by AMIC Polska, the new generation prefers big brands such as McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Subway, etc. Currently, burgers, kebabs, and pizza dominate the fast-food market in Poland, as the company reports.
Franchising
To balance traditional Polish cuisine with new trends, AMIC Polska has established partnerships with several Western fast-food chains, primarily with Subway.
Currently, over 50% of AMIC ENERGY stations in Poland have Subway restaurants. As of October, 66 points were operating at stations, making the company the largest Subway franchise operator in Poland. Subway is one of the most popular global restaurant brands, selling signature sandwiches, wraps, and salads.
Following the successful collaboration with Subway, AMIC ENERGY in Poland decided to expand its cooperation with other iconic Western fast-food chains. To this point, by the end of 2022, SBARRO outlets appeared at the company's gas stations. "This is an American fast-food restaurant specializing in serving New York-style pizza," said at AMIC ENERGY, adding that the pizza is served both whole and sliced, and can be eaten on-site or taken away. SBARRO restaurants also offer delivery services. "Our pizzas are delivered via online services like Uber and Glovo," noted the company.
Pizza is available in three sizes: 30, 35, and 43 cm. The menu includes pepperoni, classic Margherita, Four Cheeses, etc. SBARRO's unique proposition is a so-called stuffed pizza. "A freshly prepared dough is stuffed with tasty ingredients such as juicy pork, pepperoni, 100% milk mozzarella, and crispy bacon," said at AMIC Polska.
However, pizza is not the only product offered by SBARRO. The menu includes strombolis with mozzarella wrapped in freshly made dough, served with various other ingredients. For instance, it may be stuffed with Italian cheese, cold cuts, or vegetables. This roll comes in with a dip sauce.
As disclosed by AMIC ENERGY, there are currently five SBARRO restaurants operating AMIC gas stations in Poland, making the company the only franchisee of this brand in the country.
Own Offering
At the company's gas stations, there are AMIC Market stores and Food Point cafés where customers can purchase hot dogs, sandwiches, baked sandwiches, burgers, salads, croissants, coffee, etc.
The most popular product available at all AMIC ENERGY gas stations in Poland is hot dogs. In this regard, the Polish market is not much different from Ukraine. Sandwiches made from baguettes are also very popular and are prepared on-site, along with what they call 'zapikanki' – a half-sliced baguette covered with cheese, white mushrooms, and other ingredients (chicken, salami, etc.), heated on-site and served to customers.
The range of hot dogs available is quite extensive, as shared by AMIC Polska. Apart from classic tastes, numerous other flavours change from season to season. For example, Mexican, juniper, onion and bacon, Italian hot dogs and more. "We launch new flavours every quarter," noted at the company.
Burgers are less popular and are currently available only at a few AMIC stations in Poland. The menu has three types of burgers: beef with cheddar and bacon, pork cutlet with fresh vegetables, and a vegetarian option with a vegan beetroot patty.
Cooking
Sausages, burgers, and buns are delivered to the gas stations frozen. "After defrosting, we heat the sausages on a roller grill – customers see the sausages on the grill and can choose a flavour. Then the bun is heated in a toaster for 60 seconds, and after adding sauce and placing the sausage in the bun, the hot dog is ready to go," explained the company.
Overall, the preparation time for a hot dog at AMIC ENERGY stations in Poland is about 3 minutes, while burgers take about 5 minutes to cook. This is close to the preparation time of the same products in Ukraine, which is 2 minutes and 3 minutes respectively.
The share of hot dogs and burgers in the takeaway food sales at Polish AMIC ENERGY gas stations exceeded 20% in all regions, as reported by the company. It was also highlighted that there was a particularly high demand for hot dogs during the summer vacation season and in the last quarter of the year.
The hot dog buns are produced by Lantmanen Unibake. They are manufactured at a plant in Poland. "We have one central supplier who distributes them to all stations in Poland," stated by AMIC Polska.
In contrast to the Ukrainian market, the company does not currently sell hot dogs in dark buns in Poland. "Dark buns were available on our menu for a short period of time, but most customers chose white, so we decided to discontinue production of dark buns," explained at AMIC Polska. At the same time, in Ukraine, it was mentioned that nearly every fourth customer purchases a hot dog with a dark bun.
The supply of sausages at Polish AMIC ENERGY stations comes from two manufacturers whose names were not disclosed. Poles prefer classic sausages. "In 2022, the majority of sales were for classic sausages, followed by juniper and Mexican hot dogs," revealed at AMIC Polska.
Loyalty Program
It's worth noting that within the AMIC Club loyalty program, the purchase of food products at gas stations is rewarded with bonus points that can be spent on buying products in an online store or exchanged for fuel vouchers or other goods.
Customers can pay for products at AMIC Polska gas stations with cash, a bank card, or using the BLIK system. BLIK is a Polish payment method where a customer enters a code on the cell phone and confirms the transaction with a PIN code in a bank app.
