The Fozzy Group, together with Polish manager Maciej Hawroński, has established a joint company in Poland, IDKFA IDCLIP, with 90% ownership by Fozzy Holdings Limited and 10% by Hawroński. The company has become a Carrefour franchisee, as reported by the Polish publication Wiadomosci Handlowe.
The first store of the chain has already been opened in Poznań.
"While exploring the Polish market, we found that Polish retail experts were interested in the unique value proposition of 'Silpo.' We established excellent cooperation, for example, with Polish breweries, farmers, and chefs. Therefore, it was useful to share experiences and explore common growth opportunities," stated the press service of the retail chain to the Polish publication.
At the same time, the press service explained that many Ukrainians have sought refuge in EU countries, particularly Poland, and that when they return, their expectations regarding grocery stores might change. Therefore, Silpo needs to develop to offer the best service, regardless of the war.
According to Hawroński, the Ukrainian company in this project acts mainly as a financial investor, so this is not a full-fledged entry of Fozzy Group into the Polish market under its own brand.
Hawroński has extensive experience in retail, having worked for over 20 years at Jeronimo Martins, including at Biedronka (one of Poland's largest grocery chains). Since 2017, he has served as head of logistics and supply chain at Fozzy Group.
Fozzy Group is owned by Volodymyr Kostelman, who founded the company in 1997 in Kyiv. It currently operates the second-largest supermarket chain in Ukraine after "ATB-Market."
As of March 2023, "Silpo" expressed interest in the Polish market and was searching for locations for stores ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 square meters. Unofficially, the company is still considering opening its own Silpo stores in Poland and continues to search for optimal locations.
Fozzy Group is one of Ukraine's largest retailers, with over 690 stores nationwide. The company operates retail networks in various formats: Silpo supermarkets, wholesale hypermarkets Fozzy Cash&Carry, convenience stores Fora, discount stores Thrash!, pharmaceutical supermarkets Bila Romashka.
The Fozzy Group's business extends beyond retail. The group also operates restaurants (Boulangerie, Escobar, Positano, Who&Why Drinkery), agro-industrial enterprises (Nizhyn, Grinville, Snyatynska Ptitsia, Bohuslavna, Skadi), Vostok Bank, the Silpo Voyage travel agency network, Apollo Next fitness clubs, logistics operator UVK, and IT developer TemaBit.
