In December 2023, the ORLEN Unipetrol Group started using only the ORLEN brand in its marketing and sponsoring activities. Change in communication is associated with the advanced rebranding stage in its network of filling stations in Czechia. This network, the largest fuel seller in the local market, has been named ORLEN Benzina since 2019. “Most of our filling stations in the local market have already been rebranded. Some 357 out of 434 outlets will bear the eagle logo at the end of this year. Logically enough, we will now focus only on supporting the ORLEN brand,” explained Zbigniew Leszczyński, a member of the board of directors of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group responsible for retail activities. He added: “The rebranding in the Czech market is part of the international unification of the ORLEN network that covers more than 3,000 service stations in seven European countries.”
The international ORLEN Group runs filling stations in Poland, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Slovakia, and Austria, starting next year. The Group implements gradual brand unification in all these markets in line with its strategy.
The brand unification in Czechia started in 2019 when the first stations with the dominant ORLEN brand emerged. The network’s designation also changed when a red-and-white eagle was added to the horse of the same colours, and the network got the combined name, ORLEN Benzina. The network continued its development under this name. It addressed the public at the filling stations, in media campaigns, and as a partner of significant cultural, sports, and social projects. During this time, the number of stations with the dominating position of the ORLEN logo continued to rise. This gradual transformation process further gained momentum this year.
“The time is ripe to accelerate and cap the entire process. The Czech public is sufficiently aware of the ORLEN Benzina brand, which is accepted by customers. Nine out of ten Czechs know it. In addition to the fact that almost 80 percent of the stations in our network already bear the ORLEN label, this is another signal that in the following period we can focus only on supporting the prevailing ORLEN brand,” said Zbigniew Leszczyński, and added: “In recent years, we have invested dozens of billions of korunas in modernising and developing the network and made it a Czech market leader. It offers premium fuels, a broad selection of refreshments and state-of-the-art services. This trend will further intensify under the new brand.”
The red and white filling station network has been popular with customers and has also been successful in many competitions, reflecting its positive perception by the general public and experts. In 2019, 2020, and 2022, the network was awarded Merchant of the Year and has been awarded six times as the Most Trustworthy Brand of the Year since 2017. Besides constantly expanding the offer of fuel and non-fuel products and increasing the quality of services, the ORLEN Group in the Czech Republic also supports a broad portfolio of sports, cultural, and social projects and personalities, including the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the multi-genre festival Colours of Ostrava, Most Racing Circuit, and the car racer Martin Prokop. The public also knows the ORLEN brand from the Formula 1 series, thanks to its partnership with the Scuderia Alpha Tauri team.
The network of ORLEN filling stations in the Czech Republic offers offers Efecta fuels with provable purifying effects and premium Verva fuels that care for the motor system and have maximally improved performance parameters. The portfolio also includes a broad selection of supplementary products, services, and refreshments under the Stop Cafe brand. Customers can also use EASY and BUSINESS refueling cards and two mobile applications – the loyalty ORLEN app and the car care app, Mycí digi linka. “Our strategy is to offer high-quality products and services. Customers appreciate our brand for being modern and innovative and with a broad, top-quality, yet affordable offer,” said Zbigniew Leszczyński, adding: “We are also readying for the future. We have the most comprehensive offer of alternative drives and energies of all competitors in the market, and we keep expanding it. Sixty-six outlets already have 267 e-charging points, and we are also building hydrogen infrastructure. We already run the first two hydrogen sites in Prague-Barrandov and Litvínov.”
The network of ORLEN filling stations has been part of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group, which has been owned by the international ORLEN Group since 2005. The ORLEN Group operates more than 3,000 outlets in seven countries, including Poland, Czechia, Germany, Lithuania, Hungary, and Slovakia. It has recently announced its plan to take over 266 Turmöl sites in Austria.
In a recent public opinion poll conducted by the IBRiS agency respondents were asked if they recognize ORLEN Benzina brand. More than 87 percent of them answered positive. They appreciate not only the offer of fuel and non-fuel products, but also the broad support of sports, cultural and social events. More than 63 percent of all respondents expressed their positive view of the activities of the international group ORLEN in the Czech Republic.
The network of ORLEN filling stations is part of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group, a member of the international ORLEN Group. It operates the largest chain of filling stations in the Czech Republic. In addition to Efecta fuels with a purifying effect, ORLEN offers top-quality Verva fuels that also provide maximum performance parameters. The ORLEN network of filling stations also offers alternative drives, including liquified petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG). ORLEN also has the largest network of charging points for electric vehicles. It operates two hydrogen filling stations in Prague-Barrandov and in Litvínov. ORLEN also offers a broad refreshment portfolio within its Stop Café concept. The network issues its EASY and BUSINESS fuel cards and offers customers two mobile applications – the ORLEN loyalty app and the car care application, Mycí digi linka. In total, ORLEN operates 434 petrol stations in the Czech Republic and has a market share of 25.7%. Consumer confidence was confirmed by the network of ORLEN filling stations being six times awarded the title of the Most Trusted Brand in the Czech Republic.