Sales of non-fuel products and refreshments at ORLEN filling stations in the Czech Republic have been growing steadily, and revenue from the non-fuel segment has already matched revenue from fuel sales. ORLEN is therefore continuing to expand this segment. Starting May 18, it is gradually introducing new summer drinks at selected filling stations as part of the Stop Cafe refreshment concept and is also expanding its range of private-label products.
The new beverages were created using proprietary recipes developed at the Prague competence centre, which serves as the ORLEN Group’s development hub for the seven markets where the Group operates. It prepares new product concepts and enables their faster rollout across individual countries, taking local preferences into account.
“We have been seeing dynamic growth in the non-fuel products segment for a long time. Our goal is to fully leverage the potential we see in this segment and strengthen its importance across the entire ORLEN network. We are gradually expanding and innovating our offering, taking into account current trends and customer preferences. A year ago, we began managing the development of this segment for all seven European countries, where ORLEN Group operates, from Prague. I am pleased that we are successfully sharing experiences from individual markets, thanks to which we are very successful in this segment,” says Agnieszka Bobrukiewicz, a member of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group’s Board of Directors responsible for retail in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, and Executive Director for the non-fuel segment at the ORLEN Group.
This approach is also reflected in the development of the Czech ORLEN network. The expansion of the Stop Cafe offering is part of a long-term transformation of filling stations, which, in addition to selling fuel, are increasingly functioning as places for quick snacks, on-the-go shopping, and, most recently, electric vehicle charging. The development of electromobility complements ORLEN’s broader strategy of building its stations into multifunctional hubs for various customer needs. “The ORLEN network in the Czech Republic is also showing that customers today expect much more from filling stations than just high-quality fuel. This is one reason why revenue from the non-fuel segment at ORLEN filling stations has, for the first time, matched revenue from fuel sales. For us, this confirms that the development of services, refreshments, and other forms of mobility is the right direction,” says Rostislav Moravec, director of the ORLEN filling station network in the Czech Republic.
This year’s summer menu includes smoothies made from fresh orange juice with mango or pineapple and spinach, refreshing non-alcoholic lemonades - grapefruit, lemon, and Orange Spritz with the flavour of a popular summer drink - as well as iced coffees, specifically macadamia nut-flavoured frappé or grapefruit and rose espresso tonics. The beverages are available at selected ORLEN filling stations in the Czech Republic; a list of these stations is available on the orlen.cz website.
The company is also continuously introducing new products at summer events and festivals; this year’s first stop was the Elimon Fresh Festival in Pilsen, followed by Pardubice and Slavkov u Brna. Here, the ORLEN network is showcasing summer drinks alongside grab-and-go products - designed for consumption on the go or to take home for later preparation - as well as new items created in collaboration with chef Roman Staša. Visitors can also sample the new Stop Cafe sandwiches made in the Czech Republic, which will be added to the ORLEN network’s menu in June. The selection will include a ham and cheese sandwich, a rustic sandwich with pulled beef, or one with pastrami and truffle; additional varieties will be added gradually.
ORLEN – the international network of fuels, energy and refreshments
The ORLEN network of filling stations is a member of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group owned by the international ORLEN Group, which runs more than 3,500 fuel stations in seven Central European countries – Poland, Czechia, Germany, Lithuania, Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia. In Czechia, the ORLEN network comprises 443 stations with a 28.6% market share in the volume of fuels sold. The ORLEN network is a market leader in terms of both the number of sites and the volume of fuels sold. The popularity of the ORLEN brand with Czech consumers is reflected by the fact that the ORLEN network of filling stations has been awarded as the Most Trustworthy Brand in Czechia six times and as the Merchant of the Year three times.
At its stations, ORLEN offers premium Efecta fuel with a proven purifying effect and top-class Verva fuel that cares for the engine system and offers enhanced performance parameters. ORLEN sites also provide alternative fuels, including liquified petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG), synthetic fuel HVO100, and battery- and hydrogen-driven e-mobility. ORLEN offers electricity at 294 charging points and operates hydrogen refuelling stations in Prague- Barrandov and Litvínov-Záluží.
The Stop Cafe concept is a significant part of the offering, being a crucial pillar in ORLEN brand’s convenience sales. In the Czech Republic, Stop Cafe is available at 363 out of 443 filling stations, i.e., at more than 80% of them. It is offered at nearly 2,500 sites within the entire international network. Stop Cafe offers a broad range of meals and food products – from popular hotdogs and coffee to more than 1,000 products, including packaged food, ready-to-serve meals, and specialities in traditional, vegetarian, and vegan versions. The offer keeps developing – the ORLEN competence centre in Prague is working on new product ranges focused on a healthy lifestyle, including breakfasts, bakery products, ready-to-serve meals, and private brand products that will react to the current trends and customer needs.
ORLEN also issues its own fuel cards, EASY and BUSINESS, and runs two mobile apps – the loyalty ORLEN app and a car care app, Mycí digi linka.
Contact details:
Lada Gadas, +420 705 839 909, email: lada.gadas@orlenunipetrol.cz