IC Though it currently has only a single location in Krakow, Pizzatopia, which specializes in customizable long-board pizzas served in under three minutes, is clearly designed for growth. The concept’s black-and-white brand identity is found on everything from the house beers to the wooden tables.
RESTAURANT CHAINS ARE BOOMING IN POLAND
When McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in Poland in 1992, only a year after the country fully transitioned from communism to democracy, more than 30,000 people showed up, a McDonald’s record at the time. When a combination Pizza Hut/KFC/Taco Bell opened in Poland a year later, the store was so popular that they ran out of food, and TV commercials were scrapped for fear of overwhelming the restaurant with even more customers, reported the New York Times. That voracious appetite, coupled with remarkably steady economic growth, has made Poland an attractive market for both international and homegrown restaurant chains. Burgers, pizza, tacos, pasta – it’s all widely available. More recently the third-wave coffee boom has hit Poland, with brands like Starbucks, Costa Coffee, and Caffe Nero competing with independent shops. While Poles may love burgers, pizza, and Frappuccinos, they still want to see their favorite foods and flavors. Menus are often meaty and rich, dumplings are common (anything from pierogi to gnocchi), and there is almost always a plentiful dessert section filled with plum cakes and apple tarts to satisfy the Polish sweet tooth. Some of the common Polish ingredients and dishes that show up again and again on menus include poppy seeds, rose jam, pickled or smoked fish, beets, stews, sauerkraut, and zapiekanka, a type of open-faced sub sandwich. It all gets washed down then with grzaniec, a hot, mulled beer or wine served in a traditional mug. We tested it with U.S. consumers in last year’s World Bites: Poland and a quarter or them said they would be likely to purchase it at a supermarket or restaurant. In fact, while Polish food may not yet be mainstream in the U.S., many of the meaty, cheesy, potato-filled concepts in this issue would be right at home on an American menu. In this month’s issue of International Concepts, we’re taking you to Poland to discover the unique ideas coming out of this booming market.
DATASSENTIAL’S INTERNATIONAL CONCEPTS: POLAND
WHY IT MATTERS When we covered Poland in World Bites last year, we asked, “What’s not to love?,” noting that the cuisine is full of meat, potatoes, cheese, cream, and pastries. It’s a hearty, filling cuisine that could inform your ideation process as you plan your products and menus for next fall and winter (consider mulled beer, which is ubiquitous in Poland). Inspiration can also be taken from the country’s chain restaurants – the relatively young industry, coupled with Poland’s love of restaurant chains, means there is a wide variety of modern brands, from QSRs to upscale casual restaurants. It’s no wonder that McDonald’s is using the country as an incubator for its future initiatives (more on page 27). Whether it’s pizza, pierogi, or pączki, both old and new menu and product concepts are covered in this issue.
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