Żabkotopia | Dominika Front

When we decided on the topic of this issue, I almost instantly had the concept for the lead in my head. Because what is white noise, really? Surely, a marvellous book by Don DeLillo (sadly no text about it here). But in the most basic meaning of the word, it refers to a random signal at equal intensity, especially one that obscures other sounds. You could hear this buzz from old television sets. Metaphorically speaking, one can also use this phrase to describe a meaningless or disturbing commotion, a nonsensical chatter, or a constant information supply in which details are occluded. Pondering briefly upon the facets of this definition, a thing came to my mind. A thing that can be found virtually everywhere, and that offers a multitude of options. The Żabka shops.

Żabka’s 11,000th store opened in Warsaw in December 2024. While the brand has been around for nearly 30 years, the real explosion in store numbers has taken place in just the past few years. The company has been aiming to open a thousand new stores annually – a goal they’ve largely managed to achieve so far. You’ve probably noticed it yourself – Żabka stores are everywhere. Sometimes they’re right across the street from each other, and new ones seem to appear out of thin air. The question is: do we need this many? And financially, can this model even be sustainable?

Surprisingly, it is. Clusters, a concept introduced first by Michael E. Porter in the 1990s, are centres that connect enterprises where competitors work together in order to gain profit. They nurture cooperation as well as competition. Hollywood and Silicon Valley are the best-known examples. Porter writes that “[c]ompared with market transactions among dispersed and random buyers and sellers, the proximity of companies and institutions in one location—and the repeated exchanges among them—fosters better coordination and trust”. At the same time, business rivals compete to attract and keep clients, thus enhancing business efficiency.

Initially, Porter’s concept involved the cooperation of businesses – everyone contributes and in turn makes a profit. However, why share the profit with other companies when you can have it all to yourself? This is exactly what Starbucks did in the 90s. As the company expanded throughout the U.S., it relied on the cluster strategy by opening numerous cafés in close proximity. The idea was simple: more locations meant greater convenience for customers, stronger brand presence, and built-in advertising – especially since Starbucks relied little on traditional marketing at the time. This approach fuelled the company’s rapid growth. Just like Starbucks, by clustering its shops, Żabka gains a decisive advantage: it prohibits other enterprises from starting and crushes competition. The key difference between Starbucks and Żabka? Ownership. Unlike Żabka, which operates on a franchise basis, Starbucks owns all its cafés. That means it never had to deal with frustrated franchisees losing their life savings when a location failed. Personal dramas aside, even though not every store thrives, generally, the company brings in money. Just a means to an end, right?

Żabka fills all the gaps it possibly can. Spatial clustering is just one example. This company started out as a convenience store chain but soon expanded the meaning of the word “convenience”. After rebranding in 2016, it started offering healthy snacks, coffee from a coffee machine, and nowfamous hot dogs and other warm foods. The company also owns Maczfit, a catering service that offers box diets. Moreover, they have their own delivery service, Jush, with an option to order online. You don’t even have to visit the nearest store (although you can be 100% positive it is very close), because the store will come to you! But Żabka offers a far broader scope of services than only foods and drinks. You can post and pick up parcels (DPD, DHL, Poczta Polska), deposit and withdraw money as well as pay the bills, have your shoes (!) and smartphone (!) fixed, buy a gift card, have your vehicle (e-scooter included) insured, and even get an online doctor consultation. Finally, in January, the company announced that it is considering the introduction of a transport service. Why get an Uber, go to the post office, and a shoemaker, when you can just use Żabka’s offer?

You might be wondering why this text opens an issue on white noise. As I mentioned earlier, white noise drowns out other sounds. In many ways, Żabka operates the same way – steadily creeping forward, saturating every corner, and suffocating other businesses in the process. In this issue, our authors invite you to discover the multitude of meanings behind the topic. Tune in. Let’s dive into the random buzz of white noise.