Żabka’s Share Plan Delivered Right with Optio Incentives

Company overview

Żabka, founded in 1998 and headquartered in Poznań, is Poland’s leading convenience store chain with over 11,000 locations and more than 4,000 employees. Renowned for its innovative approach, Żabka serves millions of customers daily, offering quick shopping, ready meals, and a range of in-store services. The company continues to expand rapidly, having recently entered Romania under the Froo brand and pioneering new retail formats, such as unmanned Żabka Nano stores. In 2024, Newsweek ranked Żabka as the world’s 2nd most loved workplace, highlighting its strong employee engagement and workplace culture.

The Challenge

Building Trust in Launching the First-ever Share Plan by Providing Full Transparency to Its Participants 

While preparing for its IPO, Żabka faced a critical challenge: rolling out its first-ever share incentive plans as a public company. The program covers certain executive directors (including the CEO), members of the Management Committee, managers, and key employees of the Group selected based on the roles of such individuals within the Group and their influence on the Group’s results. The 2025-2027 plan included both Performance Share Units (PSUs) and Restricted Share Units (RSUs), adding significant pressure to already stretched HR and finance teams.  

The PSU structure introduced further complexity. Awards vested in thirds annually over three years, but some vested shares could be deferred for up to two years. Final delivery followed the approval of the 2027 financial statements, and deferred shares could be reduced to zero based on performance during the plan period.

Additional concerns included meeting regulatory requirements, keeping equity data accurate and audit-ready, and making these complex plans easy for the participants to understand. These combined pressures highlighted Żabka’s need for expert support and easy-to-use management tools to streamline the equity plan implementation alongside IPO preparations.

“Managing all these details at once is overwhelming,” said Pawel Brzóskowski, Żabka’s Group Head of Rewards. “The process takes much longer than expected, and new issues keep coming up.”

The Solution

Choosing a Scalable, Intuitive Platform with Strong Support 

 

Żabka chose Optio Incentives for its intuitive yet powerful platform. It was a first for both sides. Żabka launched its first share plan, and Optio gained its first client in Poland.

To create a more familiar experience for users, Optio’s interface was customized to reflect Żabka's branding. Additionally, the platform also fine-tuned its reporting feature to accommodate Żabka’s unique PSU structure, ensuring compliance with IFRS standards.

The rollout went smoothly with regular updates and clear communication between Optio and Żabka’s leadership. In addition, Optio’s system has been adapted to fit Żabka's existing processes, making it easier to manage grants while still permitting Żabka’s teams to use their preferred workflows.

Throughout the implementation, Optio provided fast support and clear guidance. This helped Żabka’s teams understand the new plan quickly and feel confident using it, which was very important during such a busy and high-stakes time for the company.

 

 

The Result

Smooth Execution, Fast Adoption, and Positive Feedback 

 

The impact was immediate. Żabka successfully launched a complex equity plan at the time of the IPO, earning strong feedback from employees and leadership.

 

• High Employee Understanding: Participants quickly grasped their PSU and RSU plans despite limited prior exposure to equity-based incentives.
• Streamlined Implementation: Close collaboration and clear communication made rollout efficient and well-coordinated.
• Improved Data Accuracy: Automated tracking and real-time reporting reduce the risk of errors in performance and payout calculations.

Working with Optio Incentives has significantly simplified the complexity of our equity plans. Their responsive team and user-friendly platform ensured smooth implementation, improving employee confidence and engagement.

Pawel Brzóskowski
Żabka’s Group Head of Rewards