ORLEN has solidified its position as the number one fuel brand in the Czech Republic. As the year draws to a close, nearly 90% of the fuel stations that were previously operating under the Benzina brand in the Czech Republic are set to transition and operate under the ORLEN brand. This marks the culmination of a multi-year process aimed at implementing the ORLEN brand across this market. With a robust network of 436 fuel stations, ORLEN Group not only boasts the largest presence in the Czech Republic but also maintains a leadership role in the alternative fuel market.
Daniel Obajtek, the CEO of ORLEN, highlighted that the establishment of a multi-energy conglomerate enabled the company to dynamically expand internationally and drive the energy transformation throughout the entire region.
“Our ability to make further investments is greatly enhanced by the efficient synergy within a single company resulting from the merger with LOTOS and PGNiG. Today, we already possess the largest Central European network of fuel stations—following the acquisition of stations in Austria, foreign assets will constitute a remarkable 44% of our retail portfolio. We are consistently harmonizing our brand across international markets, ensuring that ORLEN is synonymous with a diverse range of top-quality services. This move not only unleashes marketing and operational synergies but also primes us for potential expansion into new territories. The Czech Republic, where we’re also at the forefront of alternative fuel development, serves as a prime example of how we aim to position the ORLEN brand,”
Obajtek has stressed.
The rebranding of the Czech Republic’s ORLEN Group fuel stations began in 2019 and is set to enter its final phase in the coming months. In the latter half of this year, the company plans to update logos across approximately 300 stations. Consequently, by the year’s end, 370 out of the 436 Czech fuel stations will be operating under the unified ORLEN brand. These stations don’t just offer traditional fuels but also provide an extensive array of alternative fuels, including electric and hydrogen vehicle charging stations. The initial two hydrogen stations are already operational in Barrandov (Prague’s district) and Litvínov, while electric charging points are available at 61 stations. This year will also witness the installation of high-speed 150 kW charging stations along major transit routes in the Czech Republic.
The brand unification across foreign markets extends to non-fuel retail as well. Since 2019, ORLEN has incorporated nearly 100 new ORLEN Stop.Cafe outlets in its network, which now encompass over 80% of the entire Czech network. These establishments play a pivotal role in diversifying the non-fuel retail format, a strategy that has also proven successful in Poland, Lithuania, and Slovakia. With the growth of the Czech network, further development of this format is also anticipated.
The rebranding process adheres to the market conditions of each respective country where the stations are located. All stations in Lithuania and Hungary, as well as almost all stations in Slovakia, already operate under the ORLEN brand. In countries like Germany, the ORLEN brand is already being applied wherever modernization or new station construction occurs. According to the set timeline, all ORLEN stations are expected to operate under the unified logo by 2030.
The ORLEN Group’s fuel stations are present in Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, and Slovakia. Soon, ORLEN will extend its presence to a seventh market: Austria, where it will finalize the acquisition of 266 fuel stations by year’s end.