We visited three Dino Polska supermarkets

And here you can read our observations!

In the spirit of “since we’re here anyway,” last Saturday I visited three Dino Polska supermarkets in Poland. As an investor in Dino and with our upcoming analysis in mind, it seemed like a good opportunity to observe some stores. Below is a brief report for each store and what stood out to me.

1. Dino Polska - Chrzanów - 35.600 citizens

The first supermarket we visited was in Chrzanow, a medium-sized town where Dino is located on the very edge, a few kilometers from the center. It was a somewhat outdated Dino supermarket. As you can see, the letter 'O' is not aligned properly, and the building could use a coat of paint. There was a lot of traffic; cars arriving and then driving away. Once inside the supermarket, it was quiet. "Where did all that traffic go?" I wondered to myself. Of the people who came in, almost no one had a shopping cart. They used a basket or a bag they brought themselves. People came for a quick shop. One person paid for a bag of chicken legs picked up from the butcher. Another came for some flowers, some bread, and vegetables. This gave me the initial confirmation that people really come here for their daily needs. The employees were friendly and seemed to enjoy stocking the shelves.

2. Dino Polska - Żarki - 3.800 citizens

The next stop was Zarki, a village with just under 4,000 inhabitants. A small place, but Dino is profitable in villages with 2,500 residents within a two-kilometer range. Unlike the previous Dino, this one had neatly arranged solar panels on the roof. Once inside, I immediately had a flashback. I have never in my life seen two supermarkets so similar to each other. The bread section in the back left, the meat section in the back right, and the fruits and vegetables just in front of the meat section. From the previous Dino, I could find everything right away. Ideal! There were a few small differences in the assortment, and some shelves were placed differently. But the two stores were almost identical, both inside and out. At this store, many people chose to walk or bike to the store. Again, people made quick purchases and left the store quickly, just like in Chrzanow.

When we left the parking lot, turned left, and drove 30 meters further, I was surprised. ‘Biedronka’ was written on a large sign. This competitor had opened a new-looking building diagonally opposite Dino. I decided to take a look.

What I encountered was a similar concept to Dino, but twice the size in terms of area, three times the number of parking spots, seven cash registers instead of two, and a fresh meat section (30% of Biedronkas have this). Here, however, you saw many people with a shopping cart. People came here to do their weekly shopping, stayed longer in the store, and as a result, the store was much busier.

For me, this did not seem like pleasant shopping, as many (narrow) aisles were blocked.

In hindsight, I could have spotted the Biedronka store when I took this photo of an InPost parcel locker on Dino’s parking lot:

Here a picture of the fresh meat division at that particular Biedronka:

3. Dino Polska - Bobrek - 2.000 citizens

Again, identical to the other two. However, it looked a lot newer, and the bread section was slightly more extensive. The traffic was the same, a lot of people coming and going, although it seemed quiet inside the supermarket itself, except for the line at the meat department. There were as many as seven people waiting to be served at the meat counter. At the other two Dinos, that area was never empty either. There were always one or two customers. This seems to be a genuine reason for people to go to Dino.

What also stood out is that each Dino is located on a sort of main road of the village. Residents almost have to drive by it. This makes it the perfect supermarket to grab some food when you are returning from work or school.

Why people do groceries at Dino Polska

The reasons people shop at Dino are a combination of the following factors. Dino offers a full range of products, is the cheapest supermarket, and is close to residents. This makes Dino the perfect supermarket for a quick daily errand. Additionally, you can quickly get in and out, unlike what I experienced at Biedronka, where there were long lines and people blocked aisles (this might be coincidental, as I have only visited one Biedronka). For weekly groceries, Biedronka seems more suitable for some consumers to visit (provided they have a car). The reason for this is that they offer the most complete assortment, at a similarly competitive price.

We hope this information is beneficial for you as a (potential) investor in Dino Polska.

Here's one more photo of the fresh meat section at Dino Polska in Chrzanów. And coincidentally, here's someone with a shopping cart, whether it's empty or not. ;)