The history of Żabka is not only the history of stores where daily shopping has been made for over 10 years now, it is also a part of history of Polish FMCG market. The business started in 1998. Żabka stores gained an immediate recognition of consumers and became places of everyday shopping for millions of Poles. Within 10 years of presence in the Polish market Żabka managed to construct an extensive network and achieved a stable position of the convenience format leader in Polish retail.

Between 1999 and 2000 the network expanded rapidly all around Poland at a rate of 400 new stores in only two year period. At the same time a new, present model of central supplies of goods from the Logistic Centre was introduced. A quick development of the network and its further growth demanded the change of legal status, including the central headquarters managing the network. In the 1st November 2000 Żabka Polska SA was established and entered into a contract with AIG New Europe Fund, which provided means for its further, speedy growth. At the same time, the company implemented SAP.

Between 2001 and 2005 the whole FMCG market in Poland developed dynamically. This also referred to Żabka network, increasing its range month by month. With the increasing number of stores, the introduction of the company business intelligence system in 2004 turned out to be a well-timed solution. Further changes took place in 2006 with the positioning of stores for their space and the number of stock items. At the time about 2500 stock items were already on the offer and additional services were rendered by the stores for the customers under the common name Zielone Okienko (the Green Window).

In 2007 the company ownership structure was altered. 100 per cent of Żabka Polska S.A. shares were acquired by a Czech Investment Fund Penta Investments. In the same year Żabka Polska S.A. became a member of Polska Organizacja Handlu i Dystrybucji (Polish Trade and Distribution Organisation). The year 2008 brought further innovations. In April the company finalised the implementation of IT operating system based on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server by Novell, enabling the introduction of card payment terminals in all Żabka stores. In the same month the company joined an elite group of Polska Konfedereacja Pracodawców Prywatnych (Polish Confederation of Private Employers) Lewiatan, thus acquiring a special status of a job-providing entity in Poland. Also in April the first Żabka store was opened in Prague, the Czech Republic. In September 2008 Żabka celebrated its tenth anniversary.