Chorten

Chorten is a Polish group of independent grocery stores operating on a soft franchise, or partnership, model. Independent shopkeepers join a large buying group to gain the purchasing power of a national chain while keeping their own store name, their own pricing and full operational control. Unlike a rigid chain, you are not forced into a single visual identity, a fixed assortment or supplier exclusivity – the agreement is built around support and group leverage rather than top-down control.

Head office brings you a portfolio of hundreds of pre-negotiated supplier and distributor agreements, national and regional, that unlock purchase terms unavailable to a standalone shop, high retroactive volume bonuses and favourable payment terms. You get a dedicated regional coordinator, marketing support (leaflets in which partner stores have a real say over the assortment, media advertising, billboards, loyalty programs), a shared IT platform for ordering, bonus tracking and contract access, help opening or rebranding a store including investment in signage, staff training and a private-label premium line for differentiation. As the operator you run the shop day to day – staffing, local pricing, choosing which suppliers to buy from, stock, store standards and customer service.