Travelers to the Adriatic asked for: iced coffee and mozzarella-tomato hot dogs are available

A unique pattern emerges in the traffic of MOL Fresh Corners, which play a key role in serving travelers to the Adriatic. In Croatia, non-alcoholic beverages saw a three- to four-fold increase in traffic compared to the rest of the year, but gastro consumption also tripled. In Slovenia, summer sales of gastronomic products increased by almost one and a half times compared to non-summer months, while the non-alcoholic category showed an almost three-fold increase, and gastro products showed an increase of more than twofold. The prime movers are two newly introduced product groups. In the coffee category, self-service coffee machines offer iced coffees in various flavors (cold flat white, latte, salted caramel latte) this year. Hungary is different: here, the majority still prefer to ask the staff for cold coffee drinks, among which the Toblerone iced latte plays the main role.

On the gastronomic front, the returning mozzarella-tomato flavor is the most popular among XXL hot dogs this year – this is the first dish that MOL has introduced in a coordinated manner in all its regional countries. However, our country stands out here too: while in the Czech Republic and Poland, the mozzarella-tomato XXL immediately jumped to the top, in Hungary, however, the Hungarian version remains the most sought-after.

Another spectacular change, also related to the summer, is the increase in ice cream sales (which is clearly visible, for example, in the popularity of the hot dog + soft drink + ice cream menus, which were also introduced as a novelty).

“Our goal is to provide customers with something they really need and value based on their consumption habits. The continuous expansion of services provided to travelers, people living and working near filling stations and Fresh Corners in general is closely aligned with MOL’s strategy, the central element of which is becoming a complex mobility service provider. We are pleased with the success of the new products, but we also pay close attention to the fact that expectations and tastes vary by market segment: the attraction of Hungarians to Hungarian flavors does not surprise anyone, but it was also new information for us that, for example, while in Croatia, espresso macchiato and cola are the favorites, in Slovenia, energy drinks and self-service coffee are the favorites, while these are countries with very similar geographical locations and cultures,” said Endre Styaszny, Head of Retail at MOL Hungary.

This year marks the anniversary of Fresh Corners: it has been exactly ten years since the first unit of what has now become one of the largest coffee chains in the region opened in Hungary. The secret to the success of the concept is not only its impressive growth, but also its ability to flexibly adapt to the different needs of each target market. The latter is supported by advanced, data-driven decision-making, including data from the MOL Move loyalty program, which provides accurate information, for example, on local coffee consumption patterns, facilitating ordering, stocking and better serving customers.