Global meal-kit and digital-native FMCG company HelloFresh is expanding its IT operations in Poland with a strong focus on AI and engineering capabilities. As part of this strategy, the company is choosing Warsaw rather than defaulting to traditional Western European tech hubs.

Assaf Ronen, who previously built technology centers for Microsoft and Amazon, is leading HelloFresh’s technology expansion in Poland. The company is preparing a significant investment in its Polish technology footprint and plans to hire around 100 highly experienced specialists in Warsaw by the end of the year, with further growth expected beyond that.

Why Poland and why Warsaw? What are the expectations for the new hub? This article explores these questions, with insights from Assaf Ronen, the executive leading the expansion.

About HelloFresh

Founded in Berlin in 2011, HelloFresh has grown into one of the world’s leading meal-kit and digital-native FMCG companies. It operates across 16 markets under eight brands, fulfilling roughly 850 million orders last year.

Shortly after its launch, the company began international expansion. Today, it combines logistics, technology, data, and personalization to optimize everything from supply chains and forecasting to customer experience and product recommendations.

HelloFresh has also undergone significant organizational growth. In 2019, it employed around 4,500 people. Five years later, this number increased to over 21,800. More recently, the headcount has adjusted to just over 18,000 globally.

Despite these shifts, technology remains at the core of the business. Across its three main tech hubs in Berlin, Toronto, and New York, HelloFresh employs approximately 1,100 technology professionals.

Building a Polish Hub for Technology and AI

HelloFresh entered Poland in 2025 through operations in Wrocław, where it initially built a small administrative team. The company employed only a handful of people locally. Since then, recruitment has accelerated, with more than 30 open positions currently advertised.

Now, the expansion is part of a broader transformation at HelloFresh, shifting its center of gravity from traditional food delivery toward a more technology-driven business model.

The company is evolving from a “foodtech” business into what it describes as a “techfood” company.

“Our goal is to permanently change the way people eat,” Assaf Ronen said. “Very few things have remained unchanged despite technological progress. One of them is that I prepare dinner much the same way my mother did. It is time to change that.”

The new Warsaw hub is expected to become a key part of HelloFresh’s global technology ecosystem.

The company expects to build teams across engineering, security, data, and development. The initial target remains approximately 100 hires by the end of the year, with longer-term ambitions for a much larger organization.

Polish Engineers as A Key Decision Factor

The decision to choose Poland was not driven by cost considerations or historical corporate presence in the country. They were not looking for the cheapest place in Europe, but for the place where they could find the best talent on scale.

Rather than relying on assumptions, Ronen consulted peers at global technology companies such as Google and others that have expanded engineering operations in Poland. Their feedback reinforced his conviction.

He also highlighted a broader shift in the global services landscape: Poland is moving away from being seen primarily as a low-cost outsourcing destination and toward a market defined by high-quality engineering output and complex technical delivery.

And he may not be far from the truth. Poland is home to more than 500,000 skilled engineers and one of the largest IT talent pools in Europe. Polish developers also consistently rank among the world’s top programmers in international coding competitions. In many ways, the country offers access to premium engineering talent without Silicon Valley-level costs.

What Skills Will HelloFresh Look for in Its Polish AI Hub?

According to Ronen, capability matters far more than cost, especially in the context of generative AI. He added that many routine tasks are already being automated or accelerated by AI, which is reshaping the profile of engineering teams.

“Simple tasks can now be delegated to AI agents. What we need are engineers who can design systems, coordinate AI-driven workflows, and build end-to-end solutions.”

The Warsaw hub will therefore focus primarily on senior engineers and technical leaders, rather than traditional outsourcing roles. Ronen also emphasized that HelloFresh is seeking long-term commitment rather than short-term contracting models.

There will also be room for young professionals, including those who are just entering the job market. However, they will need to focus on what matters in today’s environment. Success is becoming less about writing code line by line and more about knowing how to work with AI agents that can complete tasks faster and more efficiently.

Ultimately, the key requirement will be the ability to use AI-based tools effectively.

Poland and Warsaw Continue to Attract Global Technology Investments

HelloFresh is one of several international companies, like Klarna, Haptiq, and Toyota, that have recently expanded their technology presence in Poland. Over the past months, companies across many sectors have announced new offices, engineering centers, and digital hubs in Warsaw, Wrocław, Kraków, and other major Polish cities.

Warsaw in particular has become attractive for companies seeking access to highly skilled engineering talent, strong technical universities, competitive operating conditions, and a rapidly maturing startup ecosystem.

As global firms rethink where to build their next generation of technology teams, Poland is no longer viewed simply as a cost-efficient alternative but as a strategic European technology hub in its own right.

With HelloFresh now deepening its investment in AI and engineering capabilities in Warsaw, the company joins a growing list of global brands betting on Poland’s long-term technology potential.

Read More: www.xyz.pl