German company dm invests in Wroclaw. First drugstores, now innovative technologies

The German drugstore chain dm is investing and hiring in Wrocław. Why did you choose the capital of Lower Silesia, and what are you doing here?

Markus Trojansky: dm drugstores began operations in Poland in 2022, although preparations for entering the market started as early as 2021. From the very beginning, Wrocław was a natural choice for us, and today we refer to it as our “home base” in Poland. This is where we built our organizational foundations and from where we are expanding across the country.

The decision to locate our main structure in the capital of Lower Silesia was both strategic and highly practical. Proximity to the German border was particularly important in the initial phase of our operations, when we relied heavily on the experience of dm teams from the German market. The ability to collaborate quickly, directly, and efficiently exchange knowledge was crucial. In this respect, Wrocław proved to be the most effective logistical solution.

So location was the key factor?

Markus Trojansky: The city offers much more than just a convenient location. Wrocław is a strong academic center and one of the most dynamically developing cities in Poland, while Lower Silesia is among the fastest-growing economic regions in the country.

The city’s international character, openness to investors, and access to talented professionals,including those fluent in German, have created an environment in which we could build an engaged community of employees supporting dm’s development in Poland.

It’s well known that “dm-drogerie markt” is the biggest competitor of Rossmann on the German market. In Poland, this rivalry is just beginning, as Rossmann already has a strong position while dm is opening new stores. How is the “battle” for the Polish customer going?

Markus Trojansky: We approach the Polish market with full awareness of its maturity and high level of competition. We do not see other chains as rivals, but rather as participants in the same retail ecosystem—one in which the ultimate winner is the customer.

dm drugstores started their expansion across Poland from Wrocław. Where are you today?

Markus Trojansky: We entered 2026 with strong momentum, opening new locations and strengthening our presence on the Polish market. We debuted in Piła and opened our third stores in both Poznań and Łódź. We are now present in nearly all major cities across the country.

Currently, we operate 75 stores nationwide, which is a very solid result. In the coming years, we will continue to expand—both in major metropolitan areas and smaller towns, as well as in new regions.

Residents of Wrocław are increasingly seeing your brand in their neighborhoods. What are your plans—where will you open next?

Our first steps in Poland were, of course, taken in Wrocław. It was here, in the Galaktyka Retail Park on Ślężna Street, that we opened our very first dm store, marking the beginning of our expansion. In just four years, we have established seven locations in Wrocław, both in retail parks and shopping centers such as Galeria Dominikańska.

This shows how consistently we are developing our presence in a city that has been strategic for us from the start—and we certainly haven’t said our last word here.

How many people do you employ in Wrocław and in Poland overall?

Markus Trojansky: We are steadily growing our organization both in Wrocław and across Poland. Today, our team in Poland numbers nearly 700 employees. Just last year, we created around 250 new jobs, which reflects the scale and pace of our growth.

In Wrocław alone, the dm community—across both office and retail—already consists of around 180 people. This is a very important location for us, where operational, technological, and sales competencies come together.

Are you currently hiring?

Markus Trojansky: Yes, we are currently recruiting for dozens of positions across Poland. This includes roles in dm drugstores as well as in our dmTECH company. We are looking for sales staff, specialists, and experts in IT and administrative areas.

Importantly, we also allow so-called “open applications,” meaning anyone can proactively submit their candidacy, regardless of currently advertised positions.

dm drugstores are one thing—but the company has also opened its first international dmTECH branch in Wrocław. What does this mean for the city and your organization?

Kazimierz Dulas: Synergy across different areas is one of the key drivers of our business development. Wrocław already represents a unique point on the dm map. It is the first city outside our headquarters in Karlsruhe where more than one of our companies operates.

From the dmTECH perspective, this location is particularly important. We established our first international branch here due to the city’s potential and the strong competencies of Polish specialists. Another key factor was the launch and growth of dm drugstores in Poland, including physical stores, the mobile app, and e-commerce. We support each other and share a common goal.

What does dmTECH in Wrocław actually do? What kind of projects are developed here?

Kazimierz Dulas: In short, over 1,400 dmTECH employees are responsible for the complete technological infrastructure of the dm group across 14 European countries. This includes mobile and e-commerce solutions, logistics systems, business analytics, SAP, hardware, networking, and technologies supporting both business partners and employees.

In practice, dmTECH serves as a technological hub for the entire organization. Today, there is no area within dm that is not supported by technology. For example, invoice automation has saved our accounting department hundreds of working hours annually, allowing the team to focus on financial analysis instead of manual data entry.

Our philosophy is simple: technology should serve people, not the other way around. Every project starts with a question—what specific task can we make easier for employees or customers? Sometimes this means advanced AI solutions; other times, a simple script. What matters is delivering measurable improvements in everyday work.

Who are you looking for at dmTECH?

Kazimierz Dulas: We currently have more than 30 open positions and are continuously expanding our team in Wrocław. We are looking for specialists across various IT fields—most often developers, analysts, and data experts, but also consultants supporting the business side of technological development.

Since dmTECH delivers solutions for 14 European countries, working in Wrocław offers the opportunity to participate in projects on an international scale. At the same time, we strongly value our local presence and aim to grow our team by leveraging the potential of Wrocław and the expertise of professionals who live here or want to build their careers in the city.

What are dmTECH’s next plans for Wrocław and Poland?

Kazimierz Dulas: Wrocław is a strategic location for dmTECH as our first international branch. Beyond expanding our technology team, we are also investing heavily in education and building IT competencies in the region.

We collaborate with local universities, delivering over 200 hours of classes annually, and we run the University TECH Talents program, which helps young people enter the technology job market. Our experts are also involved in workshops, mentoring, and educational initiatives for students and young talent. So far, nearly 2,000 people have benefited from these programs.

We want dmTECH to be not only a workplace for IT specialists but also an important part of Wrocław’s technology ecosystem.