Ukraine, endowed with vast agricultural resources ideal for organic farming, has significant potential to become a key player in the global organic products market. The country is already among the top five largest exporters of organic products to the EU and exports its produce to more than 40 countries worldwide. At the same time, it meets the demands of discerning consumers on the domestic market amidst economic instability and war.-
For three consecutive years BrandStory in collaboration with the certification body Organic Standard has been conducting and publishing a ranking of the most well-known and recognised organic brands in Ukraine.
We express respect to our courageous producers who supply Ukrainians with products grown and crafted by high standards of organic production. The rating coefficient takes into account sales volumes on Ukraine's domestic market and brand recognition among consumers. This allows us to assert that the included companies are leaders in sales.
TOP-10 Organic Brands in Ukraine - Leaders of the Country:
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe brand Organic Milk has been successfully operating on the Ukrainian market for 10 years and is one of the leaders in industrial scale organic production. The well-known symbol of the brand, the "circle," which is featured on the product labelling, embodies two aspects: the name Organic Milk and the idea of a closed, continuous production cycle. Large land areas, own farms, the availability of suitable raw materials, and modern technology are just a few components of their successful formula.
Every day, around 30 tonnes of fresh milk are transformed into a variety of products, including milk, kefir, yoghurt, butter, sour cream, cheeses, and more. In 2022-2023, the producer added several types of kefir, butter, including lactose-free sweet cream butter, and new flavours of organic cheese with nuts, cumin, and more to their product lineup.
According to Olena Stretovych, Director of Organic Milk LLC, the company has faced several challenges due to the wartime situation. These challenges include a reduction in the number of target consumers due to population migration, closure of export markets in the Persian Gulf countries, and increased production costs, making it more challenging to raise prices due to reduced profit margins. However, the company maintains its economic resilience and is expanding its export potential to the EU countries, starting with Poland:
“We are expanding our export markets, particularly in Europe. Currently, we are continuing to establish and seek new connections with partners and distributors. We are in negotiations with potential partners in Italy”, stated Olena Stretovych, Director of Organic Milk LLC .-
In Poland, products from the Ukrainian brand Organic Milk can be found in such retail chains as ALDI, Allegro, Auchan, Detal, Hurt, Intermarche, Leclerc, Marko, Snack, and others.
In Ukraine, the brand is available in all specialised organic stores and major national supermarkets, including Goodwine, Winetime, Metro, Silpo, Auchan, Velyka Kyshenya, Fora, and others.-
* We would like to remind you that the company held a leading position in the ORGANIC'21 and ORGANIC'22 rankings.
Website: www.organic-milk.com.ua
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mIt is one of the largest organic farms in Ukraine, cultivating approximately 2,000 hectares of land. On these fertile lands along the renowned 45th parallel, the farm produces natural vegetables, fruits, grains, root crops such as sweet potatoes, and animal products. This farm is the only one in Ukraine that grows organic peaches and nectarines. Additionally, in 2023 they obtained status as an organic producer of honey.
The Danube Agrarian farm tirelessly develops organic animal husbandry and poultry farming, here they raise sheep, chickens, and ducks. The organic production of the farm is certified by Organic Standard.-
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Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mEven the challenging situation in the country has not hindered the company's development. Throughout 2022 and 2023, Danube Agrarian continuously worked on expanding its product range. New products have emerged, such as tomato juice, and new flavours of healthy snacks, including fruits in French chocolate.
Products under the Danube Agrarian brand are widely available in the Ukrainian supermarket chains such as Goodwine, WineTime, Silpo, Novus, Auchan, Velyka Kyshenya, and MegaMarket.-
They are also available in the retail stores in the European Union countries: Germany, Romania, and Poland. Additionally, their products are exported to Switzerland (LIDL stores), Canada, and the USA.
*The company has maintainedits second leading position in the ranking for the third consecutive year, as it did in the ORGANIC'21 and ORGANIC'22 rankings.
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe activities of the Staryi Porytsk farm span a broad spectrum of sectors, including agriculture, animal husbandry, and processing of dairy products. On this farm you can witness the successful implementation of cutting-edge methods in organic production. Cows are raised in free-range conditions and fed with carefully selected natural feeds grown on the farm.
“The uniqueness of our production lies in the fact that everything is managed within one location! We ensure and control the entire process, following the 'from field to shelf' approach, all with the same team, within the same community”, emphasises Valentyn Obshtyr, the owner of Staryi Porytsk.-
Their products can be found in many stores, including the Silpo retail chain and other local outlets. Furthermore, their products are available for order through online stores specialising in healthy food.-
The company has moved up one position compared to the previous ORGANIC'22 ranking, where it held the 4th position, and two position higher than in the ORGANIC'21 ranking, where it was in 5th place.
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The main production facilities are located in Kyiv region, an area that experienced prolonged hostilities. Therefore, the company had to temporarily suspend production for 40 days, but they resumed operations in April 2022.
Before the outbreak of full-scale war, the company exported to Vietnam, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Currently, the company is primarily focused on the domestic market.
Products under the ECOROD brand are widely available in all major national retail chains such as Silpo, MegaMarket, Good Wine, Auchan, Novus, and others.-
* The company has moved up two positions compared to the previous ORGANIC'22 ranking, where it held the 6th place, and five steps higher than in the ORGANIC'21 ranking, where it was in the 9th position.
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mIt is undoubtedly the largest producer of organic eggs in Ukraine. The farm is home to 24,000 laying hens and 20,000 chicks for further cultivation. The company uses its fields for free-range chicken roaming. To achieve the highest product quality, specially selected chick breeds from the Czech Republic, which perfectly meet the requirements of organic conditions, are imported.
The products are certified by Organic Standard. Certification body control ensures compliance with international standards, specifically that chickens can freely move in an open area covered with grass, where one chicken has 4 square metres, and are fed exclusively with organic feed.
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Organic products under the Organic Chicken brand are available in the national retail chains and specialised stores in Ukraine (Winetime, Goodwine, Metro, Silpo, Auchan, Velyka Kyshenya, Fora, MegaMarket), as well as online stores (Rozetka and others).-
Currently, the farm is focused on domestic customers and does not export.
*The company has significantly improved its position compared to the ORGANIC'21 ranking, where it was ranked 12th.
Website: www.organic-chicken.com.ua
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mSince 2014 the company has been producing certified organic products. They hold certification under the EU organic standards from Organic Standard and also BIO SUISSE standard, Switzerland. In addition, they have obtained HALAL and Kashrut certificates, confirming products compliance with specific dietary requirements.
Their range of organic products includes 59 items, encompassing various groats, flour, and cereals, including flour used for baby food products. The company also manufactures products for baby nutrition.
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mAccording to Yevhen Motsnyi, Commercial Director of Skvyrskyi Grain Processing Factory, the main challenges the manufacturer has faced during the war are related to logistical problems, trust from counterparties, specifically ensuring that the products would be made and delivered, as well as retaining their team:
You can find products under their brand in almost every EU country, in the retail chains such as Carrefour, Eurospar, Auchan (Poland), MixMarkt, and other local shops.
In Ukraine, their products are available in all the leading national supermarkets such as Silpo, MegaMarket, METRO, Auchan, Fozzy, Novus, and others, as well as in health food stores and organic shops.-
*The company's position has improved by one compared to the previous year's ranking, ORGANIC'22, where the brand held the seventh position. According to the results of the ORGANIC'21 ranking, the company occupied the third position.
Website: www.skviryanka.com.ua
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe diverse range of products offered by this producer includes fresh and frozen vegetables, greens, and fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, currants (black and red), apples, cherries, plums, sea buckthorn, aronia, asparagus, onions, leek, eggplants, zucchinis, pumpkins, radishes, tomatoes, fennel, cauliflower, and kohlrabi.
One of the main customers for the organic products of the Agro Starytsya farm is the Good Wine retail chain, which reflects the recognition of the quality and popularity of these organic products. The wide variety, naturalness, and compliance with high production standards make Agro Starytsya a true leader on the Ukrainian organic market, where quality always comes first.-
*The company has risen in comparison to the previous ORGANIC'22 ranking, where it held the 14th position.
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe company specialises in meat production exclusively from own raw materials and using original recipes. The main feature of their products is the combination of organic livestock raw materials and cutting-edge processing techniques.
Every stage of production and the products themselves undergo rigorous scrutiny by the certification body Organic Standard, ensuring the organic quality of the final products. The farm complies with both international and national requirements for organic production.
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Products carrying the Organic Meat brand can be found in specialised retail chains within Ukraine, as well as virtually in all the national retail chains (Goodwine, Metro, Silpo, Auchan, Velyka Kyshenya), and online stores.-
* The company has kept its position compared to the previous year, ORGANIC'22, where it also ranked eighth. In the ORGANIC'21 ranking, the company held sixth place.
Website: www.organic-meat.com.ua
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe company specialises in cultivating organic greenhouse vegetables, including cucumbers, cocktail tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. They were, in fact, among the first in the organic sector to establish stable supplies of fresh vegetables to supermarket chains for almost the entire year. The organic greenhouse cucumber season begins in February, while cherry tomatoes become available at the end of March. Thorough care and modern technologies enable the production of vegetables suitable even for children as young as 9 months old. Rainwater and melted snow are used for plant irrigation in the greenhouses. All aspects of production are subject to control and certification by Organic Standard under the international organic standards.
The full-scale war has significantly impacted the company's operations since the farm is located in Kharkiv region, just 30 km from the active combat zone. For a certain period the farm lost the markets of Kharkiv and Kyiv, including elite restaurants, food establishments, and store chains, due to fuel shortages and curfew restrictions, which hindered the uninterrupted delivery of products.
”We started selling our produce to local entrepreneurs while slightly reducing the price because, in this case, there were no logistics costs associated with delivery to Kyiv, for example. That's how we reconfigured our sales market towards local consumers”, notes Oleksandr Yasynskyi, Co-owner of Organic Greenhouse PE.
Over time the company has successfully streamlined its workforce, production, and logistics processes. The company operates its refrigerated truck, which consistently delivers products to distribution centres in Kyiv and Kharkiv twice a week. It also ensures additional deliveries to local stores twice a week.
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This year Organic Greenhouse PE plans to expand its area by an additional 0.5 hectares for greenhouses. This project had been planned long before the full-scale war began but had to be put on hold for a year.
The company's products are available in the organic stores and major Ukrainian retail chains such as Auchan, Silpo, and Novus, as well as local Kharkiv stores like Kharkiv, CLASS, Spar, Wintertime, and Good Wine. Additionally, you can order vegetables online with delivery available throughout Ukraine.-
* In comparison to the previous year when it held the 12th position in the ORGANIC'22 ranking, the company has climbed three positionsto its current 9th place.
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThis organic farm, spanning an area of 60 hectares, ranks among the world's largest farms focused exclusively on organic blueberry cultivation. The production complies with all organic farming standards and has been certified by Organic Standard since 2016.
The farm offers five varieties of blueberries. Harvesting takes place from late June to mid-September.
In 2021, the farm set the agricultural record, having grown the largest organic blueberry, which is included in the National Records Register (Chandler variety, weighing 9 g with 3.05 cm in diameter).
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe company focuses both on the domestic market and exports. Before the war its products were exported to Poland and Italy.
“After Poland had imposed an embargo on the import of agricultural products, including fresh blueberries, to the EU via the Polish border, our cooperative shifted its focus to domestic customers this year”, emphasises Oleksii Prokopchyk, Sales Manager of the Yahidky Agricultural Production Cooperative.
Although the Ukrainians do not often consume blueberries so far, there is rapidly growing demand for this product. Currently, the cooperative is actively engaged in processing this delectable berry. Thus, shortly, BigBlue has the opportunity to expand its product range of organic blueberries.
The BigBlue brand is available in the national retail chains such as Silpo, METRO, MegaMarket, WineTime, and Fora.-
*The company's position remained unchanged compared to the ORGANIC'22 ranking when it also held the 10th position. However, it has climbed three positions compared to ORGANIC'21 when the company occupied the 13th position.
Methodology for Ranking
The ranking of the most recognized organic brands was developed in several stages, and companies were evaluated based on the following criteria:
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe primary source of information was a study of the domestic organic market within the Ukrainian food sector in 2022. The organic operators’ sales volumes were assessed. These were primarily the organic operators certified by Organic Standard (considering that over 95% of organic operators that produce and distribute organic products in Ukraine are certified by Organic Standard, these data are considered to be representative.)
Results from 2023 were also taken into account, evaluating how companies performed this year. Due to the difficulties associated with the full-scale war, some operators were occupied, while others faced disruptions in production processes and supply chains. However, many companies were able to adapt quickly, change their marketing policies, and expand their product ranges.
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mFirstly, the presence and availability of products in the stores were considered. Marketing experts analysed how many and what retail stores have got products of organic brands. The broader the geographical coverage of stores and chains, the higher the brand's rating.
Secondly, the brand's popularity in the stores was taken into account. The popularity and demand for the brand's products among customers in the stores were assessed. This included sales levels, customer feedback, and other factors indicating the brand's distinctiveness from competitors.
Marketing experts evaluated this aspect based on the information provided by organic and farmer product stores, as well as producers.
Error: [31m The Parser function of type "excerp" is not defined. Define your custom parser functions as: [34mhttps://github.com/pavittarx/editorjs-html#extend-for-custom-blocks [0mThe evaluation was conducted based on the results of online monitoring. The quantity and quality of brand mentions in media and social media, overall activity, communication, as well as how well they informed consumers about current events and other details were taken into account. The activity of company pages in social media was also analysed, including the quality of content and interaction with the audience.
Transparency of companies and willingness to communicate were also considered in the evaluation of companies.
The material is available in Ukrainian
*This publication has been produced with the support of Switzerland within the Swiss-Ukrainian program "Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine" (QFTP), implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) in partnership with SAFOSO AG (Switzerland).
The responsibility for the content of this publication lies solely with the author(s). The point of view of the author(s) does not necessarily reflect the views of SECO, FiBL, SAFOSO AG.