Despite the challenges of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian pet food producer Kormotech has continued to operate, support humanitarian efforts for animals and expand its global presence. Today the company sells its products in 51 countries, while keeping its production firmly rooted in Ukraine.
Support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU) as part of its EU4Business Initiative has helped Kormotech strengthen its resilience, improve sustainability and accelerate its international growth – demonstrating how Ukrainian businesses can continue to innovate and compete globally even during wartime.
A family business built on quality
“Quality is the starting point for our work.”
This simple principle lies at the heart of Kormotech, one of Ukraine’s leading pet food producers.
The company’s story began not with pet food, but with yeast. In the early 1990s, Rostyslav Vovk’s father helped revitalise the Lviv Yeast Plant, dramatically expanding its production capacity.
When the yeast market later stagnated, the family saw an opportunity to diversify into a different industry – pet food. At the time it was still a niche sector, but one with strong long-term potential.
What followed became a true family enterprise.
“At a family dinner, my father entrusted me with the task of building the factory, sourcing raw materials and organising logistics,” Rostyslav Vovk recalls. “My sister Olena took care of marketing and sales and later supported my father in structuring the Enzym Group. I became CEO of Kormotech and have been running it ever since.”
Building the company was far from easy. Limited production capacity, difficulties in sourcing high-quality ingredients and the challenge of competing for shelf space all tested the young company. Winning the trust of consumers also required persistence.
Yet step by step, Kormotech established itself as a reliable producer and continued to grow.
Partnering with Europe for growth and innovation
Long before the war began, Kormotech had already started investing in resilience, innovation and international competitiveness – often with support from the EBRD and its donor partners, including the European Union through the EU4Business initiative.
An American expert introduced through the EBRD helped the company optimise production processes without major capital investments, significantly accelerating growth.
Later, with guidance from a Norwegian expert, Kormotech trained its own in-house nutritionists, reducing the cost of developing new recipes while improving product quality. This advisory support was also funded by the EU under the EU4Business Initiative.
Sustainability soon became another strategic priority. Kormotech installed solar panels capable of generating 1 MW of electricity, with plans to add another 800 kW. The company also began preparing to meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, while achieving cybersecurity certification – an important step for building international partnerships.
Financial support from the EBRD and the Japan-EBRD Cooperation Fund also helped the company expand beyond Ukraine by building its first pet food factory in Lithuania. During the Covid-19 pandemic, an EBRD working capital loan helped the company remain financially resilient.
At the same time, EU-supported grants provided through the EBRD’s FINTECC programme helped improve energy efficiency and reduce the company’s environmental footprint.
Today, a €40 million investment programme, supported by the Japan-EBRD Cooperation Fund, is helping Kormotech expand production in Lithuania, increase exports and strengthen its international team.
Responding to war: protecting people and pets
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Kormotech’s priorities changed overnight.
“By 11 a.m., we realised our first responsibility was to protect our people,” Rostyslav says.
The family converted their Lviv hotel into a shelter for employees and their families. Some staff members even stayed overnight in the office.
“We had up to 40 cats sleeping under desks, including animals from a nearby shelter,” he recalls.
The company quickly organised three crisis task forces: one responsible for maintaining operations in Ukraine, another focused on international business development and a third dedicated to humanitarian efforts.
The result was Save Pets of Ukraine, an initiative that delivered hundreds of tonnes of pet food to shelters and animal owners across the country. Kormotech later helped establish an international foundation that has raised more than US$7.5 million (€6.4 million) to support animal shelters and veterinary care in Ukraine.
Looking ahead: global ambitions
Despite the war, Kormotech’s ambitions remain firmly focused on the future.
“We aim to grow tenfold in export markets – from €30 million to €300 million, and eventually reach €500 million by 2029,” Rostyslav says.
Key markets include the Baltic states, Romania and Bulgaria, where the company aims to become one of the top three market players within five years.
While Kormotech continues to strengthen its international team and expand its presence abroad, its leadership remains committed to keeping production in Ukraine.
From its beginnings as a small family initiative to its current status as a global brand selling products in 51 countries, Kormotech’s journey has been driven by family values, innovation and a commitment to quality.
And that guiding principle remains unchanged: “Quality is the starting point for everything we do.”
