Business Transformation: The Success of VITAGRO Group in Wartime

The onset of war in Ukraine posed a challenge for many Ukrainian businesses, and VITAGRO Group was no exception. However, we did not stop; we only "took a breather" and continued to work and develop our areas of activity, even during the war. We successfully formed a business model focused on production diversification, and today we are among the TOP-10 agricultural businesses in Ukraine in terms of efficiency.

Serhiy Nechyporuk, Chief Operating Officer of VITAGRO Group, shared his vision of development during the war: “Our agricultural cluster is represented by four directions: crop production (approximately 80,000 hectares of land); pig farming and cattle breeding (120,000 pigs and 5,000 head of cattle); processing (development strategy adopted in 2021); distribution of plant protection products and micronutrients (before the war, we began building a chemical plant for the production of plant protection products and micronutrients). The war significantly changed many processes. It took us at least six months to achieve operational stability.”

For VITAGRO Group, business transformation means positive changes and new opportunities that arose under forced circumstances to the benefit of the company. We managed to open new production lines and enter European markets. In September 2023, we launched a plant for the production of plant protection products, and at the end of last year, we completed the construction of a biomethane plant, which we plan to launch in June-July 2024.

At the bioethanol plant, we plan to produce 25,000 tons of bioethanol per year and 25,000 tons of protein for feeding livestock and poultry. For this, we already have the necessary license that allows us to process corn into bioethanol. In April 2024, the group received a certificate that enables us to sell bioethanol on European markets and use the ISCC logo.

Another crucial project realized during the war was the expansion of the oilseed processing plant. We completed the construction of an extractor with a capacity of up to 600 tons of sunflower seeds per day, so we will soon launch the full operation of the plant.

Thanks to the chosen strategy of business diversification, the company can maneuver and remain resilient despite current challenges. We do not stand still or wait for better times; we constantly seek new markets, expand business directions, and make a significant contribution to the Ukrainian economy.