Spring echelon: Ukrainian retailers which entered the EU markets in the spring of 2023

Ukrainian retailers keep actively entering the markets of Poland and other European states. In spring 2023 only, Poland welcomed local branches of Dnipro-M, brabrabra, Gorgany, Bilyi Nalyv, Katsurina, etc. The RAU got into the details of the spring expansion and plans of the companies for further development at the markets of the European Union.

Wroclaw Dnipro-M store

On April 12, the first Dnipro-M Ukrainian electric tool chain store was open in Poland. This is the first international branch of the company. The venue is now working at 34 Kazimierz Pułaski Street in Wroclaw. In the two-storey building, the clients are offered a range of electric tools, a test zone, and a lounge area.

The Dnipro-M representatives state that by the end of 2023, 120 stores will be open in different countries of the European Union, plus an online shop. The opening of network venues is already announced in Czech Prague, Lithuanian Vilnius, Czech Brno, and the capital of Poland. In Ukraine, this monobrand electric tool and garden machine network has more than 470 venues in 220 cities.

brabrabra in Poland

Ukrainian comfortable lingerie brand entitled brabrabra entered the Polish market. Currently, the lingerie and home fashion items by this brand can be purchased online with the delivery within Poland and to other European states. Opening of the first offline store in Warsaw is soon to come. “Almost 80 % of women do not know their real bra size mistakenly referring to the first, the second, and so on. Hence, we decided something should be done about it, and that women in Europe also deserve comfort. In addition, Ukrainians would be able to purchase comfortable lingerie outside Ukraine in a convenient way,” the brabrabra team explained.

The services clients of brabrabra got accustomed to in Ukraine are now available in Poland, including online bra-fitting, comfortable waist index, care service (consulting in a messenger of a client’s choice), outlet, and special offers. The delivery is free of charge if the purchase price exceeds 100 zloty.

Multi Cook by Halia Baluvana in Poland and 20 other EU countries

Halia Baluvana is a Lutsk-based semifinished food chain with over 700 trade venues all over Ukraine. According to AIN, only 13 of them are brand-owned, and the others have been opened under franchising contracts over the last three years. What concerns the European market, Volodymyr Matviichuk, co-founder of the network, launched a Multi Cook franchise. The first international venue was open on January 27, 2023, in Polish Krakow, at 15 Lubostron Street. In four months, stores with the area of up to 100 square meters were open in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Moldova, Lithuania, Germany, the UK, Spain, France, and others. 

Frozen semifinished food, such as varenyky and holubtsi, as well as sauces, confectionery, ice cream, and other dishes are cooked directly in stores. As the franchise is rather affordable (EUR 4,000), Multi Cook is expected to open up to 300 venues in Europe by the end of 2023.

Gorgany in Bucharest

In April, the Ukrainian sports gear network Gorgany specializing in mountain hiking gear announced its entry to the Romanian market. At the website, the retailer indicated it was preparing to open the first online and offline store in Bucharest, accompanied by job vacancies. The brand’s trade venue is situated at 35 Ion C. Brătianu Blvd. The Gorgany chain was founded in Lviv in 2005, now with a total of 12 stores – two each in Kyiv and Lviv, and one each in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, Rivne, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Odesa, and Bukovel. The company is an exclusive agents of world-known brands, such as Osprey, Salewa, and Dynafit. It also owns the Turbat Ukrainian brand.

Bilyi Nalyv bar in Wroclaw

On April 20, in Wroclaw at 44 Rynok Sq., the first Bilyi Nalyv cider bar in Poland was open. The brand is owned by Dmytro Borysov. At the Polish market, it is traded as Biały Nalew. Nearby, the Piana Vyshnia bar by Lviv-based ! Fest Holding of Emotions is situated. The first Biały Nalew venue has 60 seats and two tiers: there are floor-to-ceiling windows on the first floor, and a party ground in the basement. The traditional interior design includes chandeliers made of glasses, paintings by Iryna Pysanko, Ukrainian artist, neon signs, and a lot of live greenery. In Biały Nalew, you can order cider, apple liqueur (17.5 % of alcohol), oysters, and hot dogs.

The venue is franchise-based, and the owners are also Ukrainians. It became the first brand’s restaurant abroad, yet within a year, the network plans to extend its presence in Poland and open new restaurants in Germany and the Czech Republic. Bilyi Nalyv in Ukraine is represented by 29 venues in 15 cities. The first bar was open on Khreshchatyk Street in Kyiv in 2018.

Katsurina Warsaw showroom

Co-founder of the Katsurina brand, Daria Katsurina, opened a female brand studio showroom in downtown Warsaw. The trade venue is located at 11 Ordynacka Street. Currently, apart from the flagman brand, Dasha Katsurina Studio & Showroom offers the fashion items by Gunia Project, Triptych, and Meraki Objects. “This is a place where you can feel the young stylish Ukrainian heart. This is where you feel safe, can have a rest, drink a cup of coffee, and talk to the like-minded. It is free from any bias. We spread the conscious Ukrainian culture and fashion throughout the world. We strive to become the ambassadors of Ukrainian esthetics,” the designer states in her Instagram post noting that the space was created by a small team of women and for women.

Oma Gourmet in Wien

The first Ukrainian cuisine place called Oma Gourmet opened in the capital of Austria. The venue is located at a large bazaar called Naschmarkt operating for several centuries, now a hub for dozens of stores and restaurants. The motto of Oma Gourmet is “As tasty as at home”: at this Ukrainian cuisine place, you can both order to go and eat indoors. Clients can order popular Ukrainian dishes: meatballs, syrnyky, pies, waffle custard wraps, and salads like herring and beetroot. In addition, the place offers cheeses made of in-house organic milk.

Bob Snail in Warsaw

The first brand store of Ukrainian natural confectionery called Bob Snail is open in the Polish capital. The company announced the news on its Facebook page. Now you can buy the brand’s products in a store at 12 Wołoska Street in Westfield Mokotów mall. “We offer the widest range of sweet goodies, from fruit rolls to chocolate sweets and smoothies,” the store’s page informs.