While Ukrainian manufacturers are trying to survive and work in the conditions of a declining economy, European companies are taking advantage of this situation and trying to take market shares by dumping.
At a time when Ukraine is desperately defending itself against Russian aggression, some European companies are tearing the country apart from the inside. Taking advantage of the difficult economic situation, international giants producing food products are trying to increase their market share or even monopolize the industry, forcing the existing Ukrainian companies to leave. As they say, nothing personal, just business. And all would be fine, but these same companies also work… in Russia. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, most of them have not officially condemned the aggression of the Russian Federation with a single word – neither in social networks, nor in official appeals. Who are they?
“What should be done? Everything is simple. The first thing is to forever remember these names, which have become synonymous with evil. It is these companies that are now sitting with pleasure in Russia, paying taxes, delivering food products there and simply rejoicing that for this money the Russians brutally are bombing our cities and killing our people,” says Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the President’s Office.
Let’s take a closer look at the companies that stay in Russia and pay taxes, and therefore finance the war against Ukraine.
CHOCOLATE THAT KILLS WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Every Ukrainian child and mother knows these names well – Milka, Alpen Gold, “Barney”, Nesquik and KitKat… But these chocolate kings continue to supply treats to Russian children as well. Yes, the Swiss from Nestle continue to supply chocolates to the Russians while they are shelling Ukraine. The company has 7 factories in Russia for the production of various products, including baby food, confectionery, coffee, semi-finished products for quick cooking, as well as animal food. They are not going to stop their business in the Russian Federation and assure that they will supply their baby and hospital food and will not receive any profits.
This was even commented on by the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, on his page, that to conduct one’s activities in Russia is to finance the killing of defenseless children and women. The adviser to the head of the President’s Office also echoed him.
“You eat this bloody chocolate so that the Russians will be happy to kill these Ukrainian children,” Mykhailo Podolyak sarcastically suggests a slogan for advertising such collaborationist companies.
BUNS FOR THE VICTORY OF RUSSIA
Dry yeast “Saf-Moment” is known by every household that bakes buns for the same Ukrainian children. And they are made by the French company Lesaffre (“LeSaffre”), which has only one enterprise in Ukraine and as many as four powerful plants in Russia. Therefore, a completely logical question arises: are they going to leave the Russian market?
The answer will shock you. It is no longer a big secret for anyone that after the occupation of Kherson, the main supplier of yeast in local markets and bakeries became the company “Angel yeast” (a Chinese yeast giant with production facilities in the Lipetsk region) and the company “LeSaffr”, which also has 4 plants in Russia. The situation is the same in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian Crimea, through whose territory they brazenly import products to the Kherson region and confidently earn money “as on their own land.” Well, regarding China’s policy, no surprise there, but the world leader Lesaffre?..
YEAST FOR KILLERS
What’s more, some international companies operating in Ukraine calmly supply themselves with dry rations and humanitarian aid to Russian executioners who destroy cities and kill children. And wish them victory on all fronts!
For example, after the successful liberation of most of the Kharkiv region by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, an official video of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine was released on the Internet, showing food kits of Russian soldiers, which also contain “Saf-Moment” yeast produced by the “LeSaffre” company.
As of now, it is not known for sure why Russian killers need yeast in the trenches, but the fact remains: the French manufacturer crossed all the boundaries of moral and ethical behavior, which are fundamental for European manufacturers.
These Frenchmen did not make any comments about Russian aggression and the war in Ukraine, but they have the following statement:
“We wish you victory on all fronts,” he wrote on his page “LeSaffre” on February 23 for Russian men, just a few hours before Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities woke up at dawn to explosions and rockets outside the window.
“OCCUPATION” INEVITABLE?
Unfortunately, since the beginning of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the French company also started its war exclusively by marketing methods, of course. Namely, they kept a low price for products that were not changed for half a year, and also opened a warehouse with ingredients and dry yeast in the city of Ternopil, allegedly for volunteer needs, in order to supply Western Ukraine with their products. For what purpose was this done?
We will remind you that before the war, the Lesaffre company promoted exclusively the European sales culture and sought to sell “expensively”. At the time of the war, the company is obviously taking advantage of the difficult financial situation that has developed for Ukrainian yeast-producing enterprises, and is actively increasing its market share, keeping prices low. Why? The goal is obvious: taking advantage of the unstable situation, Lesaffre from Kryvyi Rih plans to occupy a significant part of the Ukrainian market.
HOW BELGIUM “HELPS” UKRAINE IN THE WAR
The Belgians are not far behind their neighbors. For example, the Puratos company (headquarters in Belgium) started operating in Russia in the 90s and has branches in eight of the country’s largest cities. She gladly offers Russians a complex of ingredients for the bakery, confectionery and chocolate industries. Will it leave the Russian market because of the war in Ukraine? Unlikely?
In Ukraine, the Belgians have an enterprise in the Odesa region (plant of Puratos OOO “Puratos Ukraine”), and they are in no hurry to make any statements about the war. At the same time, during the war, the Belgian Puratos gladly offers reduced prices, thereby successfully dumping Ukrainian manufacturers.
WHAT COUNTRY IS CRIMEA? WE ASK IN HOLLAND
Another manufacturer of ingredients for the bakery industry is Zeelandia, whose head office is located in the Netherlands.
Immediately to the activities of this company in the Russian Federation. Just the facts.
LLC “Zeelandia” appeared in the Moscow region in 2011, and later began operations in St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Krasnodar, Irkutsk, Volgograd and — attention — in Simferopol. So what country is Crimea? Let`s ask the representative office of “Zelandia” in Ukraine.
And in Ukraine, they have been working since 2003, producing dry mixes for bakery and flour confectionery products, as well as producing fillings, gels, sugar glazes, and jams.
The war is not condemned, the business is not closed.
WHO IS AUSTRIA AT WAR WITH?
The international Austrian industrial company Agrana (AgranaFruit) has been working in Ukraine since the 90s. It uses agricultural products in its production and creates industrial products for processing industries.
In Russia, “Agrana” opened in 2002 in Moscow, and already in 2005 it started production with two production lines, and later commissioned the third, fourth and fifth production lines. The company grew and expanded until the beginning of 2022.
“Agrana” is not the only one of the companies listed above that openly wrote on the official website about its official position regarding the war in Ukraine. Namely:
“…exiting the Russian market is not currently planned. As an employer we feel obligated to our local staff. The closure will not affect those responsible for the war.”
However, supporting the aggressor with taxes, don’t they see responsibility for the bombs and rockets over Mariupol, Odesa, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv?…
WHO BUYS ALL THIS FROM EUROPEAN COLLABORATORS?
Therefore, those who buy temporarily cheaper products of European manufacturing companies can be understood. On the one hand. However, this is short-sighted. Today, they save “30 kopecks”, but at the same time they support the policy of companies that work with Russia. And they sell their products in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, supply humanitarian aid to Russian soldiers, and also want to increase their share in the Ukrainian market at the expense of what is actually destroying Ukrainian companies.
Today, each of us is at the front, each of us each of us is responsible for Russia’s actions on Ukrainian territories, takes an active part in volunteering, or consistently donates considerable funds to help UA. So, on the one hand, we are winning for ourselves, and on the other hand, by cooperating with companies that have not left the Russian market, we are actually sponsoring Russia.
