Since the popular protests of five years ago, the Ukrainian economy is in bad shape – despite a free trade agreement with the EU. A worm farming, and a dress shop, but hope.
Orest Davidkos product is a few centimeters long and bears a spiral-shaped housing on the back. The farmer and the founder of the company ‘aunt Snails’ ask in a greenhouse, a half hectares, the total area measures near Lviv in Western Ukraine. Creaking the metal door, a shallow Sultriness pervades the interior. Lawn green networks to mitigate the ambient sunlight. “So, we prevent our snails got too much sun,” explains Davidko, “25 degrees.”
In the flower beds rectangular boards strung together. On the bottom it’s full of snails. “They’re still growing,” said Davidko, ‘Kindergarten’ was baptized in this area. Later the snails in Free Mature definitively. After nine months, you will land on the plates of the company-owned Restaurants or in the van on the way to the customer.
Orest Davidko on his worm farm
A growing niche, thanks to EU agreement
To local catering companies and super markets so far. Soon, partners from the EU. The worm Business in Ukraine is a small, but growing niche. 400 tonnes of molluscs were exported in 2018 in the EU, all three tons of it were five years earlier. The rise in has paved the free trade agreement of Kiev with Brussels by 2016 the way: it is a consequence of the Maidan upheaval.
Ready-to-finish: screw the company “aunt Snails”
Also ‘aunt Snails’ will benefit from it. Head of marketing Nastya Vinokurova sees growth potential: “The demand for snails in Europe is consistently high, especially in the South. We believe that we are able to cover 40 percent of them.” This year, Vinokurova, if you wanted to be involved in the export business, with 100 tons of snails from our own breeding, for the price of six euros per kilogram. You keep but also the second goal in mind – to make edible snails to the mass of product in the home. “For many here, this is still unusual. Snails are rich in protein and can be many and varied, are prepared. We notice that more and more Ukrainians in the open.”
A new economic impulse believes to have Anna Lukovkina. The Fashion is in your office for an interview in sweatpants and a hoodie. Lukovkina is the owner of the dress business ‘Vsi Svoi’. In English, this means “Our”. The Name is no coincidence: In a Department store in Kiev the heart of exclusively Ukrainian Goods are available. “Local brands have a good reputation today. I think we have led a kind of paradigm shift”, says Lukovkina, not without Pride.
The Fashion Department store “Vsi Svoi” in addition to clothing also bags and backpacks in the range
A Patriotic Boom
On the five floors of the “Vsi Svoi” hang with traditional embroidery patterns printed T-Shirts and plain, solid-color coats. To purchase a pair of shoes, bracelets and bags. The prices vary between ten and more than 200 euros. The collections come from the Hand of some 250 Ukrainian designers. “We have created a collection point, that was the basic idea,” explains Anna Lukovkina. “In order for Ukrainian brands are not dispersed spatially so as in the past.”
Patriotism as a fashion direction: T-Shirts in the Department store “Vsi Svoi”
Earlier – that is, around the the Maidan. At that time, the country had recorded a Patriotic wave of recalls Lukovkina. “Suddenly people began to wear Shirts with Ukrainian national symbols.” It is said to have developed a whole fashion direction. Elena Besedina. The Economist speaks of a Boom of local and regional products since 2013. “Clothing is an example. But also honey and milk of Ukrainian production have become much more popular,” explains Besedina.
Conflict with Russia, leaves traces
The growing domestic consumption also follows an economic necessity. To Russia, for many years the most important trading partner, no longer exported to the Ukraine of their food because of an embargo – it will be a legacy of the ‘Euro-Maidan’, as the citizens ‘ protests of 2013. Viewed in sober terms the Ukrainian economy has hurt so far. The gross domestic product was 2017 for US $ 112 billion – a decline of 38 percent since 2013. A monthly average income of only € 270 absorbs not leaving people much to be desired for consumption. And also in trade with the EU, Economist Besedina, still sees air to the top: “40 percent of the Ukrainian Goods in the EU, in the first place iron and steel. The food sector, for example, I have a hard time with the local Standards but still.” The need to continue to invest in new technologies. Milk farmers advises Besedina, moreover, to form more cooperatives.
In view of this, appear to be companies such as ‘aunt Snails’ and ‘Vsi Svoi’ as the Exception. In the case of both the Optimism prevails, however. “In the screw business, we have not exhausted the potential for a long time”, says Nastya Vinokurova and hopes to have more competitors to stimulate the market. Anna Lukovkina of ‘Vsi Svoi’ relies on the entrepreneurial spirit of their young compatriots. “There is a lot of creativity here in the country,” she says. Do you hope for a better future. The adverse conditions, Despite.