Since opening its doors in 1997, the household and hygiene product manufacturer has built up a culture of brand engagement in Ukraine’s fast-moving consumer goods sector

Thanks to companies like Biosphere, Ukraine’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector has undergone a dramatic transformation since the 1990s. Led by one of Ukraine’s most successful businessmen, Andriy Zdesenko, the Dnipropetrovsk-based company was one of the first to tap into the potential of marketing in Ukraine’s post-Soviet economy. 

“Our brands are now dominant in the market because we have made such an effort to cooperate with the likes of Disney and Universal to involve both young and old generations emotionally into our products and bring added value,” said Zdesenko.

In November 2018, the company’s two flagship trademarks, Fraken BOK and Smile, made it to a list of the top-100 most valuable brands in Ukraine.

“A combination of the magic of our brands, our quality, and aggressive distribution is what gives us a real competitive edge,” said Zdesenko. 

Today, Ukraine’s retail market is one of the fastest growing in Europe. According to Ernst & Young, between the years of 2005 and 2013, the sector grew by an annual rate of 21 percent. Ukraine’s strengthening economy and increasing wages, with real disposable income having risen by around 10 percent in the last year, have also enabled a shift in consumer spending habits,

For companies like Biosphere, this changing landscape has opened up a world of opportunities, as they both consolidate their position at home and build on their expertise to dominate new markets.