A year ago, the owner of the Ukrainian company Three Bears, Dmytro Ushmaiev, made his first international move by acquiring the Polish group Nordis, which includes an ice cream and frozen food plant in Zielona Góra and a vegetable processing plant, Calfrost, in Kalisz. According to expert estimates, the deal value was between $8 million and $10 million, including debt.
Recently it became known that one of the assets — the Calfrost plant — has been put up for sale, and a buyer has already been found. “The buyer is already there, we are in the process of finalizing,” Ushmaiev said, specifying that it is a Polish company, though details of the deal were not disclosed. According to the entrepreneur, Calfrost was a non-core asset and was on the verge of bankruptcy even before the acquisition of the group, so its sale does not signal an abandonment of plans in Poland.
The second Nordis plant, which produces ice cream and frozen foods in Zielona Góra, remains under Ushmaiev’s ownership and continues to operate successfully. “We are not selling this plant, it is stable and profitable,” he emphasized.
Following the acquisition of Nordis, Ushmaiev implemented a large-scale organizational and business restructuring: replacing management, updating the product range and packaging design, repairing equipment, and purchasing new production lines. The company restored partnerships with retail chains and distributors, boosting sales. At the Zielona Góra plant, the workforce nearly doubled to 200 employees, with 85% of managers being Polish and most line staff being Ukrainian.
Nordis products are sold in Poland and exported to 10 countries, mainly in the EU, as well as to Israel and Ukraine. The Polish facility produces items that cannot be manufactured in Ukraine and sells them under a local brand. By the end of 2025, exports are expected to reach 10%, with company turnover projected at €12–15 million.
Experts note that Nordis has yet to secure a significant share of the Polish retail market. Competition is intense, and retail in Poland differs greatly from Ukraine — there are about 100,000 grocery stores of various formats in Poland compared to around 5,000 in Ukraine. Despite this, Ushmaiev sees entry into the European market as a logical step: “The Polish market is very developed, and the opportunities for growth are substantial.”
Thus, the sale of the Calfrost plant does not mark a retreat from Polish ambitions: Ushmaiev remains committed to developing the business in Europe, focusing on successful facilities, strengthening market positions, and expanding exports.
