Leading Ukrainian pet food producer Kormotech has announced plans to expand its manufacturing operations in Kėdainiai, Lithuania. Having significantly exceeded its initial hiring plans in the country, the company is now looking to add another 200 specialists to its Lithuanian team, investing more than €60 mln in 4 production stages, which will be put into operation during 2025 – 2028.
Kormotech first entered Lithuania in 2020, when it launched its 4500 sq. m. manufacturing facility in the Kėdainiai Free Economic Zone (FEZ). The company had first planned to hire a 70-strong team, but soon surpassed the initial plans to employ more than 170 specialists. With the new expansion project, Kormotech will double the current headcount in Kėdainiai, adding 200 jobs in five years.
"We consider Lithuania our second home market. While we plan to build new production facilities in Ukraine once the war is over, Lithuania currently serves as our gateway to the world. The plant has proven to be a reliable support system, consistently operating at full capacity and bridging the gaps when our Ukrainian plants experience disruptions. We are committed to expanding our facilities in Lithuania further with the construction of 4 additional production stages by 2028," said Rostyslav Vovk, CEO and co-owner of Kormotech.
“Since the start of our Lithuanian operations, both our production and sales goals have been achieved and exceeded, and we hired twice the number of employees originally planned,” says Andrii Berezyuk, Director of Kormotech UAB. “This successful experience, along with the smooth construction of our factory, favourable conditions in the Free Economic Zone, support from Invest Lithuania, and our well-established network of partners and suppliers, has led us to the decision to expand the facility in Lithuania.”
Founded in 2003, Kormotech produces wet and dry food for cats and dogs. The company’s plant in Kėdainiai FEZ specializes in wet pet food production and has a high degree of automation due to modern equipment. The current annual capacity for the plant is 20,000 tons.
Kormotech expects to launch its first production line in the new facility by 2025, adding one line every year until four production lines are operational in 2028. As the expansion project proceeds, the company will be on the lookout for skilled engineers, food technologists and other specialists.
Headquartered in Lviv, Kormotech employs more than 1,200 people worldwide. The company is known not only for being one of the TOP-50 domestic employers in Ukraine, but also for its involvement in multiple social projects. Kormotech promotes a humane attitude towards animals among schoolchildren and adults, fosters the professional development of Ukrainian veterinary medicine, and supports shelters in different parts of Ukraine. In 2022, the company started the Save Pets of Ukraine initiative, aimed at providing assistance to pets affected by the Russian invasion. The initiative has received over 30,000 requests for help, delivered 1,500 tons of food, and fed over 300,000 dogs and cats while also providing shelters with generators, heaters, and vaccines. Save Pets of Ukraine now focuses on providing comprehensive support to shelters.
According to Elijus Čivilis, General Manager of Invest Lithuania, Kormotech’s expansion shows that foreign investors find excellent business conditions in Lithuania’s regions.
“In Kėdainiai, Kormotech has built a modern, highly automated plant employing local specialists of various competencies. The company’s decision to expand its facilities and double the size of its team demonstrates the quality of both local business infrastructure and talent.”
