Suziria Group will additionally invest $4.5 million through loans from Ukrainian banks and its own resources to increase its production capacity, according to a press release from the donor organization.
"The grant funding is provided as part of the project's support for Ukrainian enterprises affected by the war. The funds will enable Suziria Group to launch its own production of wet pet food in Kalush, Ivano-Frankivsk region, where it relocated its grain feed production after missile strikes in Kharkiv and began producing meat treats for dogs and cats. At the same time, part of the production facilities in Kharkiv continues to operate," USAID said.
With the launch of the new wet pet food production line, Suziria Group will be able to increase its production capacity, create 130 new jobs, and significantly reduce production costs.
The company plans to use the increased production to expand its market share and strengthen cooperation with Ukrainian raw material suppliers and key retail chains for which it will produce wet pet food under their own brands.
"The armed aggression of Russia against Ukraine and the devaluation of the national currency negatively impacted the company's operations. All this prompted us to rethink our business model and focus on developing our production capacities in the west of the country," said Suziria Group co-owner Polina Kosharna.
"Despite constant shelling of Kharkiv and the loss of some stores in temporarily occupied territories, Suziria Group has not stopped but continues to develop, adapting to new realities. The launch of modern production, the creation of additional jobs, and the potential entry into new foreign markets will contribute to Ukraine's economic recovery and GDP growth, benefiting both the company and the country as a whole," said Yulia Vitka, Deputy Project Leader of the USAID Investments for Business Resilience Activity.
Currently, Suziria Group's wet pet food is produced at partner facilities in EU countries. The development of its own production will allow it to gradually abandon the import of this product category and expand its sales geography. In three years, Suziria Group plans to begin exporting wet pet food to the European market, the donor organization explained.
Suziria Group is a Ukrainian family group of companies that has been developing the pet products market for over 30 years. It includes companies Suziria Brands, Suziria Distribution, the MasterZoo pet store chain with 190 stores, and a network of grooming salons. The company operates throughout Ukraine and beyond, exporting its products under the brands Savory, Half&Half, Special One, Pet Fashion, Buddy Boo, Priroda, and Puramur.
