“Ukrproduct Group, a major Ukrainian producer of packaged butter and processed cheese, increased production of kvass and beverages by 42.5% in local currency in the first half of 2024 and increased their output by 13.1% compared to the first half of 2023, the company said in a report to the London Stock Exchange on Monday.
Sales of kvass and other beverages in the first half of 2024 amounted to GBP1.1 million (…). This growth was driven by a combination of price increases, new product launches, distribution expansion, and favorable weather conditions for sales, the agricultural holding said.
The volume of oil sales in the first half of 2024 amounted to GBP1.8 million, which is 25.6% more in monetary terms and 9.5% more in production compared to the same period last year. Sales were made through the key sales channels – retailers, large distributors and exports.
In the Processed Cheese and Processed Cheese Products segment, sales amounted to GBP10.7 million, which represents a decrease in revenue of 2.2% in local currency and a decrease in volume of 10.8% compared to 1H2023.
“This was mainly due to financial difficulties for some clients and a shift in focus towards profitability,” Ukrproduct Group explained.
Spread sales for the reporting period decreased to GBP1.7 million, down 14.1% in local currency and 13.1% in volume compared to the same period last year. The agricultural holding explained the decline by increased competition in the market.
Skimmed milk powder sales for the six months of 2024 also decreased by 14.2% in local currency to GBP0.5 million and by 14.7% in volume compared to the same period last year, which is a continuation of the downward trend of the previous season.
Due to low prices for skimmed milk powder, the group minimized the production of this product, deciding instead to use semi-finished milk protein as an ingredient in the production of processed cheese, the agricultural holding said.
“Business development in the second half of 2024 remains extremely uncertain due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Group continues to make every effort to implement its strategy in a very challenging business environment, not least by ensuring a stable electricity supply and responding to new challenges. In the next six months, the Group expects to focus on maintaining its existing production capacity, supporting sales volumes and continuously improving operational efficiency,” Ukrproduct Group summarized.
“Ukrproduct Group is a major Ukrainian producer of packaged butter, processed cheese and kvass. The company produces dairy products under the Nash Molochnyk, Nash Syrok, Molendam, and Vershkova Dolina brands and kvass under the Arsenievsky brand.
Ukrproduct Group operates two plants in Zhytomyr (one specializing in processed cheese and the other producing kvass) and two enterprises in Khmelnytsky region: a dairy plant in Starokonstantinov producing packaged butter, spreads, cheese and milk powder, and a dairy plant in Letychiv.
The group’s production capacity allows it to produce up to 70 thousand tons of dairy products per year.
In January-September this year, Zaporizhzhia-based Zaporizhstal Iron and Steel Works increased its rolled steel output by 26.7% year-on-year to 1.829 million tons from 1 million 443.9 thousand tons.
According to the company’s information on Tuesday, steel production during this period increased by 24.7% to 2 million 176.7 thousand tons, and pig iron production by 19.5% to 2 million 297.5 thousand tons.
In September, Zaporizhstal produced 248.6 thousand tons of iron, 203 thousand tons of steel, and shipped 184.1 thousand tons of rolled products.
At the same time, it is recalled that in 2023, the plant operated at an average of 70% of its capacity.
As reported, in 2023, Zaporizhstal increased its rolled steel output by 57.2% compared to 2022, up to 2 million 54.7 thousand tons, steel by 65.4%, up to 2 million 466.9 thousand tons, and pig iron by 35.3%, up to 2 million 718.9 thousand tons.
“Zaporizhstal is one of the largest industrial enterprises in Ukraine, whose products are in great demand among consumers both in the domestic market and in many countries of the world.
“Zaporizhstal is in the process of integration into Metinvest Group, whose major shareholders are System Capital Management (71.24%) and Smart Holding Group (23.76%).
Metinvest Holding LLC is the management company of Metinvest Group.
Franco-German defense concern KNDS has opened a subsidiary in Kiev, which under the name KNDS Ukraine LLC will support cooperation between Ukrainian government agencies, the Ukrainian defense industry and KNDS, the concern’s press service reports.
“The purpose of opening KNDS Ukraine LLC is, among other things, to consolidate the Ukrainian land industry and enable it to more effectively carry out maintenance, repair and overhaul of KNDS systems – including Leopard 1 and 2 tanks, CAESAR and AMX 10RC artillery systems and PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers – which significantly increases their combat readiness. KNDS and Ukrainian industry also intend to jointly produce in Ukraine 155-mm artillery ammunition and spare parts using advanced technologies,” the report says.
It is noted that the creation of KNDS Ukraine LLC is the result of a joint French-German government initiative, the framework of which was presented on March 22, 2024 by French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and the head of the German Defense Ministry Boris Pistorius in Berlin.
Natural gas supplies from Azerbaijan to Italy via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) in January-July 2024 amounted to 6.075 billion cubic meters, which is 6.4% more than in the same period last year, the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security reported.
The country imported a total of 35.273 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the first seven months of this year – 4.3% less than a year earlier. At the same time, the share of Azerbaijani gas accounted for 17.2%.
According to the agency, in July, Azerbaijani gas supplies to Italy amounted to 905 million cubic meters (an increase of 12.2% compared to July last year), or 21.5% of the total imports of natural gas, which is estimated at 4.201 billion cubic meters (a decrease of 1.8%).
In 2023, Italy received 9.988 billion cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan via TAP (down 3.2% on the 2022 level). Azerbaijan plans to supply 9.6 billion cubic meters of gas to Italy in 2024. Azerbaijan started exporting gas to Europe on December 31, 2022.
Rush LLC, the owner of EVA network in Ukraine, will allocate UAH 133.8 mln from net profit for the second quarter of 2024 for dividends.
According to the company’s message in the information disclosure system of the National Commission for Securities and Stock Market (NCSSM), a single participant of the LLC made the relevant decision on September 27.
Thus, the distribution of 35% of net profit received in the second quarter of 2024, which amounts to UAH 133.8 mln, was approved for dividends. Accrual of dividends will be carried out no later than six months from the date of the decision.
Earlier, in July, the company allocated UAH 148.8 mln from the net profit for the first quarter of this year for dividend payment.
Rush LLC, which manages the EVA network, was founded in 2002. As of June 31, 2024, the chain had 1,080 operating stores.
According to Opendatabot, the owner of Rush LLC is Cyprus-based Incetera Holdings Limited (100%), with Ruslan Shostak and Valeriy Kiptyk as the ultimate beneficiaries.
According to the results of 2023, the company’s revenue increased by 33.7% to UAH 21 billion compared to 2022, net profit – by 26% to UAH 2.2 billion, the value of assets – by 45.2% to UAH 15.03 billion. In 2023, EVA paid UAH 2.02 bln of taxes and fees to budgets of all levels.
