The Ukrainian grocery chain Best Market is opening its first store in Prague, continuing its expansion into the European market following the chain’s growth in Poland, according to Czechia Online.
The grand opening of the store is scheduled for June 6. Best Market’s first store in the Czech Republic will be located in Prague 4 on Budějovická Street. According to the publication, the chain is focusing on traditional Ukrainian and Eastern European products: meat products, specialty sausages, smoked and dried fish, pickles, dairy products, and sweets.
Best Market began operations in 2019 with a single store in Kraków, Poland. Over the past few years, the chain has grown to three dozen stores in Poland, targeting both Ukrainian immigrants and local shoppers interested in Eastern European cuisine.
The expansion into the Czech Republic reflects a broader trend in the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized businesses in Central European countries. After the outbreak of full-scale war, a significant number of Ukrainian entrepreneurs began developing services, retail projects, cafes, stores, and logistics solutions in countries with large Ukrainian communities, primarily in Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Slovakia.
The Czech Republic has become one of the largest centers of Ukrainian migration within the EU. This creates steady demand for familiar food products, culinary concepts, and services tailored to Ukrainians. At the same time, such stores are gradually expanding beyond an exclusively immigrant audience: Eastern European products are becoming appealing to local shoppers as well, especially in major cities.
For Prague, the opening of Best Market means increased competition in the niche of specialty food retail. International and ethnic stores are already operating in the Czech capital, but Ukrainian chains can compete thanks to their recognizable product range, direct work with suppliers, ready-to-eat products, and focus on shoppers seeking regional flavors.
On opening day, the store management plans to host tastings, children’s activities, and meetings with special guests. The first customers are promised gifts, which should help the chain draw attention to the new format in the competitive Prague market.
The development of such projects shows that Ukrainian business in Europe is gradually shifting from adaptation to scaling up. For retailers working with Ukrainian and Eastern European products, the key markets remain countries with a large Ukrainian diaspora, developed logistics, and high demand for a specialized product range.
Best Market is a Ukrainian grocery chain that began operations in Poland in 2019.
