Tomate paste producer Chumak to open new plant to replace occupied one in Kakhovka
Ukrainian ketchup and canned food producer Chumak PJSC plans to build a tomato paste processing plant in Odesa Oblast, reported the Department of Agrarian Policy, Food and Land Relations of the Odesa Oblast State Administration.
For in-depth analysis and longer stories, follow us on LinkedIn
- Subscribe to LIGA.net in English on Twitter
The company's intention to relocate to Odesa Oblast was announced during a working meeting on the development of vegetable production in the region on July 11.
"A representative of Chumak informed the participants about the company's plans to relocate processing facilities from Kherson to Odesa Oblast, noting that this would be a significant support for the development of the region's agro-industrial complex," the statement said.
This will provide additional tax revenues to the budget and create almost 5,000 jobs.
The company chose Odesa Oblast because of its favorable climatic conditions. The farmers present at the meeting expressed their readiness to expand production areas for tomato production.
Prior to the full-scale Russian invasion, Chumak was one of the largest producers of tomato pastes, sauces and ketchups in Ukraine. In 1996, the company was founded by Swedish businessmen Carl Sturen, Johan Boden and Tetra Pak founder Hans Rausing. In 2008, Chumak was sold to Dragon Capital. In 2019, Delta Wilmar, the largest producer of refined sunflower oil in Ukraine, which is part of the Singaporean company Wilmar, became the new owner of Chumak.
Chumak stopped production at its plant in Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast, on February 24, fearing pressure from the Russian army. The company did not have time to remove the equipment from the occupation. The raw materials from its warehouses were looted by the Russians.
Now Chumak manufactures its products at competitors' facilities throughout Ukraine and abroad. Some tomato pastes, sauces, and mayonnaise are produced in Lutsk, Kyiv, Zaporizhzhya, and Ternopil, and pasta is made in Turkey and Italy.
