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The Kormotech plant in the Kėdainiai Free Economic Zone is impressive: there are not many employees here, because they are basically only needed to maintain all the equipment.
Two-thirds of all investment in the new plant was in equipment, which is close to $ 10 million. euros.
So up to 90 percent. all production here is automated, only 8-9 workers per shift. Most of the work is done by robots.
Family business
Andrijus Bereziukas, the director of the company, who moved from Ukraine to Kaunas, said that Kormotech is a family business.
“Seeing the growing demand for our products, we first considered the possibility of establishing ourselves in Latvia. But after the Lithuanian ambassador arrived at our factory in Ukraine, he changed: he convinced us that the conditions in Lithuania were much better. Then we took the decision to move to Lithuania, create a free economic zone and expand our activities here. This is a very short story of our emergence in Lithuania, “said A. Bereziukas.
And when the Lithuanian ambassador came to our factory in Ukraine, he changed: he convinced us that the conditions in Lithuania were much better.
So far, Ukrainians do not regret choosing Lithuania.
According to the director of the company, they received help from Invest in Lithuania and other state institutions.
Conditions in Latvia are different. And in Kėdainiai it was decided to develop, because there is a free economic zone, the city itself is industrial.
Julius Kalinskas / 15min photo / Andrijus Bereziukas, Director of Kormotech
In Ukraine, the company was registered in 1997 and in 2003 began accepting orders for the production of pet food.
“We have been working for about 15 years. Our share of the Ukrainian market is now 25 percent. If we remember the beginning, when the world’s leading animal feed producers were the first, they are our main competitors. Convincing even the people of Ukraine themselves. that the Ukrainian name, a local producer can produce the same quality product, no worse than other world producers, it was very difficult. But we see that we are achieving it at the moment “, said the director of the company in Lithuania about the experience in Ukraine.
It took time to find our place in the market, but, as A. Bereziukas says, it is a continuous process, you have to work all the time: “Even now we are not entirely sure that we have convinced everyone. It still takes time and more Ukrainians to trust their local producers. The same can be said for all business in Ukraine. “
Convincing the Ukrainian people that a local producer can produce the same quality product, no worse than other global producers, was very difficult.
Why was it decided to produce such a product? According to A. Bereziuk, at least at that time there were no animal feed producers in Ukraine, so this niche turned out to be very attractive and unoccupied.
Lithuania competed with Latvia
The development in one of the Baltic countries started when it was decided to look for new markets inside and outside the European Union (EU):
“Our main objective was to reach the European markets and sell our products here. This required a factory in the EU, as our capacity in Ukraine was insufficient. This is how we find ourselves here. “
Julius Kalinskas / 15min photo / Kormotech animal feed factory in Kėdainiai
And have Lithuanian animal breeders already believed that Ukrainian food can be the best for their beloved breeders?
A.Bereziukas smiles: everything has just started, but this product is already traveling to 36 countries around the world. In our country, agreements have been reached with several major retail chains, and these products can also be found in smaller stores in Lithuania.
The factory in Kėdainiai started working a year ago in March, it took about a year to build, according to the manager, it was done very quickly.
He acknowledges that the first few years have been difficult, with no additional challenges for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our main objective was to reach the European markets and sell our products here. This required a factory in the EU.
For example, the factory invited high-level specialists from Ukraine to help train local workers to work with modern equipment and to arrive during the quarantine, when the walls were closed at the same time, there were really difficulties. We had to have the help of diplomats here, but, as A. Bereziukas says, we reached a consensus, colleagues have permission to come.
However, this company does not intend to transport ordinary employees from Ukraine; They have enough local people, especially since they are not much needed.
Only engineers and financiers come to the rescue, since all companies work according to the general principles in force in Ukraine.
Julius Kalinskas / 15min photo / Kormotech animal feed factory in Kėdainiai
Currently, the company has 68 employees in Kėdainiai, by the end of the year this number should grow to 80.
“If we expand, we will need more,” says the director.
Emphasize love for animals.
This factory does not produce dry food for dogs and cats, it has enough capacity in Ukraine, Lithuania has started to produce only so-called wet food for animals.
It is planned to produce about 20 thousand. tons of production.
Cats, other animals, have very sensitive taste receptors, they do not eat spoiled or similar products.
In Ukraine, the company produces about 650 different types of animal feed, in Lithuania this number reaches only about one hundred.
A. Bereziuk smiles because when he invited journalists to a factory in Ukraine a few years ago, he even offered to try this food, which is made from the same products that people eat.
“And in terms of quality, the quality requirements in our factories are such that not everything that is suitable for human consumption meets them. Cats and other animals have very sensitive taste receptors, they don’t eat spoiled or similar products, ”said A. Bereziukas.
A. Bereziukas himself has been living in Lithuania for about 3-4 months, although not in Kėdainiai, but in Kaunas.
As he says, he likes being here, he doesn’t feel any discomfort, maybe he just wants to learn the language.
“Now I say: I’m going home from work,” laughs the Ukrainian.
Julius Kalinskas / 15min photo / Kormotech animal feed factory in Kėdainiai
Raise a cat at home. “People who do not love animals do not work with us much,” says A. Bereziukas, without hiding that he would not even hire them himself, because the most important thing in a job like this is to love animals.
He mentioned the social projects in which his company participates in Ukraine. These are educational projects that travel through schools, talk about proper animal care, shelters, and the like.
Veterinary training is also offered.
The walls of the factory’s administrative premises are decorated with photos of Ukrainian animals.
Next year, a similar photoshoot is promised for Lithuanian employees and their pets.
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