Obolon plans to start selling franchise for O Market chain of beer and drinks stores – retailers' association

KYIV. Nov 17 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Obolon Corporation (Kyiv), one of the largest brewing companies in Ukraine, plans to develop its own O Market retail network by selling franchises to entrepreneurs allowing them to distribute its products.

As reported on the website of the Association of Retailers of Ukraine (ARU) on Wednesday, O Market currently consists of 22 stores in Kyiv region and Khmelnytsky region.

In total, the network covers 10 cities. At the same time, every year Obolon opens three or four new branded stores without attracting outside investment. Since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion, it has opened two new ones.

ARU recalled that O Market presents three dozen brands and private labels, which form an assortment of almost 500 commodity items from four segments of the beverage market at once: beer, low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks (including kvass and energy drinks), mineral and drinking water.

"In addition to the domestic market, Obolon supplies products to consumers in another 70 countries of the world. Three out of four bottles of Ukrainian beer sold abroad are made at the corporation’s factories. On the territory of Ukraine, they can only be purchased at O Market stores," the association said in a statement.

According to the association, investing in the O Market franchise for Ukrainian entrepreneurs provides the following benefits: access to a wide product line of drinks of the recognizable brand; an association created among consumers with product quality; the presence of a free niche in cities, since the network is just beginning to develop according to the franchising system.

"Beer sales have suffered the least in sales volumes compared to other alcoholic beverages. Beer consumption also stimulates the trend of patriotism and the consumption of products of Ukrainian producers. Therefore, despite all the challenges, the beer and beverage market in Ukraine is developing, and with the advent of the O Market franchise domestic investors are getting new opportunities to earn money," the association said.

Obolon Corporation produces beer, non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks, mineral water, snacks, and is the country’s largest exporter of beer.

It includes the main plant in Kyiv and nine enterprises in the regions of the country.