Ukraine's Antimonopoly Committee opens case on statements by large tea distributor denying involvement in Russian business

KYIV. Aug 12 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) will study the statements of a major distributor of tea and coffee Orimi Ukraine LLC (Kyiv) regarding the lack of business ties with the aggressor country of the Russian Federation, the spread of which may encourage Ukrainian entrepreneurs and citizens to cooperate with this company or buy its products.

As reported on the committee’s website on Thursday, it began considering the case on the grounds that Orimi Ukraine disseminated misleading information.

The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine said that the consideration of the case was initiated by the retailer Vostorg LLC (Kharkiv), which reported that Orimi Ukraine sent an e-mail to Ukrainian retail chains and distributors, in which it noted that its ultimate beneficial owners, including the majority beneficial owner corporate rights in the charter capital Veronika Kasyanenko are not related to the Russian Federation.

According to the letter, Kasyanenko has been a citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for 10 years and "is an international independent private investor, actively invests in shares and bonds of public companies around the world… and does not invest in Russia, is not a shareholder of any Russian companies and does not do business in Russia".

In the report, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine quoted Vostorg LLC, which alleges that Orimi Ukraine could be connected with the Russian grocery retailer Orimi Trade and its owners, well-known Russian entrepreneurs Sergey Kasyanenko and Oleksandr Yevnevich, the latter even being awarded a medal from the President of the aggressor country.

The Committee said that, upon its request, Orimi Ukraine reported that there was no information about Veronika Kasyanenko’s connections with Sergey Kasyanenko, and did not have data on foreign companies owned by Veronika Kasyanenko.

"At the same time, the Committee is aware that Russia’s Orimi Trade sells the same products as the defendant (tea and coffee under the same trademarks), has a similar name to the defendant’s name and the same surname of the owners (beneficiaries), which may testify to the connection of these enterprises through the kinship of their beneficial owners or in any other way," the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine said in the preliminary conclusions.

"After analyzing the available data, the Committee concluded that the information contained in the letter sent to retail chains and distributors that Veronika Kasyanenko is not related to business in Russia has not been confirmed. Therefore, this information may contain signs of false information and affects or may affect intentions of business entities or consumers to cooperate with Orimi Ukraine LLC, or to buy its goods," the regulator added.

Taking into account the above, the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine has begun consideration of the case on the grounds that Orimi Ukraine has committed a violation under Article 15-1 of the law on protection from unfair competition – dissemination of misleading information.

The Committee recalled that the respondent company sells in Ukraine tea under the trademarks Greenfield, TESS, Princess Gita, Princess Kandy, Princess Noori and Princess Java, as well as coffee under the trademarks Jardin, Piazza, Del Caffe and Jockey.