Lost 50% of the market in eastern Ukraine, but expanding exports: TERRA’s journey

The company “TERRA” has been processing pulses and producing natural cereals, flakes, soups, granola and porridge with fruit, berry, vegetable and other natural additives for nearly 30 years. Since its founding, the enterprise has operated around the clock. TERRA’s products are certified to international standards, including “Organic Standard,” and are exported to 73 countries worldwide — from  New Zeland and Sri Lanka to Chili.

“Following the full-scale invasion, TERRA lost over 50% of its sales market in eastern Ukraine. The loss of access to the Odesa port, which handled container shipments, has significantly complicated logistics: delivery times increased by one to two months, and costs rose. Many of our employees joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine to defend the country. This has been a real test of resilience — one we continue to face with dignity, preserving our faith, our team, and the quality of our products, which are valued around the globe,” says Oleksandr Yasynskyi, Commercial Director and Co-founder of the TERRA Group.

In wartime conditions, support from industry associations and the ability to forge new connections and build partnerships in European markets are vital for Ukrainian exporting businesses. For TERRA, one such opportunity came through its participation in the “Better Market Connectivity of Ukraine to the EU” project, implemented by Civitta Ukraine and EasyBusiness in partnership with Giraffe Consulting, Market Access and Lithuanian Innovation Centre, as part of the EU4Business programme: Recovery, Competitiveness and Internationalisation of SMEs. This initiative is co-financed by the European Union and the German Government and implemented by GIZ Ukraine.

TERRA learned about the opportunity to join the programme through colleagues at the U-Food Association. 

According to Oleksandr Yasynskyi, the main outcome of participating in the “Better Market Connectivity of Ukraine to the EU” project was the establishment of new business contacts. Commercial offers are already on the table, and negotiations are underway regarding cooperation for the upcoming season. A company representative participated in the international organic trade fair BIOFACH 2025 in Nuremberg, holding 18 meetings with potential partners interested in TERRA’s organic products.

“Ukrainian businesses lack international promotion and consistent support from state institutions“, Yasynskyi notes. In his view, the involvement of government officials and diplomats in promoting Ukrainian goods and brands abroad could become a powerful tool for strengthening the position of Ukrainian exports in EU and world markets.

“Access to finance is also crucial for us. The terms of international trade require flexible solutions. For instance, buyers from countries like Egypt or Malaysia (and a lot of others) do not operate on a prepayment basis. This means the exporting company receives payment only after the goods arrive at the port. It’s difficult for Ukrainian companies to meet these conditions without access to export financing or risk insurance tools. As a result, deals fall through, companies lose opportunities, and the state loses export revenues from the export of higher value-added goods,” the entrepreneur explains.

“Our company had the chance to gain a better understanding of international client needs, compare our products with competitors, and significantly expand our network of contacts. The programme helped us establish new connections that could become the foundation for future growth. An important aspect of the project was the exchange of experience with other Ukrainian entrepreneurs. Particularly valuable for us was access to up-to-date information about markets, producers, and potential partners, which helps us build a more resilient business model and opens up new export opportunities. We are grateful to EU4Business for supporting Ukrainian businesses during these challenging times. This support is truly vital,” Oleksandr Yasynskyi shares.

Website: https://terra.ua/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terra.good.food/ 

Email: [email protected]

The international cooperation program “EU4Business: SME Recovery, Competitiveness, and Internationalisation” is co-financed by the European Union and the German Government and is implemented by the German federal company “Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH”. The program aims to support Ukraine’s economic resilience, recovery, and growth, create better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as support innovation and boost exports. Read more:

The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Civitta Ukraine and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union, the German Government, GIZ.