Oschadbank customer success stories: how Galytska Svizhyna became Ukraine's top meat brand

The Galytska Svizhyna (Galician Fresh Meat) company started out selling meat to a few customers, but today it has over a thousand wholesale buyers and is one of the key suppliers to the hospitality industry in western Ukraine. The company is actively developing its own retail network of over 50 stores and is also implementing a unique project involving refrigerated parcel lockers.

The partnership with Oschadbank plays an important role in the company's development. Thanks to funding, the company has invested in its own energy independence, online product delivery, enhanced shipping, and the launch of cutting-edge services.Today, it is one of the successful examples of the synergy between financial support and entrepreneurial vision. We will tell you about the experience of Halytska Svizhyna.

European standards, service, and fresh boxes

The history of Halytska Svizhyna began in 2013. Its founder, Taras Lysy, worked as a sole proprietor with wholesale customers, but even then he asked himself, what does the customer really want? When buyers became interested in formal and broader cooperation, the entrepreneur realized that he had to move to a qualitatively new level. Step by step, the company was born.

Today, the company supplies fresh meat, frozen semi-finished products, and ready-made meals. It has a full processing cycle: from cutting, heat treatment, and cooling to packaging, labeling, storage, and delivery. The production uses the most modern equipment and is guided by European standards.

"To achieve this, we were proactive. We participated in exhibitions and looked for any opportunity to visit other production facilities. When we didn't have the funds to buy new equipment, we participated in foreign auctions for used equipment. We observed and visited European enterprises. We collaborated with Bulgarians and Poles on technical design," explains Taras Lysy, founder of Halytska Svizhyna.

All processes at the enterprise are technological and clearly delineated. Temperature control and sanitary standards are strictly adhered to here. For example, all products are transported on trolleys or plastic pallets without any contact with the floor. But the most important thing is the quality of the raw materials. "When purchasing, we always work with the best raw materials. In this case, it is simply impossible to spoil the product. We test the meat at all stages of production and conduct audits of manufacturers," explains the entrepreneur.

The business also focuses on service. The founder emphasizes that Galytska Svizhyna strives to solve every customer's “pain” and offer them the ultimate solution: from supplying the highest quality product to selling perfectly cut lard or marinated lamb that is ready to be thrown on the grill. The company even invited a Turkish chef to teach the staff how to work with marinades. All this is done to ensure that the product is high-quality, tasty, and convenient for the consumer.

This philosophy gave rise to the Fresh Box Project. Halytska Svizhyna is testing special parcel lockers with refrigerators. They help customers order products online, come for them at any time, and pick up their orders using a QR code. This is a unique technology in Ukraine, which the company is developing in partnership with a Lutsk-based manufacturer of refrigeration equipment. Such boxes are already in use for employees of round-the-clock production and will eventually become part of the customer service system.

The company is developing its own retail network, which includes 53 stores. Fresh products are delivered to stores at night, and in the morning, the vehicles return to the company and deliver orders to wholesale customers. Thanks to a loan from Oschadbank, the company was also able to purchase new Renault Express vehicles, which enabled it to launch an online delivery service.

Investments in energy independence and logistics

One of the key decisions for scaling up was to seek bank financing. Like many entrepreneurs, Taras Lysy remembers being initially cautious about taking out loans. But the realization that his own resources were insufficient for rapid growth changed his approach. Today, Halytska Svizhyna is an example of the competent use of borrowed funds for strategic development.

With the support of Oschadbank, the company built a shipping area with checkweighers and modern logistics infrastructure. A cogeneration unit worth €300,000 was also purchased, which ensures the company's energy independence. The unit produces 450 kW of electricity and 600 kW of heat, which is used for heating, hot water, and technological processes.

The system runs on gas but has an alternative—solid fuel. The company has enough of it, as wood waste is burned in boilers during production, generating steam for smoking and cooking. In the future, they plan to convert the heat from the plant into cold: this requires another plant, which will allow switching to cooling via a heat exchanger.

“It is a great honor for us to work with such reliable, professional, and, most importantly, dedicated people. Together, we are not just doing business—we are creating a shared history based on trust, respect, and common values,” comments Taras Lysy.

Video about the visit to the Galytska Svizhyna production facility:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b-BmUFgvwQ

The source is https://delo.ua/business/istoriyi-uspixu-klijentiv-oshhadu-yak-galicka-svizina-stala-myasnim-top-brendom-ukrayini-450528/