The Beginning

When founders of the Chumak Company, young Swedish businessmen Johan Boden and Carl Sturen, came to Ukraine for the first time in 1993, they were 21 and 19 years old only. Both were engaged into the family vegetable production business in Sweden. It happened that a cucumber crop was lost in Estonia that year; so they had to look for replacement for the lost supplies in other states. After coming to Ukraine, they have found the new platform for establishment of their own company. 

Johan and Carl returned in Ukraine in order to find a suitable site for the future production facilities. They traveled throughout the state and visited 32 factories before finally choosing the Kakhovka plant in Kherson region. In 1995, Johan and Carl realized the necessity of building their own production facilities. When looking for investors, they got support and understanding from Professor Hans Rausing — the founder of the Tetra Pak Company, the leading producer of food packaging.

Initially, Kahovka had fields with overripe cucumbers and the depreciated tinned food factory only. Young businessmen had to build the company and production facilities “from the scratch” — and they managed to do it. The original name of the Company was South Food, Inc. — it was the joint venture of the Swedish partners and the State Property Fund (SPF) of Ukraine. 
 

The company "Chumak" was the first to produce ketchup in Ukraine

For the first time, Chumak Company introduced ketchup to the Ukrainian customers. Before, regulations of the State Department of Food Quality and the Register of Foodstuff didn’t recognize ketchup as a type of food – the closest known product was tomato sauce.

Chumak Company successfully advocated for official adoption of the "ketchup" term and launched the first ketchup-producing facility in Ukraine. Soon after the ketchup was launched, Chumak became the general sponsor of the Tavria Games, at that time the country’s largest popular music festival. In a way, it was a bow of respect to the southern region, in the ancient times known as Tavria.

Purchase of factories in Kakhovka for the production of sunflower oil

Chumak purchased two more production facilities in Kakhovka – this time for sunflower oil production. One of them, an abandoned concrete panel plant was converted into an oil extraction and bottling plant in no more than six months. It was the first sunflower oil production facility in the region operating on such level.

2000

This year, on the edge of two centuries, the Company grew by 78% as a result of successful sales-work and reasonable product positioning. Chumak also boasted the Europe’s largest cucumber field. That same year, the company’s two sunflower oil production enterprises were merged into one firm: Chumak Oil.

Chumak also started co-packing cooperation with leading Argentinean Food Company "Molinos de la Plata", producing sunflower oil under the brand Molinos.

2002

Chumak ketchup won the semi-annual Choice of the Year competition — twice. That same year, the Government awarded Chumak with the medal "For Ukraine’s Revival" of the 1st grade for the firm’s "significant contribution into Ukraine’s economy".

Chumak also added some prominent partners during this period. Cooperation with Orkla Foods marked the new stage of in Chumak’s product development efforts and added significant knowledge within the fields of sales and marketing.

2004

Sales grew considerably as Chumak brand reached wider audience through distribution growth and new product launches. Chumak launched its Original and Provance mayonnaises in the 200g soft packs, which was good competitive step.

The mayonnaises line was extended with two new varieties: Original Light and Delicate. Later Chumak Original Light and Delicate mayonnaises where introduced in 1 kg and 2 kg pails, which made them more suitable for catering service.

Kuharsky Sauces line was renovated in May, 2004. Four different tastes were offered to consumers: Classic, Vegetable, with Spices, with Herbs and made a real success on the Ukrainian market.

2006

The year started with the new advertising campaign of Chumak launching, which focused on the fact that Chumak Ketchup is the only Ukrainian ketchup without preservatives and colorings available in a soft packaging.

2008

In 2008, capacities of the tomato processing plant doubled and reached 2,500,000 kg of tomatoes per annum. In addition, Chumak introduced the new technology for production of preserving agents-free mayonnaise. In March 2008, the Investment Company Dragon Capital and East Capital Bering Ukraine Fund jointly bought 70% stock of Chumak from one of the Company’s co-founders — Professor Hans Rausing. Later this year, the Company completed construction of the new office in Kakhovka town. 

2010

2010 – We launched new macaroni plant. The plant produces the best-selling types of macaroni in Ukraine: "Trubochki”, “Periia”, “Spiralki”, “Cherepashki”, “Vermishel”, “Rozhki”. Construction of new plant was commenced in 2009 and completed in 2010. The project investments were USD 3 mln.

In addition, we launched spaghetti sauces – the product that is absolutely new for Ukrainian market. We are producing four types of sauces – “Arrabbiata”, “Boscaiola”, “Napolitana” and “Italian Bolognese”. 

2012

Chumak offered to consumers a new range of natural juices produced from local fruits. The range includes popular tastes such as Apple, Multifruit, Apple-Grape, Peach and others. In 2012, with a score of 84% out of 100%, Chumak passed SCQM audit of Heinz Company. 

2014

The Company launched new fruit product for children above three-year-old - smoothie “Fruzi” in suitable Tetra classic package of 65 g. 100% natural. No added sugar or water.
Chumak passed the audit for compliance with integrated safety management system and the quality of food products ordered by Auchan and the result of testing was 99% from 100%. As a result of the audit for compliance with the system of quality and safety food management by company Metro, Chumak gained respectively 99% from 100%.

2016

The Company launched a number of new products: 
-    Extension of the Fruzi line with chocolate flavor; 
-    Ketchup Light with stevia extract which totally replaces sugar; 
-    Ketchup Red hot with spicy jalapeno pepper; 
-    Cheese Condiment Sauce; 
-    Foodservice products in a special package of 1 kg: Ketchup Tomato, mayonnaise French Provencal, tomato paste 20%. 
Chumak obtained FSSC 22000 certificate for the production of pasta. 

Establishment of Chumak

Gradually they came to the idea of calling the Company “Chumak”. This name is deeply rooted in the Ukrainian history and closely tied with the operational region of the Company. “Chumaks’ were traveling merchants. In the 17th century, they were engaged in trading salt and other goods, traveling from Ukraine’s southern Black Sea coast into Russia and Western Europe, exchanging salt for money and goods.

Chumaks had given the new name for the Milky Way — in Ukraine, it is called “the Chumak’s Way”. Chumak celebrates the Company’s birthday on May 29 — a day when the Ukrainian Closed Joint-Stock Company Chumak was launched with $4.1 million in start-up capital. Further events are the history of continuous perfection and rapid development.

Cooperation with McDonald's

The Company purchased its second production facility, an outmoded canning factory in Skadovsk, Kherson region. After a thorough renovation, Chumak was able to process ripe Kherson tomatoes within hours after harvesting.

Also, the Company launched the first mayonnaise of the European quality in Ukraine.

Original Mayonnaise, or simply "Spravzhniy Mayonnaise" in Ukrainian, became a real success in the consumer market. This year marked the start of servicing McDonald`s as Chumak became their first supplier ever in the CIS. Starting with cucumbers, ketchup and mayonnaise followed as regular products supplied to McDonald`s. The 

1999

Chumak introduced new environmentally safe packaging — EcoLean, a state-of-the-art packaging material that binds natural carbonates with plastics. The first bottle of Chumak sunflower oil was released and Chumak quickly took the second position in the big Ukrainian market for bottled sunflower oil.

Chumak significantly improved the vegetable growing technologies introducing drip irrigation to the Kherson region. The relevant system was deployed in Ukraine for the first time.

They brought plastic drip irrigation pipes from Sweden to serve 20 hectares of land. The pipe was installed on land the Company rented from a local collective farm, and the results were impressive. On an experimental tomato field, local farmers together yielded 80 tons of tomatoes per hectare. This was twice the record set in the former Soviet Union, and about five times the average yield before irrigation! 

2001

The Company launched Ukraine’s largest fresh tomato processing plant when a refurbished plant opened at the site of an old canning factory in Skadovsk. This was also the only plant in Ukraine to handle the complete production cycle - from fresh tomatoes to finished product. This made Chumak the only producer in Ukraine to make tomato juice beginning with ripe tomatoes, rather than from tomato concentrate.

The high quality level of Chumak production was once again confirmed when the Company won the contract for producing Calve ketchup for Unilever.

2003

Chumak introduced new tomato paste in a new convenient package Tetra Classic. The "Tomato Pyramid" quickly became a favorite with the Ukrainian customers as it was optimal for one-time dosage of tomato paste for many of the popular Ukrainian dishes.

Later on, Chumak launched the premium class canned vegetable line, which included Adjika, Sweet Pepper and Cherry Tomatoes. In December, Chumak launched ketchup in doypacks, which quickly gained popularity among Ukrainians because of high quality and excellent taste. An office was established in Kiev where the Sales Management and Chumak Marketing Team since reside.

2005

In 2005 Chumak brand captured major market shares in all its main categories. Major news included new varieties of ketchup and mayonnaise as well as targeted offers for the catering market. Chumak took part in developing the condimenting culture by launching two new lines of products: Chumak Condiment Sauces and Salad Dressings "Salad+".

2007

Chumak Company put into operation the largest tomato processing plant in the Central and Eastern Europe in Kakhovka town, Kherson region. In view of the new facility launch and striving for perfection of tomato processing efficiency and quality improvement, Chumak decided to terminate tomato-processing operations at Skadovsk canning factory.

Chumak processes tomatoes using technologies and equipment of the leading European manufacturers, which ensure high processing efficiency of excellent quality of products. 

2009

Chumak is building the macaroni plant in Kakhovka. The tentative commissioning date falls on December 2009. Chumak was certified of Safety Management System of Food for compliance with the national standard DSTU ISO 22000 Ukraine, which corresponds to the international standard ISO 22000: 2008.

2011

Chumak Tomato paste won the "Choice of the Year" award. In 2011, the Company launched a new affordable brand of pasta of soft wheat – Pasta Prima. It combines Italian quality and attractive Ukrainian price.

2013

In 2013, Chumak introduced new product – Ketchup for Children, which was recognized as the most successful launch of the year by Effie contest. 

2015

The Chumak Company launched Yellow ketchup – the unique product on the world market of tomato ketchup. 

The next step in the development of the Сompany was the certification of safety management system of food products for compliance with the FSSC 22000 certification. It was the requirement of the clients such as Unilever, trade networks of the EU and Ukraine. FSSC 22000 is one of the certification systems for processing of food products, approved by the Global Initiative for Food Safety Standards - GFSI.

2017

The Company launched new condiment sauce - Blue Cheese, to support the growing successful category.  
We opened sales for new range of delicacies: dried tomatoes in glass and Pesto sauce. 
Chumak passed the audit for compliance with the international global standard BRC GFSI.
Chumak arranged a charity action to raise funds for the purchase of cardiac implants for children, transferring 15 kopeeks from each sold pack of ketchup to “Nove Zhyttya” charitable organization.