From Survival to Expansion: Ukrainian Companies Abroad

What began as an emergency wartime response is increasingly becoming a long-term corporate transformation.

Since 2022, thousands of Ukrainian businesses have expanded operations into Poland and other EU markets — not only to preserve continuity, but also to access new customers, supply chains, and investment opportunities.

According to Polish economic data, Ukrainians registered more than 77,000 new sole proprietorships in Poland between 2022 and mid-2024. In some periods, Ukrainians accounted for nearly 10% of all newly created businesses in the country.

Ukrainian logistics operators, manufacturers, restaurant chains, industrial exporters, and defence-tech firms are increasingly building cross-border business structures integrated with European markets.

One of the most visible examples is Nova Poshta , which transformed wartime logistics capabilities into an international delivery network spanning Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, and other European markets.

Ajax Systems accelerated international expansion during the war, significantly strengthening its European distribution network while expanding production capacity abroad.

Kormotech became another notable example of wartime internationalization. Despite the war, the company expanded exports from 19 to 39 countries and continued investing in manufacturing expansion within the EU.

Ukrainian consumer and hospitality brands also expanded aggressively:

* Lviv Croissants entered Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and other European markets.

* !FEST expanded its “Drunken Cherry” concept into Germany, Switzerland, France, Hungary, Lithuania, and the UK.

* Chornomorka continued opening locations abroad during the war.

* Aroma Kava also expanded into Central European markets.

For many Ukrainian companies, internationalization is no longer simply about wartime survival.

It is becoming part of a broader strategic shift toward:

* integration into EU supply chains,

* diversified operational structures,

* access to European financing,

* cross-border talent pools,

* and long-term regional expansion.

The result is the emergence of a more internationally connected, export-oriented, and operationally flexible generation of Ukrainian companies — shaped by crisis, but increasingly competing on a regional European level.

Entrypoint supports investors, corporates, and advisory firms in understanding Ukraine’s evolving business landscape through locally sourced business intelligence, operational risk analysis, and strategic due diligence across Ukraine and the broader CEE/FSU region.