Logistics in time of war: How to expand business even during a war
When a major hurdle is placed in the path of growth of your business, how do you respond? If you are Suziria Group, a Ukrainian family business on the market for over 30 years, you find a way to go over, around or through that hurdle. Even if that hurdle is the biggest possible one: war. In this inspiring presentation, the chair of the board and co-owner of Suziria Group, Polina Kosharna, will tell how her company has faced the full-scale war in Ukraine and the accompanying challenges in the retail, distribution, and production sectors.
- In terms of production, this includes not only continually operating its main facility in Kharkiv despite its proximity to the front lines, but opening a new facility in September 2022 in Kalush, in western Ukraine.
- In the area of logistics, the company maintains 15,000 sq. m. of warehouse space in four facilities: in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Kalush, and Lviv, the last one opened in early 2023 despite the ongoing war.
- It operates the retail chain MasterZoo, which counted over 130 stores at the start of the full-scale war, although that number is now smaller as several stores have been destroyed.
- The company has sponsored pet-support charities in Ukraine to take care of pets who have suffered enormously from the war.
- Last but not least, the company, its management and its employees have understandably had to deal with enormous personal struggles related to the war.
