Ukrainian wine producers on a trade mission in Germany

As part of the project "Promoting the Ukrainian wine sector on EU market", which Eco Viva GmbH and IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH are implementing on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Ukrainian wine producers were on a trade mission in Germany from May 13-17, 2024.

The GIZ project is being implemented as part of the EU4Business program, which is co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the EU. The aim is to strengthen Ukraine's economic resilience, create better conditions for the development of Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and facilitate innovation and exports.

Eight Ukrainian winegrowers took part in the current trade mission. They had previously been selected in a multi-stage process to determine whether they were in a position to market their wines in the EU, and in Germany in particular. Criteria included production volumes and the existence of the necessary certifications and export licenses.

In Düsseldorf and Hamburg, the delegation met well-known German wholesalers and retailers, important wine importers and representatives of industry and trade associations. The program was rounded off by tastings with sommeliers and gastronomy experts, during which the suitability of the wines for the German market was assessed.

In all the numerous discussions, it became clear that Ukrainian wines and grape varieties have great potential to establish themselves on the German market in the long term and to win the loyalty of buyers.

The Ukrainian winegrowers who now export their bottled wines to the UK, the Baltic states, Romania, Bulgaria and Scandinavia, as well as to Japan, also bear witness to this.