The main production facilities of the corporation include Joint Stock Company Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Plant Radomyshl situated 70 km away from Kyiv and manufacturing all juice and beer products of the corporation and POK Kherson LLC. (fruit and vegetable plant), situated in a very convenient for production of grocery products place, namely Kherson regions, which is known for growing the best sorts of vegetables and fruits in Ukraine.

History of the plant

The history of this once small brewery begins in 1886. It was founded by Czech brothers Ignat and Frank Albrecht. Radomyshl became the ideal place for founding a beer brewery with soft water, barley and hop, grown by local farmers, clean environment and hard-working people. The brewery was growing quite fast and legends began to appear about Radomyshl beer. First, mainly Czech sort of beer was brewed here, namely classical Pilsen. Later, other popular beer in the world was introduced, in particular Viennese, Bock-Beer, Munich. Also the brewery began to produce its own recipes: Ukrainian, Oksamytne, Bohdanovi Shlyakhy (Bohdan’s Paths), Volodymyrske Osoblyve (Volodymyr’s Special).

October revolution of 1917 marked the beginning of a new and not very bright epoch for the Radomyshl brewery. Czech owners emigrated and the fame of Radomyshl beer began to fade slowly. The Soviet style of development prohibited displaying individuality and the brewery turned into a usual brewery that brewed unified at the time sorts of beer, Zhygulevskoye being the most popular one. The new era of Ukraine’s development, its independence and transition to market economy hit the production hard and the local brewery with once glorious history began to slowly die.

Several years ago, a young and ambitious management team of Ridna Marka of Group of Companies approved a daring and historical decision for Radomyshl brewery, in particular to organize in Ukraine production of world’s popular original beer, namely wheat beer of Bavarian type Weissbier. The objective of the company was to present to the Ukrainian consumer the standard taste of real Bavarian Weissbier and not simply unfiltered beer using wheat malt. The idea of production was brought from Bavaria.

Having analyzed different possibilities of brewing wheat beer in Ukraine, including bottling of beer at already existing production capacities, the management of Ridna Marka of Group of Companies came to conclusion that it was advisable to build a new specialized facility, because it is simply impossible to brew original wheat beer in correspondence with the original technology at a usual brewery, even if it is well equipped.

In 2001, the new stage of Radomyshl Brewery development began. The plant became the main production base of Ridna Marka of Group of Companies. In 2001-2003, 2 unique technological facilities were built here: for production of original wheat beer and natural juice products.

Radomyshl Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Plant was chosen as the main ground not accidentally. It was perfect for such an unusual project: excellent location, ideal environment and glorious history of the plant, which you could see even on the walls of the plant.

This is how the revival of Radomyshl Brewery began. The first thing that was done was recovery of existing capacities. Reconstruction of the plant was done in such a way to ensure production of high quality barley beer preserving the old recipes. Today, Radomyshl Plant is probably the only one in Ukraine that brews beer by old way, namely by classical beer brewing technology. Small production volumes facilitated organization of production of this unique live beer product. At the re-launch stage, the specialists of the company considerably improved the quality of raw materials, adapted the technology, changed the style of the trademark and gave life to classical Czech Pilsen, manufactured under the TM Radomyshl.

Meanwhile, construction of new unique ultra-modern specialized complex for production of wheat beer began on the territory of the plant. The following European manufacturers were involved in construction and equipment supply of the plant: KHS, Ziemann Group, Westfalia Separator Food Tec Gmbh, Grasso International B.V.

Beer complex

Beer complex is put into operation in three stages.

The first line of the new beer complex was launched in October 2003. Special highly technological beer brewing and attendant equipment was installed here and all technological processes for production of true Bavarian Weissbier were organized. In particular, the facility uses two-tank technology of fermentation and maturing of beer. At that, the process of its fermentation takes place at higher temperatures than for barley beer. Authentic sorts of wheat malt, special aromatic hop are used for the production and special top yeast is being cultivated. All processes are fully automated at the plant. The quality of the incoming raw materials and finished products are thoroughly traced in a specially designed laboratory.

Ideal microbiological environment is another important factor for production of original wheat beer. If there is no absolute sterility, there will not be high quality beer and that is why wheat beer is considered the most ecologically clean in the world. The plant management pays a lot of attention to ecology and microbiology. There is a whole complex of measures ensuring ideal environment for production of beer.

The year 2006 saw the launch of the second line of production, which increased capacities for production of barley beer: beer that is brewed by traditional classical recipes, beer, in which only natural beer ingredients are used, namely malt, hop, yeast and water; and beer, which by that time became short in supply in the western regions of Ukraine. Having launched the second line of production, Ridna Marka of Group of Companies acquired a possibility to present on the market another unique beer – TM Radomyshl beer by organizing its production in convenient, popular on the western markets innovational package – PET bottles 0.5l.

In 2007 is put into operation the third turn of manufacture that has deduced combine on the general capacity nearby 10 million dal. of beer and kvass per year. After that, in May, 2008 started the new PET-line which has increased capacity up to 15 million dal. of beer and kvass per year.

All beer recipes are developed with participation of leading Bavarian specialists and schools. Bavaria native Markus Jungblut was the one who organized the launch of beer production. At the moment, German native Ulrich Paize is in charge of the beer production at the plant. The personnel of the plant go through special training. Leading specialists travel abroad for improvement of their skills and knowledge and integrate the best of western experience into the company of the corporation.

Kvass production

In April 2007, Radomyshl brewery launched production of new product - Kvass TM Drevlyansky. The product is produced on the same ultramodern equipment of Radomyshl as used for Ridna Marka beer and juice production.

Into the product development were engaged leading German microbiology and fermentation technology specialists. Under the direction of the plant’s chief brewer the new product was developed. It exclusively combines the best taste and other consumer characteristics from one side and absolute beer production safety from another side.

The basis of process layout is traditional Slavic kvass receipt. Unlike the majority nowadays kvass beverages produced of concentrated products, Kvass Drevlyansky is brewed according to classical methods – of natural bread raw materials and by means of natural fermentation.

The raw materials for kvass production play special role. Kvass Drevlyansky is brewed of selected rye malt, and in combination with local, naturally purified and soft water creates unique taste and aroma of this product. Today Ridna Marka of Group of Companies is the only company in Ukraine that produces kvass of natural ingredients, which are barley and rye malt.

Traditional methods of Kvass Drevlyansky production cause high labour-intensiveness and long production process duration. The whole production cycle takes couple days.

The packing of the new product deserves special note. Besides traditional one and two litre bottles, Kvass Drevlyansky also produced in exclusive, as for the market, 0.5 l bottle.

Juice complex

Juice production capacities of the company are equipped with highly technological lines for production of natural juice products of highly quality. Thanks to the so-called non-contact production technology, all technological processes have become fully computerized. Bottling of juice products is performed in absolute sterility and cleanness. Highly technological equipment of Swedish company Tetra Pak has been installed and functions at the plant (3 production lines of 4 formats), all equipped with up-to-date electronic control systems.

There is a special laboratory at the plant, which performs thorough inspection of raw materials in correspondence with medical and biological requirements and also testing of finished products before shipment.

Juice products are bottled in conditions of absolute sterility and preparation of the package to bottling takes place through a procedure of evaporation of the package at high temperatures. This process of bottling does not involve use of preservatives. At that, the high microbiological quality of the product is preserved!

Oxygen, light and other external factors that could have deteriorated the quality of the product cannot go past the anti-bacterial barrier of the package – laminated plastic on the cardboard basis, aluminum foil and several layers of polyethylene.

Aseptic technology Tetra Pak allows for producing absolutely natural juices without using preservatives and other harmful additives in the production process. At that, there is a possibility of long storing without using the refrigerating equipment.

Raw materials used by the Group of Companies of the juice products are supplied from Germany, the Netherlands, Israel and also Ukraine. Foreign raw materials are supplied to the juice complex in frozen state and remain frozen until bottling. There is no doubt that this method of raw materials transportation is the most expensive one, but it helps preserve all initial properties of fruits before processing. This is the most reliable method of preserving all vitamins and minerals containing in fruits and producing natural, high quality juice products.

Leading specialists of Ukraine working at the juice complex of the corporation introduce newest technologies allowing to manufacture juice products practically without losing health-giving properties of the initial raw materials (fruits, berries and vegetables). Thanks to ultra-modern equipment of the company and high professional skills of the employees, all juice products of Ridna Marka of Group of Companies are tasty and health-giving.

Quality standards

Complex modernization of the production and involvement of famous German brewers helped Radomyshl Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages Plant not only considerably increase output volumes, but also regain high authority on the domestic market. To date, Radomyshl BNABP is an ultra-modern company, the pride of Ukrainian beer brewing and the company that is on one level with the best European breweries. Moreover, in 2004, the complex started to brew Weissbier Etalon, which for the first time in the history of Ukraine was recognized as the best in the world and was awarded Gold Medals in its class at the two most prestigious beer contests: American World Beer Cup®-2004 and European Brewing Industry International Awards-2004.

At the moment, all production capacities of Radomyshl BNABP went through international audit of quality and received official confirmation of compliance of the production with the international ISO standards. The process of water preparation, which includes highly technological filtration, has 8 stages of purification and quality control of the incoming raw materials and finished products is performed in the newest laboratory, all equipment of which has been officially certified in Ukraine.

To date, Radomyshl BNABP manufactures the following products:

Original unfiltered wheat beer of Bavarian type TM Weissbier Etalon;
Light beer TM Kristall;
Natural barley beer TM Radomyshl, restored by classical recipes;
A series Radomyshl Brewery Beer - three grades of beer from fund of world classics;
Natural juices and nectars TM Mriya;
TM Mors Lisova Yahoda – a unique group of juice-containing beverages from fresh forest berries.

Fruit and Vegetable Plant Kherson LLC

POK Kherson LLC. (Fruit and Vegetable Plant Kherson) is a young and promising enterprise, founded in 2005.

The decision on development of this company was dictated first of all by necessity of developing the corporation’s own raw material base for production of juice products. Kherson region was chosen for development of production capacities due to its unique climatic conditions, which allow for growing excellent sorts of fruits and vegetables.

The plant is located in geographically beneficial region of Ukraine – Kherson oblast, town Zelenovka. Today, POK Kherson LLC. is changing the focus of its development. A project on development of production capacities for production of food products – the maximum range of grocery products – has been launched at the plant.

The plant is equipped with a wide production cycle of processing of vegetables and fruits with maximum preservation of vitamins and minerals, which allows for producing the following:

Berry-fruit and vegetable puree of aseptic preservation;
Tomato paste and sauces;
Berry-fruit and vegetable juices;
Canned whole fruits and vegetables.

The use of highly technological process of processing vegetables and fruits and also permanent control of quality allow for guaranteeing to the end consumer tasty, health-giving and high quality products. One of the best in Ukraine team of technologists works at the plant. They are involved in development of recipes of canned fruit and vegetable products, sauces and juices, which by their taste can satisfy the most demanding consumers. Soon, full modernization of production capacities will be performed at the plant, which will allow for expanding the existing possibilities of products and install new lines for production and packaging of new groups of food products.