In response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Danish entrepreneur Brian Karstens sought a way to support Ukraine’s struggle, recognizing that his military days were far behind him. As the domestic demand for Ukrainian products plummeted due to the ongoing conflict, Karstens, at the time serving as the Category Group Manager for Beverages at Coop Denmark, a prominent Danish retailer, identified an opportunity to introduce Ukrainian brands to Western markets.
In collaboration with the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office of Ukraine (EEPO) and the Federation of Employers in Ukraine, Karstens embarked on a mission to establish partnerships between Coop and Ukrainian companies. After a series of 32 meetings, Coop successfully forged contracts with several Ukrainian businesses, initiating the import of a range of products, including wine, beer, vodka, sunflower oil, frozen berries, cheese, and more into Denmark.
The fundamental motivation behind this endeavor was to provide immediate support to Ukrainian enterprises during these trying times, with the strategic goal of ensuring that they would already have a foothold in European markets once the conflict subsides.
In the words of Brian Karstens, “When people are in need or in trouble, don’t give them fish, give them a fishing rod.”
While Brian Karstens is no longer associated with Coop since March, his commitment to bringing Ukrainian products to Denmark remains unwavering. In August, he established the Trade4Aid organization, which focuses on aiding Ukraine’s war effort through product imports.
Karstens explained, “I initiated negotiations with various Ukrainian suppliers and soon onboarded some of the companies that Coop had not pursued.”
Trade4Aid has garnered support from EPPO and is currently collaborating with notable Ukrainian producers such as Shabo winery from Odesa, Lviv Handmade Chocolates, and the Mova Brewery in Dnipro.
Notably, Trade4Aid has already begun delivering Ukrainian products to Denmark. The organization distributes these products to third-party retailers and offers them as gift sets on its website, coinciding with the upcoming Christmas season. This initiative not only fosters economic support for Ukraine but also provides Danish consumers with an opportunity to appreciate the quality and craftsmanship of Ukrainian products.
