3-5x cheaper than US/EU 3PL — wholesale fulfillment into Ukrainian retail chains
International brands (US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland) enter 30+ Ukrainian retail chains (Silpo, ATB, Watsons, Eva, Metro, Modnakasta) through our Kyiv hub. No Ukrainian legal entity required — agency model under our operational partner. Monthly settlement in USD/EUR to your account.
✓ Reply within 15 min · WhatsApp or phone · international numbers welcome
Or message us on Telegram →Full unit-economics comparison — Ukraine vs US vs EU B2B 3PL
Independently verifiable rates published by major 3PL providers (ShipBob, Red Stag, Flexport US; FIEGE, Rhenus, Kuehne+Nagel EU). MTP Kyiv pricing public on this page. Source of arbitrage: Ukrainian labor cost ($600-800/mo warehouse worker vs $3,000-4,500 US, $2,200-2,800 EU) and warehouse real estate cost ($35-50/sqm/year vs $120-180 US, $100-150 EU). Quality (99.98% pick accuracy, 24h SLA) is comparable to US/EU 3PL because we run the same WMS technology stack.
| Operation | 🇺🇦 MTP UKRAINE | 🇺🇸 US 3PL | 🇪🇺 EU 3PL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pallet storage (per month) | $10 | $35-50 | $40-65 |
| B2B order pick & pack (multi-SKU) | $0.41 | $1.20-1.80 | $1.80-2.50 |
| Cross-docking pallet (transit) | $7 | $25-40 | $30-50 |
| Inbound receiving (per pallet) | $3 | $15-25 | $15-30 |
| EDI / chain integration (monthly) | Included | $300-800 | $400-1,000 |
| Warehouse worker (loaded cost/mo) | $600-800 | $3,000-4,500 | $2,200-2,800 |
| Warehouse real estate ($/sqm/year) | $35-50 | $120-180 | $100-150 |
| Annual cost — 50 pallets, 200 orders/mo | $6,000-7,000 | $24,000-30,000 | $30,000-40,000 |
Why the Ukrainian B2B retail market opened for international brands in 2026
Russian and Belarusian suppliers exited the Ukrainian retail market following the 2022 invasion. Categories remain open across cosmetics, premium food, fashion, household chemistry, textile. Retail chains are actively reaching out to international suppliers with offers. Margin in Ukrainian retail is typically 30-50% above the brand's domestic market for premium categories.
Fourth-largest Eastern European retail market
36 million people, median monthly income $580, growing middle class concentrated in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro. Active retail infrastructure: 300+ Silpo premium food stores, 1,500+ ATB mass food, 800+ Watsons and Eva beauty chain locations, plus regional chains. Total annual B2B logistics flow $2-3 billion.
Open category niches after RF/BY supplier exit
Cosmetics, premium food, fashion, household chemistry — categories where Ukrainian retail actively seeks international alternatives. Watsons and Eva have dedicated programs for international beauty brand entry. Silpo and Metro actively recruit European premium food. Modnakasta and INTERTOP openly source international fashion labels.
Margin uplift vs brand's domestic market
Premium beauty, premium food, fashion — Ukrainian retail prices typically 30-50% above brand's domestic equivalent. Watsons/Brocard premium beauty pricing comparable to Sephora EU. Silpo premium food pricing comparable to Waitrose mid-tier. Margin captured by international brand entering with cost-efficient Ukraine fulfillment vs running country direct.
EU-Ukraine and UK-Ukraine free trade areas
EU brands benefit from EU-Ukraine DCFTA — zero or reduced import duties for most categories. UK brands benefit from UK-Ukraine FTA. US brands — standard MFN tariffs typically 0-10%. Customs clearance process well-established with multiple specialized brokers. Average customs clearance time 1-3 business days.
Agency model — no Ukrainian legal entity required
Through our Ukrainian operational partner under agency agreement. Your brand remains a US LLC, UK Ltd, German GmbH, etc. We act as the Ukrainian legal counterparty to the retail chain. All Ukrainian compliance (VAT, accounting, EDI signature, alcohol/pharma licenses) on our side. You receive monthly settlement in USD/EUR to your home-country account.
Currency risk on us, not on you
Ukrainian hryvnia carries war-related currency risk. Our model: Ukrainian retail pays us in UAH, we convert at NBU daily rate and remit to you in USD or EUR to your bank account in the US, UK, Germany, Poland, or wherever. Conversion fee 0.5-1%. Settlement SLA 5 business days. Currency risk taken by us — you see only USD/EUR.
8 steps from contract to first shipment to Ukrainian retail chain
- 1. Contract with our Ukrainian operational partner (days 1-3). Agency agreement. Your international brand stays in its home jurisdiction. Our partner sells on your behalf to Ukrainian retail. Contract specifies SLA, rates, USD/EUR settlement terms, liability.
- 2. Documentation prep from your side (days 3-7). Corporate registration documents, banking info, commercial invoice for first inbound, certificate of origin (EUR.1 for EU, US-Ukraine for US, UK-Ukraine for UK), HS code classification. For alcohol — excise documentation. For food/pharma — quality certificates.
- 3. International transportation (days 7-14). US→UA: 30-45 days sea via Black Sea/Odesa or 15-21 days air. UK→UA: 7-12 days road+sea or 3-5 days air. EU→UA (DE/PL/NL): 5-10 days truck. China→UA: 35-50 days sea or 8-15 days air. Ukrainian import declaration at border, 20% VAT payment, customs clearance 1-3 business days.
- 4. Inbound and WMS slotting (days 14-16). Receive shipment, photo-document condition, verify against commercial invoice. Each SKU gets WMS slot tied to your brand. Alcohol — separate licensed zone at Bilohorodka facility. Food/cosmetics — FEFO zone. Premium goods — separate secure area.
- 5. Supplier registration with retail chain (days 16-21). Documentation package for Silpo, ATB, Watsons, Eva, Metro, Modnakasta, INTERTOP. Our operational partner already has supplier status with most major chains — your brand plugs in through us as a new supplier in our portfolio.
- 6. EDI protocol setup (days 21-25). Vchasno EDI for general documentation. Comarch EDI for ATB. SAP Ariba for Metro. Edin for pharma. Invoices, delivery notes, acceptance acts generated in our WMS, signed with qualified electronic signature from our operator side.
- 7. First test shipment end-to-end (days 25-30). Test order from the retail chain for 1-2 pallets to validate full cycle: pick → EDI documents → Nova Poshta Cargo → chain receiving → EDI check-in → status "delivered" → invoice to chain. If all works — go production.
- 8. Production + monthly USD/EUR settlement. Chain orders flow into our WMS, we pick-pack-document-ship. Monthly settlement: Ukrainian revenue minus fulfillment fee minus customs costs minus commission = net USD/EUR remitted to your bank account. Settlement SLA 5 business days. NBU daily conversion rate.
Six international brand scenarios we operate in 2026
🇺🇸 US beauty → Eva / Watsons
US natural beauty brand (clean ingredients, indie premium) entering Ukrainian beauty retail. Eva and Watsons actively recruit US niche labels. Volume per typical brand: 8-25 pallets/month. Cross-border US→UA via sea container 30-45 days (cost-efficient for non-perishable). Margin in Ukrainian retail typically 35-45% above US DTC pricing.
🇬🇧 UK premium food → Silpo / Novus
UK premium food brand (gourmet, organic, niche) entering Ukrainian premium food retail. Silpo and Novus actively expanding international portfolios. Volume per typical brand: 5-15 pallets/month. Cross-border UK→UA via road+sea 7-12 days or air 3-5 days for perishables. UK-Ukraine FTA = zero import duties for most categories.
🇩🇪 German FMCG → ATB / Auchan
German FMCG brand (cleaning products, household chemistry, personal care) entering Ukrainian mass retail. ATB and Auchan actively recruit German FMCG to replace exited Russian/Belarusian suppliers. Volume per typical brand: 15-40 pallets/month. Cross-border DE→UA via truck 5-7 days. EU-Ukraine DCFTA = zero import duties for most categories.
🇮🇹 Italian fashion → Modnakasta / INTERTOP
Italian fashion brand (apparel, footwear, accessories — mid-premium tier) entering Ukrainian fashion retail. Modnakasta and INTERTOP openly source international labels. Volume per typical brand: 10-25 pallets/month seasonal. Cross-border IT→UA via truck 7-10 days. EU-Ukraine DCFTA = zero duties on most fashion categories.
🇵🇱 Polish beauty → Eva / Prostor / Cosmo
Polish beauty brand (Inglot, Bielenda, Eveline-style — mass-market premium) entering Ukrainian beauty retail. Eva, Prostor, Cosmo actively recruit Polish beauty given geographic proximity and supply chain stability. Volume per typical brand: 12-30 pallets/month. Cross-border PL→UA via truck 3-5 days. EU-Ukraine DCFTA.
🇫🇷🇪🇸 Premium wine → Wine.ua / Silpo wine
French and Spanish wine brands entering Ukrainian wine retail. Wine.ua, Silpo wine section, Novus wine, premium wine shops actively expanding international portfolios. Volume per typical brand: 3-12 pallets/month. Cross-border FR/ES→UA via truck 8-12 days. Alcohol licensed zone at our Bilohorodka facility. Excise documentation handled by our operator.
Transparent unit-economics for international wholesale brands
Pallet storage $10/mo + B2B order pick & pack $0.41/order + Ukrainian delivery $30-60/pallet paid by retail chain + cross-border transportation $30-80/pallet one-time per inventory replenishment + legal/accounting bundle $200-400/mo flat. Minimum monthly fee $500 first 3 months, then covered by actual volume.
- WMS-tracked slot
- Racking up to 2 tons/level
- Alcohol licensed zone
- FEFO for food/cosmetics
- 24/7 dashboard access
- Multi-SKU box or pallet pick
- 2-stage barcode scan
- QC checkpoint $120+
- EDI invoice + delivery note
- Carrier handover
- Ukrainian customs + VAT
- EDI signature from our operator
- USD/EUR settlement processing
- NBU rate conversion, 0.5-1% fee
- 5-business-day settlement SLA
Honest about war risk — and what we do about it
Our Kyiv-region facilities are 35-45km from the city center, outside primary missile impact zones. Kyiv region has experienced air raid alerts and occasional strikes — we run risk mitigation at multiple layers.
Insurance coverage
Inventory war-risk insurance via Ukrainian insurers covering warehoused goods. Cost $0.30-0.80 per $100 of inventory value monthly. Coverage for missile damage, fire, theft, mechanical damage. International brands typically include this as standard line item.
30-day inventory cap
Standard practice for international brands is keeping ~30 days of Ukrainian inventory, not 90+ days. Distributed retail-chain delivery means inventory moves out within 3-7 days of pick request. Static exposure to single-warehouse risk is reduced.
Physical hardening
Both facilities have generator backup (Diesel + LPG), blast-protective measures on critical doors, fire suppression systems, security personnel. Shchaslyve facility built post-2022 with war-resilient specifications. Bilohorodka facility upgraded 2023.
Zero operational downtime
Since February 2022 across our customer base — zero days of operational downtime. During missile attacks, operations pause briefly during air raid alerts (typical alert 1-3 hours) then resume. Customer SLAs honored throughout the full war period.
Government compensation
Ukrainian government has compensation scheme for war-damaged commercial property and inventory. Process is bureaucratic but established. Combined with private insurance creates effective dual-layer protection.
Distributed customer base
We operate 60,000+ shipments/month across 250+ customers. No single brand represents more than 5% of warehouse capacity. Risk spread across many SKUs and many delivery destinations.
Common questions from international wholesale brands
Can a US brand sell wholesale to Ukrainian retail chains without setting up a Ukrainian legal entity?
Yes. Cross-border B2B model through our Ukrainian operational partner under agency agreement. Your US LLC stays in its home jurisdiction, we sell on your behalf. All Ukrainian compliance on our side. Monthly USD/EUR settlement to your US bank account.
How does Ukrainian B2B fulfillment cost compare to US and EU 3PL?
$10/pallet/mo storage Ukraine vs $35-50 US vs $40-65 EU. $0.41/order pick & pack vs $1.20-1.80 US vs $1.80-2.50 EU. Annual cost for 50 pallets + 200 orders/month: $6,000-7,000 Ukraine vs $24,000-30,000 US vs $30,000-40,000 EU. 3-5x arbitrage driven by labor and real estate costs.
Which Ukrainian retail chains can an international brand reach through your fulfillment?
30+ chains with pre-existing supplier protocols: Silpo, ATB, Watsons, Eva, Prostor, Cosmo, Brocard, Metro, Novus, Modnakasta, INTERTOP, Allo, Foxtrot, Epicentr, Auchan, Fozzy. Our operational partner already has supplier status with most major chains — saves 2-4 months of traditional registration.
What is the onboarding timeline for an international wholesale brand?
21-30 business days contract to first shipment. Cycle: contract → documentation → international transport → WMS inbound → supplier registration with chain → EDI setup → test shipment → production. For pharma/food certification or large volumes — up to 45 days.
What are Ukrainian VAT and customs implications for inbound?
20% Ukrainian VAT on imports from customs value, paid at border. We facilitate via customs broker. Recovered through sales in 1-3 months. EU brands benefit from EU-Ukraine DCFTA (zero or reduced duties). UK brands benefit from UK-Ukraine FTA. US/China brands — standard MFN typically 0-10%.
How does your team handle Ukrainian EDI for international brands?
We operate within Ukrainian supplier portals as your operational partner. Vchasno (general), Comarch (ATB), SAP Ariba (Metro), Edin (pharma). Documents generated in our WMS, signed with qualified electronic signature from our operator side. Your brand doesn't need Ukrainian QES.
What is the cost of cross-border transportation US/EU/China to Ukraine?
US→UA: $2,500-4,000 per 40ft container sea (30-45 days) or $8-12/kg air (15-21 days). UK→UA: $1,800-2,800 road+sea or $5-8/kg air (7-12 days). EU→UA: $1,200-2,000 per 40ft truck (5-10 days). China→UA: $2,000-3,500 sea. One-time per inventory replenishment, averages out to $30-80/pallet.
Why has the Ukrainian B2B retail market opened for international brands since 2022?
Russian and Belarusian suppliers exited following 2022 invasion. Categories remain open: cosmetics, premium food, fashion, household chemistry, textile. Retail chains actively reach out to international suppliers. Margin 30-50% above brand's domestic market for premium categories.
What about war risk for our inventory in Ukraine?
Real consideration. Facilities 35-45km from Kyiv center, outside primary impact zones. Mitigation: war-risk insurance ($0.30-0.80 per $100 inventory/mo), 30-day inventory cap, generator backup + blast protection, zero days operational downtime since Feb 2022, government compensation scheme available.
Other services for international brands entering Ukraine
Cost arbitrage + open market window — Ukrainian B2B fulfillment for international wholesale brands
The Ukrainian B2B retail market has opened up substantially since 2022 for international brands. Russian and Belarusian suppliers exited following the invasion, leaving categories open across cosmetics, premium food, fashion, household chemistry, textile, and niche segments. Retail chains (Silpo, ATB, Watsons, Eva, Metro, Modnakasta, INTERTOP) actively reach out to international suppliers — Watsons has a dedicated international beauty entry program, Silpo expanding premium food portfolios, Modnakasta openly sourcing international fashion labels.
Cost arbitrage is the second compelling factor. Pallet storage in Ukraine costs $10/month vs $35-50 US 3PL vs $40-65 EU 3PL. B2B order pick & pack costs $0.41/order vs $1.20-1.80 US vs $1.80-2.50 EU. Annual cost for a typical international wholesale brand running 50 pallets and 200 B2B orders/month: $6,000-7,000 in Ukraine vs $24,000-30,000 in the US vs $30,000-40,000 in the EU. The 3-5x cost differential is driven by Ukrainian labor cost ($600-800/mo warehouse worker vs $3,000-4,500 US, $2,200-2,800 EU) and warehouse real estate cost ($35-50/sqm/year vs $120-180 US, $100-150 EU). Quality (99.98% pick accuracy, 24h SLA, full EDI integration) is comparable to US/EU 3PL because we run the same WMS technology stack.
Our agency model eliminates the key barrier — no need to set up a Ukrainian legal entity. Your international brand remains a US LLC, UK Ltd, German GmbH, Italian SpA, French SAS, Polish Sp. z o.o., or whatever your home jurisdiction. Our Ukrainian operational partner acts as the legal counterparty to the Ukrainian retail chain under an agency agreement. All Ukrainian compliance (VAT registration, accounting, EDI qualified electronic signature, alcohol/pharma licenses where applicable) is on our side. You receive monthly revenue settlement in USD or EUR to your home-country bank account. Currency risk of the Ukrainian hryvnia is on us — Ukrainian retail pays us in UAH, we convert at NBU daily rate, you see only USD/EUR with a 0.5-1% conversion fee and 5-business-day settlement SLA.
Onboarding timeline is 21-30 business days from contract signing to first shipment to a Ukrainian retail chain. Cycle: contract with our Ukrainian operational partner, documentation prep from your side, international transportation (US 15-45 days, EU 5-10 days, UK 7-12 days, China 35-50 days), inbound and WMS slotting, supplier registration with the retail chain through our partner, EDI protocol setup (Comarch for ATB, SAP Ariba for Metro, Vchasno for general), test shipment, then production. Our operational partner already has supplier status with 30+ major Ukrainian retail chains — saving 2-4 months versus traditional supplier registration where each brand registers with each chain from scratch.
War risk is real but managed. Facilities are 35-45km from Kyiv center, outside primary missile impact zones. Mitigation: war-risk insurance ($0.30-0.80 per $100 of inventory value monthly), 30-day inventory cap practice, generator backup and blast protection, zero days of operational downtime across our customer base since February 2022, government compensation scheme for damaged commercial property. International brands typically include insurance as a standard line item and operate normally.
See also: fulfillment Ukraine for international brands, order pick & pack 47 seconds, eastern Ukraine for wholesale, cost calculator for your brand, all fulfillment services, 3PL logistics for international brands.