Corporate profile

«Universal Fish Company» is the major operator at fish market of Ukraine, presents wide range of services such as import, processing, sales of fish products at domestic market and export deliveries of finished fish produce abroad. Besides, the company owns large cold logistics complex on processing and storage of frozen and fresh produce.

Partners forever

“Universal Fish Company” got success due to care about its partners and fulfilment of its obligations. Thanks to our responsible attitude we have gained our partners’ loyalty, we listen to their opinion and needs, by improving our business we help to improve their business.

“Universal Fish Company” has the possibility to produce fish and seafood according to any client’s requirements (Private Label), we are ready to any variants of mutually beneficial business relationships.

Presence at international market

Since 2014 “Universal Fish Company” has become an official player at global fish market by having made its first export deliveries. Finished produce of own production was highly appraised and sought-after in EU countries where there are pretty high requirements to the quality of foodstuffs.

History of Universal Fish Company

1996

• Foundation of Universal Fish Company with the office of 25 square meters
• Appearance of the first buyers

1997

• First imports of fish and seafood products to Ukraine
• Opening of first fish smoking department in Senkovo village, Kupyansk, Kharkov region

1998

• Purchase of first own refrigerating facilities
• Successful overcoming of crisis in Ukraine

1999

• Building of new production facilities
• Reorganization of fish processing in accordance with European standards
• Futher expansion of sales geography

2000

• Creation of Trade Mark "U.F.C"
• Purchase of specialized vehicles for deliveries of fish products

2001

• New fish processing department was set into operation, enabling to diversify the range of finished fish products.
• Building and launching of modern refrigerated warehouse of 500 ton capacity.

2002

• The first vessel-volume shipment to the Black Sea enables significantly reduced logistics expenses of the Company
• New administrative building was set into operation: office of 1,5 thousand sq. m

2003

• Additional own refrigerating warehouse was put into operation, enabling to increase storage capacity to more than 2 thousand tons
• Increasing of number of own vehicle fleet up to 20 reefer-trucks

2004

• Own railway line was put into operation
• Third department of preserves production was put into operation
• Commissioning of turn key cold-storage of 3.5 thousand ton capacity

2005

• Odessabranch with refrigerating facilities in the port zone, directly on the quay, was opened.
• Delicatessen fish processing department was launched.
• Increasing of staff up to 300 persons

2006

• Kiev branch is opened
• Universal Fish Company covers over 20% of the Ukrainian fish market
• Modern delicacatessen fish processing equipment and new packing and marking equipment were installed, release to the market of delicacatessen fish products under TM “UFC” , TM "Tsarskiy smak"
• Awarding the Owner of UFC the diploma of «the Man of the year» in the «Production» nomination

2007

• The own cold store of 5,000 ton capacity, complying with European standard was launched in Kupyansk
• UFC covers over 30% of Ukrainian fish market due to increase of production of wide assortment of fish products
• Sales volume of the finished fish products under TM “U.F.C” increased up to 1,000 tons per month
• Increasing number of own vehicle fleet up to 50 reefer-trucks.

2008

• Succesfull overcoming of economic crisis in Ukraine
• Professional training of top-management of the Company
• Working out about creation of new brands and fish products

2009

• Lvov branch was opened in the Western region of Ukraine
• Bringing into service new facilities, re-equipment and improvement of the existing production
• Creation and releasing to the Ukrainian market new trade mark - TM Norven
• New caviar department is set and red caviar under ТМ «Classicheskiy Posol» and "Okhotskaya" is processsed
• UFC controls over 40% of total amount of fresh salmon and trout imported to Ukraine
• Development of the new sales channel – franchise trade network "Don Mare" - firm fish shops
• Official presentation of franchise project "Don Mare"
• The first shop “Don Mare” on the basis of franchise system was opened in Kharkov

2010

UFC - the Leader in fresh fish import to Ukraine

• Increasing of volume of production and brand items sales. Increase of salmon and trout sales by 1, 5 times
• Development of client base up to more than 3000 clients all over Ukraine
• Firm fish shop “Don Mare” in Kherson was opened.
• Increase of production volume by 35%

2011

• The share of finished products in the company's turnover made 20%
• A new department of cutting and packing delicatessen fish having area of more than 1500 m2 with new equipment and air-conditioning system was put into operation.
• A sealing machine with vacuumizing function was purchased for caviar department
• opening of a brand store "Don Mare" in Kiev

2012

• Fish and seafood import share of Universal Fish Company in Ukraine - 23%
• Universal Fish Company is №1 company in import of fresh fish
• Launch of full –scale advertising campaign of TM - "Norven”. Achieving leading positions in this category. Increasing of production and sales of vacuum packed delicatessen fish under TM «NORVEN» by 2 times
• The client base of more than 5,000 customers throughout Ukraine
• Opening of brand stores Don Mare in Kremenchuh, Nikolaev, Sumy and Kharkiv. Following the results of 2012 Don Mare is the largest network of fish markets in Ukraine, has 10 stores. Regional distribution warehouses of finished products are opened in Odesa and Lviv
• The company is certified according to the internationally recognized standard of food safety management Food FSSC 22000

2013

Purchase of modern cold logistics complex for processing and storage of frozen and chilled products with a total area of more than 17 000 sq.m. and a possibility to store produce at t -25 ^оС to +10 ^оС
ТМ Norven won recognition of all Ukrainian consumers and got reward “Choice of the Year” in the category “Salmon of the Year”
Expansion of the chain of Don Mare brand shops, according to the results of 2013 the chain expanded to 16 shops
Development and addition into assortment of exclusive products – salmon medallions, preserves with unique recipes («5 Peppers», «Spicy and Savoury»)
Smooth-running system of fresh fish deliveries from Denmark
Smooth-running system of fresh white fish deliveries from Turkey (seabass, seabream)

2014

The company entered the world level, mastered export deliveries to Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Canada
A workshop on salmon production was equipped with new thermoforming machines which allowed to increase capacity, to make the fish production process maximally automatic and improve the quality of the produce.
Redesign of the line of salmon of ТМ Master Fish
ТМ Norven proved its quality once again and got the award “Choice of the Year” in the category “Salmon of the Year”
«Universal Fish Company» took part in its first exhibition of the world level called GLOBAL SEAFOOD EXPO 2014 in Brussels

2015

USA, Germany, Bulgaria, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan have been added to the list of countries in which the company has adjusted exports to.
Cooperation with major distributors and retail chains Metro, Monolith, Spar, Nrl, NetCostmarket and Tesco in various countries
The first (of fish processing enterprises Ukraine) received Kosher certificate Eastern European Kosher Certification for preserves, red fish and caviar.
Production of "Salmon smoked" certified compliance Naturland.
In 2015, in Kiev Obolon opened the biggest corporate fish market "Don Mare" in 1000 sq.m.
The introduction of a new line of snack «Master Fish»

2016

75% of exported fish products with added value owned by «UFC».
Direction of Private Label actively expanding foreign markets, comes to Germany and the USA.
The company celebrated its 20th anniversary.
As of the month of June 2016 the company successfully employs around 800 people