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Canadian divisions of the world's major retail chains – Walmart, Sobeys, METRO, Farm Boy, Loblaws – have expressed interest in sourcing Ukrainian goods after the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) enters into force in summer 2017. The search of suppliers has already started by the Export Promotion Center under the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (ULIE) after talks with the Canadian retailers in Toronto on May 30-31.
The willingness to buy Ukrainian food and consumer goods was discussed at the talks between the retailers' representatives and the leadership of the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs at the local retailers conference STORE 2017.
The negotiations resulted into the launch of a campaign to search for Ukrainian manufacturers who are ready to export their products to Canadian supermarkets. This was announced by ULIE Vice-President, Coordinator of the Export Promotion Center under the ULIE Denys Krasnikov after a meeting with Canadian retailers.
According to him, the Canadian retail chains are interested in Ukrainian honey, sunflower oil, nuts, canned vegetables, garlic, tomato paste, pasta, canned peas and beans, textile goods, and cosmetics. Ukrainian producers' goods will be sold in Canadian supermarkets as private labels, which will not require significant marketing expenses from the producers.
Talks on the supply of furniture products to IKEA-Canada and its sales via the biggest websites also yielded good results. Representatives of the well-known furniture brand praised the quality of Ukrainian furniture and said they are ready to order it from Ukrainian suppliers on the private label terms.
Negotiations with the president of Staples Canada touched upon potential cooperation with Ukrainian producers of stationery and office supplies.
The removal of barriers for Ukrainian exports to Canada was discussed at a meeting of Denys Krasnikov with President and CEO at Retail Council of Canada Diane J. Brisebois and Senior Vice-President at Retail Council of Canada David Wilkes. It is expected to happen due to the CUFTA's entry into force in summer 2017.