Roshen facts for kids
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The Roshen factory in Vinnytsia, Ukraine
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Native name
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Кондитерська корпорація «Роше́н»
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| Privately held company | |
| Industry | Candy and sweets |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Petro Poroshenko |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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Europe, Asia, North America |
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Key people
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Petro Poroshenko |
| Products | 350 various types of confectionery |
| Revenue |  €803 million (2023) |
| €141 million (2023) |
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Number of employees
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10,000 (2012, including subsidiaries) |
Roshen Confectionery Corporation is a famous candy and chocolate company from Ukraine. It makes all kinds of sweet treats in its factories in Ukrainian cities like Kyiv and Vinnytsia, as well as in other countries like Hungary and Lithuania.
The company's name, "Roshen," comes from the middle of the last name of its founder, Petro Poroshenko. He was also the president of Ukraine from 2014 to 2019.
Roshen is one of the biggest candy companies in the world. It makes about 410,000 tonnes of sweets every year! The company sells its products in many countries across Europe, Asia, and North America, including the United States and Canada.
Contents
Company History
How Roshen Began
The story of Roshen starts after the Soviet Union ended in 1991. The family of Petro Poroshenko started a business called Ukrprominvest. They began buying candy factories that used to be owned by the government. In 1996, after buying factories in Kyiv and Vinnytsia, the company that would become Roshen was born.
Over the next few years, they added more factories in other Ukrainian cities. In 2000, they bought their first factory outside of Ukraine, in Lipetsk, Russia.
Creating the Roshen Brand
In 2002, the company decided it needed a new name and brand. They took the name "Roshen" by removing the first and last letters from the name Poroshenko. The company's slogan became "The sweet quality mark."
At first, the company worried the name "Roshen" didn't sound Ukrainian enough. They came up with fun stories to explain the name, like one about a Count Roshen who brought a new chocolate recipe to Ukraine. Another story said Roshen was a special Swiss symbol for quality candy. In the end, they decided not to use these stories and just let the candy speak for itself.
Ownership and Management
When Petro Poroshenko decided to run for president of Ukraine in 2014, he promised to sell Roshen if he won. This was to avoid any "conflict of interest," which means he wanted to make sure his business didn't get special treatment because he was president.
After he was elected, it was hard to find a buyer for such a large company. So, in 2016, he put his part of the company into a "blind trust." This meant that an independent company, Rothschild & Co, would manage Roshen for him. He wouldn't be involved in the company's decisions while he was president.
Roshen's Sweet Products
Roshen is the main brand name for all the company's products. It makes more than 350 different kinds of treats. These include:
- Chocolate and jelly candies
- Caramel and toffee
- Chocolate bars
- Cookies and wafers
- Sponge rolls, pastries, and cakes
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A Roshen store in Ukraine
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The Roshen Factory in Kyiv decorated for New Year's in 2012
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A piece of Roshen chocolate
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A bar of Roshen chocolate
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Factories and Production
Roshen has several large factories where it makes its delicious sweets.
Current Factories
- Roshen Kyiv Confectionery Factory
- Roshen Vinnytsia Confectionery Factory
- Roshen Kremenchuk Confectionery Factory
- Roshen Klaipėda Confectionery Factory (in Lithuania)
- Roshen Vinnytsia Milk Factory
- Roshen Biscuit Complex
Former Factories
Roshen used to have a factory in Mariupol, Ukraine. It closed in 2015 because it was too close to the war in the Donbas region. The company also closed its factory in Lipetsk, Russia, in 2017 due to political disagreements between the two countries.
Helping the Community
Roshen is also known for its social projects that help people in Ukraine.
Playgrounds for Kids
Starting in 2005, Roshen began building colorful children's playgrounds in parks across Ukraine. The company built 80 playgrounds in total and took care of them for many years.
In 2019, Roshen announced it was ending the project because it was hard to keep the playgrounds safe from vandalism without more help from local governments. Even though the project ended, it inspired other companies to invest in creating fun spaces for kids.
Charity for a Children's Hospital
Between 2015 and 2018, Roshen gave a lot of help to Okhmatdyt, a major children's hospital in Kyiv. The company bought important medical equipment, such as machines for surgery and tools for doctors.
Roshen also paid for the hospital to rebuild and modernize its department for keeping surgical tools sterile and clean. In total, the company spent nearly 100 million Ukrainian hryvnias to help the hospital care for sick children.
See also
In Spanish: Roshen para niños
