VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF BUSINESS

VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF BUSINESS

Avangard Explores Further Exports to Middle East

Kyiv, Ukriane – AVANGARDCO INVESTMENTS PUBLIC LIMITED («Company», «Avangard», «Agroholding «Avangard») – One of the leading agroindustrial companies in Ukraine focusing on the production of shell eggs and egg products, announces that the Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors, Oleg Bakhmatyuk, this month paid an official visit to Middle East, visiting a number of countries, including Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq.

30 business meetings and negotiations with foreign dignitaries were held during the one-week visit, including meetings with Sa’eed Al Masri, the Minister of Agriculture of Jordan, Hadji Hassan, the Minister of Agriculture of Lebanon, Jameel Ahmed Abbasi, the Minister of Food and Agriculture of Kurdistan, Riad Saifi, the Chairman of Jordan Chamber of Commerce, and Rabih Sabra, the Chairman of Lebanon Chamber of Commerce. The issues of food safety and Ukraine’s potential role as an exporter of livestock products were at the top of the agenda.

Mr. Oleg Bakhmatyuk also met the largest businessmen in Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq with a view to discussing the opportunity of importing livestock products in general and hen eggs in particular into the region. According to Company estimates, the Middle East represents a potential import market for eggs and egg products of around 7.5 billion eggs per year, with Iraq accounting for more than 50%.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr. Bakhmatyuk, the Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors, said: “Expansion of hen egg export sales is one of Avangard’s key strategic goals. The visit to the Middle East region revealed the huge potential market that importing hen eggs into the region represents, as well as the significant interest of local authorities and business representatives in cooperating with the Ukrainian producers. I strongly believe that the meetings held will lead to fruitful collaboration in the future”.