13 Сraft Сheesemakers Took Part in the Kyiv Food and Wine Festival with Support of Switzerland
Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP) supports the development of Ukrainian craft cheesemaking, in particular by enhancing the trade potential of small and medium-sized cheesemakers — the key drivers in shaping Ukraine’s unique gastronomic identity.
In June 2025, with the support of QFTP, 13 craft cheesemakers took part in the 22nd Kyiv Food and Wine Festival.
Additionally, as part of the festival support, the Association of Cheese Producers of Ukraine received new refrigerated display cases, which will be available for free use during future festivals and association events.
“We are grateful to QFTP for supporting Ukrainian craft cheesemakers. The programme fully covered their participation costs at the festival. This allowed a wide range of Ukrainian artisan cheesemakers — including those who previously could not join such large-scale events due to financial constraints — to be represented. Thanks to the provision of refrigerated equipment, members of the Association of Cheese Producers of Ukraine were able to store their products at optimal temperatures, ensuring high quality, freshness, and safety of the cheeses throughout the festival. Both producers and consumers appreciated this,” said Tetyana Dyadechko, Head of the Association of Cheese Producers of Ukraine.
Iryna Vysotska, Deputy Local Manager and Dairy Sector Component Coordinator of QFTP, emphasized that raising consumer awareness of the variety and quality of Ukrainian artisan cheeses and fostering demand for them is key to unlocking the trade potential of Ukraine’s dairy sector.
“As part of the festival support, Ukrainian craft cheesemakers gained direct access to sell their products, along with a platform for networking, sharing experience, and connecting with distributors and HoReCa representatives,” she added.
Following the festival, cheesemakers noted that their sales exceeded expectations, reflecting strong consumer demand for Ukrainian craft cheeses. Some producers even sold out on the first day of the event.
The opportunity for direct interaction with a large number of consumers not only boosted sales but also provided valuable feedback to help improve their products further.
The festival participants included:
- Zaryanivska Cheesery (Kyiv region)
- Alkozara Cheesery (Kyiv region)
- Amolphea Cheesery (Poltava region)
- Dooobra Ferma (Kyiv region)
- Tetyana Dyadechko’ Cheese Artel (an association of graduates from Tetyana Dyadechko’s Cheese School — small-scale cheesemakers from Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Volyn regions)
- Kyrylenko Family Cheese Atelier (Kyiv region)
- Yasna Farmstead (Kyiv region)
- Zinka (Kyiv region)
- Monsher Cheesery (Khmelnytskyi region)
- Diyvo Cheesery (Dnipropetrovsk region)
- Yakym Cheesery (Kyiv region)
- Pivdennyi Kraft Cheesery (Kherson region — relocated to Ternopil region)
- Syr ta Myr Cheesery (Kyiv region)
Photos courtesy of the Association of Cheese Producers of Ukraine.
