The Third Lviv Taste Fair Brought Together Food Producers from 15 Regions of Ukraine
On 17 May 2025, the third Lviv Taste Fair took place, an annual event that brought together Ukrainian producers of organic and craft dairy products, as well as local producers from Lviv region, consumers, gastro and food experts, representatives of public authorities, and international partners in support of small and medium-sized enterprises.
For the third consecutive year, Switzerland has supported the fair within the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) in partnership with SAFOSO AG (Switzerland), to help to strengthen the trade potential of producers.
The fair brought together over 50 Ukrainian producers of certified organic and craft products, as well as cheesemakers from 15 regions of Ukraine, who presented their products to visitors: award-winning cheeses from the international cheese competition World Cheese Awards, a variety of organic, dairy, and meat products, honey, teas, vegetables, nuts, groats, wines, and craft products from Lviv region. The full list of organic producers and cheesemakers is available via the link.
Throughout the event, over 1,000 visitors had the chance to taste and purchase products from we producers, learn more about the gastronomic culture of different regions of Ukraine and local production, as well as take part in tastings, workshops, and quizzes.
During the official opening of the fair, Felix Baumann, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, stated:
“Switzerland has been supporting Lviv Taste Fair for the third consecutive year, and we are particularly pleased to see that, despite extremely challenging circumstances, the fair continues to grow both in size and in quality. This event showcases the gastronomic heritage not only of Lviv region, but also of the most affected regions that are joining such initiatives including Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Sumy, and Odesa. We will continue to focus on supporting the Ukrainian agricultural sector, particularly by creating trade opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises in organic and dairy sectors of Ukraine.”
The opening of the fair was also attended by Taras Vysotskyi, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Yuriі Buchko, Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, Yuriy Kholod, Acting Head of the Lviv Regional Council, Yuriy Radelytskyi, Head of the Standing Committee on Agricultural, Business and Investment of the Lviv Regional Council, Natalia Kagadiy, Director of ProCheese at Ardis Group, and Natalia Cholovska, President of the Lviv City Public Organisation Ecoterra.
“We are grateful to Switzerland for its support, as well as to all partners and co-organisers at the national and regional levels, to NGOs and service providers in the dairy and organic sectors for their strong engagement and synergy at Lviv Taste Fair. This year’s event demonstrates a significant increase in the number of participants, which reflects the dynamic growth of the small and medium-sized production segment. We understand that the European economic model is built on small and medium-sized enterprises, and that is why supporting such producers is our priority on Ukraine’s path towards the EU integration. It is important that unique Ukrainian products are not only recognised on international markets, but also accessible to Ukrainian consumers in everyday life,” said Taras Vysotskyi, First Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.
Deputy Head of Lviv Regional Military Administration Yurii Buchko said: “Lviv Taste Fair is not just a gastronomic event. It is a platform for supporting small and medium-sized businesses, a demonstration of the boundless potential of our Ukrainian and local producers, a symbol of Ukraine’s resilience and recovery. Among the participants of the fair today are war veterans, internally displaced persons, and our entrepreneurs who continue to work, create and surprise despite all the challenges. I would like to thank our international partners — representatives of the Swiss Embassy and the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” — for their friendly shoulder and steadfast support of small and medium-sized businesses, for their faith in Ukrainian potential and for working together to rebuild our country. I would also like to thank all the producers for your dedication.”
Yuriy Kholod, Acting Head of Lviv Regional Council, said that the fair is very important for Lviv region and local entrepreneurs.
“Special thanks to the Swiss government for its continued support of such events. We sincerely hope that this is not the last fair and that the number of participants will increase in the future. But the greatest gratitude goes to our entrepreneurs — people who did not give up even in the most difficult times of war. They continue to work, producing Ukrainian products, and this deserves great respect,” he said.
Throughout the day, visitors had the chance to attend a variety of workshops hosted by Ukraine’s leading gastronomy experts:
- Oksana Chernova, a cheese expert, judge of international cheese competitions and founder of the ProCheese Academy, showed the intricacies of cooking traditional Swiss fondue and presented the art of cheese pairings with organic products.
- Ardis Group’s brand chef Kateryna Kryzhanivska held a unique masterclass on making sweets with cheese and organic products.
- Marianna Dushar, national expert on Traditional Specialities Guaranteed, introduced the participants to the features of Stryi Yas bean variety and presented a bean pate with caramelised organic carrots and crispbreads.
Natalia Kagadiy, Director of ProCheese at Ardis Group, said: “Our mission is to develop a culture of consumption of high-quality cheese, support local producers and promote the formation of a professional cheese community. This year’s event has once again confirmed that Ukrainian consumers increasingly value transparency of product origin, trust in producers and a culture of conscious consumption. It’s also nice to see that the fair has already got its regular guests, who come to the event specifically to buy products from different regions of the country.”
The fair’s programme was rich and diverse at the same time. Quizzes and raffles for guests created a relaxed atmosphere and active interaction with the audience.
“Lviv Taste Fair is a unique opportunity for organic producers not only to present their products to consumers, but also to get feedback, establish new partnerships and strengthen their market positions. Such events help to create a culture of conscious consumption, promote organic products and support the development of small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine,” comments Natalia Cholovska, President of Lviv City Public Organisation “Ecoterra”.
The final chord of the fair was a performance by Ukrainian cimbalom player Andriy Stovpyuk, a musical fantasy that combined traditional instruments and modern sound, which was a successful end to the day.
Lviv Taste Fair has once again demonstrated that Ukrainian organic and dairy craft products hold strong potential both on the domestic market and beyond. Events of this scale bring together producers, experts, consumers, government authorities, and international partners around a shared goal to develop a culture of conscious food consumption, support the local economy, and promote Ukraine as a country of rich gastronomic traditions and exciting new taste discoveries.
For more information, please visit the website of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine.
Lviv Taste Fair is organised by Lviv City Public Organisation “Ecoterra” and ProCheese Department of Ardis Group, under the patronage of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, under the auspices of Lviv Regional Military (State) Administration, Lviv City Council, with the support of Switzerland within the framework of the Swiss-Ukrainian Programme “Higher Value Added Trade from the Organic and Dairy Sector in Ukraine” (QFTP), implemented by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL, Switzerland) in partnership with SAFOSO AG (Switzerland). Media partner: OrganicInfo.ua
