Roshen Corporation closes Bonbonetti factory in Hungary – media
Roshen Corporation has ceased operations at its Bonbonetti confectionery factory in Budapest, Hungary, marking the second closure of its facilities in the country, Forbes Ukraine reported.
"The factory has not been producing goods since April 2023," stated Roshen's executive director, Oleksandr Holovaschuk.
According to Holovaschuk, Roshen's output in Hungary in 2023 was nearly ten times lower than at the start of operations. Bonbonetti's revenue, according to the Hungarian database Opten, ranged between EUR 3.3-3.5 million. Consequently, the Budapest factory was closed due to unprofitability. Its existing capacity was insufficient to cover expenses.
The factory, founded in 1868, was last modernized in the 1930s. Expansion of the facility was deemed impossible due to its location in a densely built-up area, Holovaschuk said.
He added that some Bonbonetti equipment was relocated to the Vinnytsia confectionery factory, while the rest was decommissioned.
According to its official website, Roshen ranks 27th among the world's largest confectionery producers. Its assets include Kyiv, Kremenchuk, and two Vinnytsia confectionery factories, as well as the Vinnytsia Dairy Plant, a Biscuit Complex in Boryspil (Ukraine), the Klaipėda Confectionery Factory (Lithuania), and Bonbonetti Choco (Hungary). Operations at the Lipetsk factory in Russia have been halted since April 1, 2017.
Roshen manufactures around 320 types of confectionery products, with an annual production volume of approximately 300,000 tons. The Roshen retail chain in Ukraine includes about 70 stores across various regions, with the first one opening in Kyiv in 2009.
In 2022, PJSC Kyiv Confectionery Factory Roshen reported a net loss of UAH 984,000, compared to a profit of UAH 25.779 million the previous year. Revenue declined from UAH 979.286 million to UAH 903.195 million. The ultimate beneficiary of the enterprise is Oleksiy Poroshenko, the son of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.