Azerbaijan wants to replace Ukrainian chocolate with Russian chocolate
Ukrainian confectionery manufacturers are facing increased competition from Russian rivals in the Azerbaijani market, where local retail chains are seeking cheaper alternatives to Ukrainian chocolate.
This was reported by Delo.ua.
According to Oleksandr Baldinyuk, president of the Ukrkondprom association, Azerbaijani retailers are considering Russian products due to their lower prices, but acknowledge that they are inferior to Ukrainian products in terms of quality.
According to him, in the first four months of 2026, exports of Ukrainian confectionery products grew by 13.2%—to 104,300 tons—while revenue increased by 17%—to $321.8 million.
Baldinyuk noted that over the past decade, the Ukrainian confectionery industry has completely reoriented its export markets. While 70% of exports went to Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan prior to 2012, trade with Russia and Belarus has now ceased, and the share of Central Asian countries has declined due to high logistics costs.
Currently, about half of Ukraine’s confectionery exports go to EU countries, while the rest are shipped to more than 100 countries worldwide, including the United States, Canada, and Israel.
The Persian Gulf countries also remain a promising market for Ukrainian producers, although logistics costs in this direction have risen significantly due to the security situation in the Middle East.
As a reminder, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has stated his intention to develop cooperation with Ukraine, particularly in the energy and defense sectors.
Ukraine has declared its readiness for a new round of negotiations with Russia in Azerbaijan. This involves a trilateral format with the participation of mediators. Everything depends on whether Moscow is ready for genuine diplomacy.
