Nestlé Provides Support to Ukraine: Over 36 Million Swiss Francs for War Relief

Since the onset of the war in February 2022, Nestlé has been a significant contributor to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, providing aid that has exceeded 36 million Swiss francs, which translates to approximately 2 billion hryvnias. This support encompasses not only food products but also financial donations to local humanitarian organizations, including rehabilitation centers such as Unbroken and Superhumans. Volodymyr Spivak, the Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations for Nestlé in Ukraine and Southeast Europe, highlighted that the total support for these organizations has already surpassed 58 million hryvnias.

“In just the year 2025, the company has delivered over 16,000 tons of food to Ukrainians through partner charitable foundations, such as the Ukrainian Food Foundation, Food Bank, Pokrova, With an Angel on the Shoulder, Little Victories, Format 20, We Are Brothers, We Are Ukrainians, and Dobriak. Thanks to the collaboration between businesses and these organizations, we are able to accomplish extraordinarily important work during wartime,” Spivak emphasized.

Andriy Berehovyi, the General Director of the Ukrainian Food Foundation, also stressed the importance of partnerships between socially responsible businesses and charitable organizations. He noted that such collaboration is fundamental to stable humanitarian support. The foundation operates on a national level and specializes in food assistance, which is critically important in wartime conditions.

Berehovyi emphasized that the regularity and predictability of supply are crucial for their operations. Cooperation with a manufacturer like Nestlé not only allows for a timely response to crises but also enables them to plan support in advance, forming food packages and providing “points of resilience,” modular towns, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and families of military personnel. “Coffee, sweets, instant food, baby food—all of these are quickly integrated into our logistical model,” he explained.

A significant moment in the collaboration with the Ukrainian Food Foundation occurred at the beginning of the year when part of Kyiv was left without heating due to damage to the heating plant. In January and February, “points of resilience” became places where people could warm up, charge their phones, and receive hot meals. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the foundation and the company, these points were promptly supplied with coffee and instant food. This was not just about food; it was also an opportunity to support the basic needs of people in extreme conditions.

However, challenging times also present difficulties. Key challenges include security instability, which complicates forecasting the conditions under which the foundation will have to operate, an increase in requests, and the need for rapid mobilization of resources. Nevertheless, when businesses and charitable organizations work on trust and engage in long-term interactions, these challenges become manageable.

Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region remain among the most challenging areas for humanitarian assistance due to regular shelling and infrastructure destruction. Nestlé operates one of its factories in this region, producing instant noodles under the brand Mivina. The charitable foundation “We Are Brothers, We Are Ukrainians” actively supports the population in these areas, responding to the aftermath of shelling and organizing evacuation efforts.

Executive Director of the foundation, Kateryna Posokhova, underscores the importance of business support for charitable organizations. She noted that businesses can provide sustainable support through food supplies, which are the foundation of the work of these funds. “With systematic support from businesses, our assistance to people becomes timely and more stable. Flexibility and speed in the work of charitable organizations are crucial components,” Posokhova stated.

The foundation collaborates with communities and has current requests, allowing them to form food packages in advance. This enables them to respond immediately after a request without waiting for procurement procedures. The foundation's teams head to areas in Kharkiv immediately after shelling to support affected residents, emergency services, and municipal services. For instance, the foundation recently organized a delivery of hot meals, coffee, and snacks to support repair crews restoring power lines after a massive shelling.

Thus, the collaboration between businesses and charitable organizations becomes a vital element of humanitarian support in wartime, ensuring timely and effective assistance to those in need.