Private company

Obolon CJSC

Logo: Babij from Puławy, Poland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons3

Ukrainian brewer and soft drinks producer

Obolon Joint Stock Company (Ukrainian: ПАТ "Оболонь") is a major Ukrainian producer of beverages: beer, low alcohol drinks (cocktails), soda drinks and locally extracted natural mineral water, as well as a major malt producer. Based in Kyiv, Obolon JSC has sites across Ukraine and employs several thousand people. Obolon's main plant in Kyiv is the largest brewing facility in Europe by installed capacity.2 Its chief executive is Olexander Slobodian.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1980Founded1
  • Industryfood industry1
  • HeadquartersKyiv1
  • Founded inKyiv1
  • Websitewww.obolon.com
  • Legal formjoint-stock company1
Obolon-2008
Photo: Håkan Henriksson ( Narking ), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons5

Obolon Joint Stock Company (Ukrainian: ПАТ "Оболонь") is a major Ukrainian producer of beverages: beer, low alcohol drinks (cocktails), soda drinks and locally extracted natural mineral water, as well as a major malt producer. Based in Kyiv, Obolon JSC has sites across Ukraine and employs several thousand people.2

The story

The company's main brewery was built in 1980 based on designs made by Czech engineers, near an artesian well in Kyiv's Obolon district. Initially called 'Kyiv brewery #3', it was renamed 'Obolon' in 1986. In 1992, Obolon became the first privatized company in independent Ukraine and registered its corporate brand Obolon (Ukrainian: Оболонь). The shares of company stock were distributed among its employees. In 1993, Obolon changed its legal status to a closed joint-stock company (currently it is a private joint stock company under present legislation).

In 1997, Obolon obtained a $40 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to significantly expand its production capacities. In 2009, Obolon obtained a further $50 million loan from the EBRD towards financial stability and increased energy efficiency.

In 2011 Obolon is changing its form of ownership, becoming a public joint stock company. Molson Coors Brewing Company and Obolon Corporation announce commercial cooperation in Ukraine. This is how the legendary Carling beer appeared on the Ukrainian market. Obolon Corporation ranks 28th in the world in terms of beer production in 2010 and is the first exporter of beer to China.

Oleksandr Slobodian, the CEO and veteran of the company was also a national politician till the 2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election; he was a member of the Verkhovna Rada and has represented the conservative People's Movement of Ukraine for three consecutive sessions.

In 2020, Obolon launched a large-scale renovation of Obolon TM and Zibert TM took place. New beers, cider ("Ciber Rose"), two new flavors of soft drinks TM "Zhyvchyk" were released, mineral water "Obolonskaya low-carbonated". The company was also the first in Ukraine to launch low-alcohol beverages new to the market in the category of "hard zeltser".

From Wikipedia’s article on Obolon (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led Obolon CJSC, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

Obolon sells beer under six brands: Obolon, Obolon BeerMix, Magnat, hike premium beer, Zibert and Desant. Brands for its non-alcoholic products are Zhyvchyk, Prozora and Obolonska mineral waters, and the Jett line of energy drinks. The enterprise also produces low-alcohol beverages, such as kvass. Obolon bottles Bitburger beer under license.

Obolon is the largest Ukrainian exporter of beer, accounting for 80% of Ukrainian beer exports. It was the first Ukrainian brewery to export to the United States. As of 2020, the company exported to 33 countries. It started exporting beer to China in 2011. Prior to 2014, most exports were to Russia. In September 2014, Russia banned imports of Ukrainian beer over alleged inaccuracies in the nutrition information displayed on the products' labels. Early summer 2015 the company signed a licensing agreement with the Moscow Brewing Company to make beer inside Russia under its label, hence to re-enter the Russian beer market. In March 2022, the company withdrew from this agreement following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine.

From Wikipedia’s article on Obolon (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Timeline

  1. 1980Founded Founded in Kyiv1

Sources

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