Velyka Kyshenia
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | April 2000 in Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Headquarters | Kyiv , Ukraine |
Area served | Ukraine, Moldova |
Key people | Roman Lunin (principal owner of Retail Group) |
| Products | Supermarkets, hypermarkets |
| Parent | Retail Group |
Velyka Kyshenia ( , ) is a retail company based in Kyiv, Ukraine, managing a chain of supermarkets and hypermarkets throughout Ukraine and Moldova.
History
The first Velyka Kyshenia supermarket opened in Kyiv in April 2000 under the management of Kviza-Trade LLC. By 2005, the company’s trade turnover had reached ₴1.4 billion, increasing to ₴2.4 billion in revenue by the following year.
A brand refresh was undertaken by the network in 2010.
In 2013, Roman Lunin, the principal owner of Retail Group and entrepreneur, expanded the business by acquiring four Milky Way stores and two Stolychny delis in Kyiv from the family of businessman Oleksandr Malitsky. That same year, Retail Group concentrated on growing its "VK Express" home shopping and premium "VK Select" formats, which had been introduced online in 2012, with investment plans ranging between $5 and $10 million.
By 2016, Retail Group allocated ₴24 million to rebrand certain Velyka Kyshenia supermarkets as Velmart hypermarkets. This included adding six new outlets and converting existing stores in Obukhov and Bila Tserkva. By the close of 2015, Velmart’s total retail area had expanded to 5,500 square meters.
Towards the end of 2021, Retail Group intended to shut down four out of thirteen Velyka Kyshenia locations in Kyiv, substituting them with Velmart stores. At that time, the group operated 35 Velmart outlets. Forbes Ukraine estimated Roman Lunin’s wealth at $150 million in 2021. The group reported an increase in revenue from ₴11 billion in 2019 to ₴12.2 billion in 2020.
Both Velyka Kyshenia and Velmart brands fall under Roman Lunin’s Retail Group umbrella, indicating a strategic emphasis on expanding the Velmart format as part of the company’s broader growth and brand unification strategy.