A young, talented brand designer created a bright children’s brand, and thanks to our first grant from GIZ, we purchased our first freezers and began selling ice cream in eco-shops. We follow a «win-win» strategy because cooperation is very important for a small business. This approach helps us become stronger and compete with large businesses.
Production of Ukraine’s Only Ice Cream Made from Fresh Milk Increased by 20%. What Makes It Special?
12 August 2026, 06:22 2940
The story of natural ice cream under the FUNNY BEAR brand (Vinnytsia) began in 2006, when the founder of the production, Viktoriia Lukashova, went to Germany for an internship. It was there that she realised that the future belonged to natural products.
Over the past 20 years, much has been accomplished, including through the continuous search for opportunities to participate in grant programmes. Among them is the CraftUP Ukraine educational and grant project, in which the FUNNY BEAR brand became one of the 10 finalists.
However, one principle has remained unchanged: producing ice cream with care for people’s health.
The idea of creating natural ice cream — ideal for children, free from palm oil and harmful additives — was reinforced by a meeting with the woman who would later become the company’s technologist and who had spent 35 years as the head of a production workshop at the Vinnytsia dairy plant. This collaboration led to the establishment of a small production facility.
The technologist used a production instruction from the 1950s as a basis and developed an original recipe for natural ice cream, which became very popular with Vinnytsia residents and visitors to the city.
«For 13 years, we sold our ice cream during the spring and summer season through street retail. Over time, new producers appeared, and our regular customers began asking how they could distinguish us because they wanted to enjoy our product specifically. Then COVID-19 made its own adjustments, and we had to change our business model immediately,» recalls Viktoriia Lukashova.
This led to the idea of producing packaged ice cream and selling it to B2B customers. Over five years, FUNNY BEAR established cooperation with eco-shops, children’s centres, coffee shops and recreation areas. The company has 25 points of sale, operates in Vinnytsia and the surrounding region as well as in Khmelnytskyi, and plans to enter the capital’s market and other regions. The war is hindering these plans.
Viktoriia Lukashova, founder of the FUNNY BEAR brand
Twenty years ago, the company offered only two flavours — creamy and chocolate. Today, there are 13 flavours, 10 of which are dairy-based. The range also includes low-calorie, diabetic and sugar-free ice cream, as well as three sorbets.
In a highly competitive environment, maintaining market positions and introducing products at new locations requires unconventional decisions as well. One of them was to keep prices at last year’s level despite rising costs of raw materials, fuel and lubricants, and consumables.
For wholesale customers, the price is UAH 50 per unit, which is the lowest price among craft producers. The result was already evident in the first half of the year. During this period, sales volumes increased by 20%.
Another grant was used to build a large freezer room, which helped the production facility keep operating by preserving products during power outages.
Viktoriia Lukashova personally and carefully oversees all processes — from purchasing raw materials to storage conditions at points of sale.
«There have been cases when the power went out, the ice cream partially melted, and they still sold it. And my reputation suffers,» she emphasises.
According to the entrepreneur, for a craft producer, everything depends on the raw materials. All raw materials are purchased from local farmers and producers, including milk, butter and berries. The paper packaging also comes from a Ukrainian manufacturer.
All of this creates a value-added chain and has a positive impact on the economic development of the local community.
There’s a special emphasis on milk, since FUNNY BEAR ice cream is the only one in Ukraine made from fresh, morning milk. The time between milking and production is just a few hours.
Currently, entering the craft ice cream segment requires at least $200,000, notes Viktoria Lukashova. This is based on a daily output of 30 kg of finished product. However, even if you can secure the funds—for example, by taking out a loan—people are the most valuable resource.
Viktoriia Lukashova, founder of the FUNNY BEAR brand
Professionals like those who have been by my side all these years are practically impossible to find. Plants have closed down, and a new generation of technologists and people with production experience has not emerged. We permanently employ two specialists, production is manual, and our technologist now works on an outsourced basis because she is of an advanced age — 81 years old.
As the leader of a women-led team, she is constantly learning through various international programs and improving her business.
To scale up further, they need solar panels to reduce the risk of power outages, and a specialized vehicle with a freezer compartment so they can deliver their products independently and participate in festivals and fairs.
«We dream that organic ice cream from Vinnytsia will eventually be sold in other countries!» concludes Viktoria Lukashova.
For reference: CraftUP Ukraine is an educational and grant project for craft food producers, organised by the online publication AgroPortal.ua with the support of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine. The project consists of several stages. The first was a study of the Ukrainian craft production market, based on the results of which a training programme was developed. Its participants included 40 craft producers from different regions of Ukraine.
Following the educational stage, 10 finalists were selected and are now preparing for the final presentation of their business projects. In September, they will present them to the Expert Council. At the same time, the CraftUP Ukraine team is introducing the audience to the stories of all the finalists, while the participants themselves are taking part in individual mentoring sessions with industry experts.
Alla Stryzheus, AgroPortal.ua
