Last week marked the grand opening of the modern Zeelandia Baking Center in Kyiv region—a space for training, sharing expertise, and implementing innovations within Ukraine’s bakery and confectionery industries. The creation of the center was made possible through the financial support of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands via the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) under the Ukraine Partnership Facility (UPF) program and the Bake4Ukraine project.
Beeld: © Bake4Ukraine
Dutch supporting Food Resilience and Innovation
The Netherlands continues its systematic support for local production, vocational education, and small businesses in Ukraine.
Last week marked the grand opening of the modern Zeelandia Baking Center in Kyiv region—a space for training, sharing expertise, and implementing innovations within Ukraine’s bakery and confectionery industries.
The center also aims to promote inclusion by providing opportunities for people from vulnerable groups, including internally displaced people (IDPs) and veterans.
The creation of the center was made possible through the financial support of the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands via the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) under the Ukraine Partnership Facility (UPF) program and the Bake4Ukraine project.
Beeld: © Bake4Ukraine
Despite the difficult security situation in the country and numerous challenges, the event brough together the high-rank guests and the leaders of the Ukrainian bakery sector welcomed by Andriy Vasylenko and Arenda Vasylenko from Zeelandia Ukraine and “Perspectiva 21.3.
Beeld: © Bake4Ukraine
The event was attended by the Ambassador of the Netherlands, Roelof van Ees, the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Taras Vysotskyi, Agricultural Counsellor in Ukraine Carolien Spaans and Senior Program Office UPF Chris Boogaart.
Beeld: © Bake4Ukraine
The Bake4Ukraine project provides local communities not only with food, but also with hope and faith. Whether operating in the Kyiv region or in Ukraine’s frontline areas, the project supports the population and helps small bakeries ensure food security within their communities at a time when large industrial bakeries and enterprises are vulnerable to attacks
, noted ambassador Van Ees.
Beeld: © Bake4Ukraine
During its first year of operation, the center plans to:
- Train at least 250 people from existing small and medium-sized bakeries and startups;
- Ensure that at least 60% of participants represent vulnerable groups;
- Award up to 15 competitive grants to small bakery owners.
The center also builds on the experience of the Perspectiva 21.3 Foundation and Bakery 21.3 in providing specialized training and employment opportunities for people with Down syndrome, autism, and intellectual disabilities.
Beeld: © Bake4Ukraine
We wish the training center every success in becoming a true community for bakers—a place where they can share their stories, experience, and, of course, delicious recipes!
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