The Union Millers of Ukraine Participates in the European Flour Millers' Congress

Rodion Rybchynskyi, Director of the Union Millers of Ukraine, and Kostiantyn Ihnatenko, CEO of Kyiv Mill, participated in the European Flour Millers' Congress, held on 4–6 June 2026 in Marseille, France. The event was organized by the European Flour Millers association, of which the Union Millers of Ukraine has been an associate member since 2023.

The Congress, the flagship industry forum for Europe's flour milling sector, brought together approximately 300 participants — representatives of leading flour producers, industry associations, technology partners, and regulatory bodies from across the continent. European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen delivered a welcome address to the delegates.

Kostiantyn Ihnatenko presented at the conference session, sharing insights into the operation of Ukraine's critically important flour milling industry under the conditions of full-scale war. The presentation went beyond macro-level analysis: the CEO of Kyiv Mill outlined real-world cases of operational adaptation — from rebuilding logistics following the closure of Black Sea ports to maintaining continuous production despite frequent power outages and infrastructure damage. He also addressed the fundamental role of the flour milling industry in ensuring the country's food security.

The centerpiece of the presentation was a large-scale independent study on the quality and safety of Ukrainian wheat grain and wheat flour, conducted with the support of the Swiss Import Promotion Programme SIPPO under the SECO economic development initiatives. The study covered more than 14,000 wheat samples and 200 samples of premium-grade flour (T55), confirming that Ukrainian products meet EU standards: average protein content of 12.4% (against the EU minimum of 11%), gluten content of 27.4% (against the minimum of 23%), and a Falling Number of 354 seconds (against the minimum of 220 seconds). Notably, in 2025, the number of violations related to mycotoxins and pesticides dropped to zero. The study's objective is to provide international importers and buyers with an evidence base confirming the quality and safety of Ukrainian flour as a fully competitive player on the global food market.

The participation of the Union Millers of Ukraine representatives in the Congress reaffirms the industry's strategic commitment to integration into the European market.

We extend our sincere gratitude to Lesaffre Ukraine and Sojam Ukraine for their organizational and financial support of the Union's participation in the Congress.