Ukrainian owner fires all employees of Polish company. Now we know why he bought it in the first place
The new Ukrainian owner has handed out notice to all employees of Calfrost in Kalisz. So why did the transaction happen at all, if there was no will to continue production at the plant from the very beginning? We know more and more about this.
In June, we reported on the grim fate of Calfrost. It had been in operation for 70 years, during which time tons of frozen fruit and vegetables had rolled off the production lines. For the last 20 years, it had belonged to Polish frozen food producer Nordis, which was acquired by Ukrainian company Three Bears at the end of 2023. It is one of the largest frozen food producers in Ukraine. Employees of Polish branches could have hoped that this transaction would strengthen their company – but that did not happen.
The Ukrainian owner has ended production in Kalisz
At the end of January 2024, Calfrost employees received notice of collective redundancies. In March and April, they received notices of termination, and their employment period ends at the end of June. The plant’s staff consists of 54 people, some of whom have been working for three decades. Calfrost specialists dismissed received a job offer in Zielona Góra. The distance between the cities is 220 km, so there was little interest: only one person took advantage of the offer.
However, the Ukrainian company will benefit from the purchase of the Kalisz plant: the plots of land on which the company operates have been put up for sale. They have been valued at PLN 12.9 million. “We are announcing the availability of three plots located in the heart of Kalisz, which include various industrial and office buildings, warehouses, cold stores and other facilities. These plots offer comprehensive industrial infrastructure, ideal for conducting various production, warehouse and office activities. Thanks to the diverse range of buildings, including warehouses, offices and cold stores, this property provides flexibility and the ability to adapt to various needs and industries,” we read in the description of the offer on the wrenieruchomosci.pl website.
Why did Ukrainians buy Calfrost?
The potential buyer may resume production activities, but due to the location of the plots close to the city center, it may be an attractive area for residential investments.
Why did the Ukrainian investor buy a company from Kalisz, where he did not want to operate? Calfrost was previously owned by the company Nordis from Zielona Góra. The Ukrainians explain that in order to buy Nordis, they also had to buy the company from Kalisz as part of the package. The new president of Nordis, Kostiantyn Walczuk, assured that the team from Zielona Góra at Nordis is safe. The owner does not rule out developing production and increasing employment. However, the plant in Kalisz itself was supposedly unprofitable and used too much electricity.
