Cheese made using NASA technology. Discover how Ukrainians developed a superfood that won a prestigious award in France.
After a few years, the snEco brand product made its way to the shelves of all major Ukrainian supermarket chains. Currently, the company produces about 100,000 snack packages per month and doubles its revenue every year. Recently, the cheese balls created by Ukrainians received an award for innovative product at one of the most prestigious food exhibitions, SIAL Paris, held in France.
Two Years of Experiments
The Gryshins hail from Kharkiv. The main focus of their business, which they founded over 15 years ago, is the production of craft kits. In 2015, they decided to start producing snacks. They first tasted a similar cheese-based product in the USA, and at that time, there were no comparable items in Ukraine.
"Initially, we thought about producing cheese. However, I was concerned about the need for refrigeration, which posed logistical challenges. Moreover, cheese has a very short shelf life," says snEco co-founder Vadym Gryshin.
The entrepreneurs began searching for a way to preserve cheese without refrigeration for a longer period.
"We experimented until we developed the technology for microwave vacuum drying. This method was invented by NASA in the 1960s, as every kilogram sent into orbit is extremely expensive. Therefore, it was deemed impractical for astronauts to consume products containing up to 80% water," explains Gryshin.
The company founders decided to utilize this technology and began experimenting with drying cheese. It took two years to produce the first commercial batch. "We ruined thousands of kilograms of cheese. Sometimes we pulled out a cheese block from the chamber that had stuck together and mixed," recalls the entrepreneur.
The cheese is dried at low temperatures in a vacuum, which allows it to dry both inside and out. The cheese expands, becoming airy and crunchy, like popcorn. From one kilogram of cheese, 500 grams of snacks are produced, which can be stored without refrigeration for two years.
"As the pressure decreases, the boiling point of water also drops. In a deep vacuum, water boils at a temperature of 24-28 degrees. Thanks to the vacuum, the cheese does not melt during drying but dries from the inside," explains Gryshin.
From Cottage Industry to Retail Chains
The brothers divided their responsibilities: Pylyp oversees production and the technological process, while Vadym handles marketing, sales, and business expansion.
"We started by printing labels on a regular home printer, and our production was limited to a few hundred packages. Now the volumes reach 100,000 packages per month," shares the snEco co-founder.
Initially, the cheese snacks were sold in stores specializing in eco-friendly and natural products. Over time, two major clients emerged: OKKO and "Silpo," with whom the company still collaborates. According to the co-founder, they invested no less than a million dollars in expanding production.
In recent years, the company has established partnerships with all major national retail chains, except for Metro, with which discussions are still ongoing. The latest major partner is the "ATB" network.
In terms of revenue, the company grows almost twofold each year. The only exception was 2022, when production had to be relocated from Kharkiv. However, even that year, the turnover was higher than in 2021. For 2023, the turnover reached 27 million UAH.
"We use cheeses produced in Ukraine and the EU. Parmesan is imported from Italy, Gouda from Germany and the Netherlands. Among Ukrainian cheeses, we use smoked suluguni. For children's snacks, we use hard cheese produced by our partners in Pyryatyn," shares Gryshin.
Currently, the manufacturer offers nine flavors, with updates to the product line ongoing. No dyes or preservatives are used in production—only spices. The product has a long shelf life without refrigeration due to the complete absence of water.
The entrepreneurs received a patent for a utility model of their production technology in Ukraine. "The technology allows for processing various products in this way. We are currently testing it on fruits, vegetables, and herbs. We plan to launch projects in the field of processing plant products," announced Gryshin.
Relocation from Kharkiv to Mukachevo
In Kharkiv, the company's production was located in a former Soviet factory building. Many years ago, it was a strategic enterprise. "When the war began, we lost access to our production facilities. The military took control of the factory," recalls snEco co-founder Gryshin.
When the shelling of Kharkiv began, the entrepreneur evacuated employees with their families who volunteered to leave the city to western Ukraine. "First, we relocated people because they are the most important. Then we started looking for ways to preserve at least some of our assets. We were given two or three days of access to the premises, and we evacuated the essential equipment and part of the product," explains Gryshin.
The majority of the cheese stored in refrigerators was distributed for free to residents in Kharkiv. The relocation was carried out by their own efforts. The state relocation program offered logistics by rail, but this option was unsuitable for the company due to the specifics of the equipment and the production location.
3 While the founders searched for premises and adapted them to food safety standards, the equipment remained in storage. Eventually, the brothers launched it.
"Some of the personnel relocated, making it easier to restart. By the fall of 2022, we had fully recovered and even increased sales volumes compared to 2021. Some employees were hired locally. Now, more than half of the staff are internally displaced persons," shares the company co-founder.
The city chosen for the business relocation was primarily based on security considerations. Later, the entrepreneurs realized that proximity to the EU border would facilitate exports.
After the relocation, the founders participated in several grant programs. With funds from the International Organization for Migration, they built a solar power station on the factory roof, which made production more energy-independent.
4 "In the summer, we are almost completely self-sufficient in electricity. In winter, when the efficiency of solar panels is 10%, we have several hours of energy independence. We also have battery stations that store energy," says Gryshin.
The company received a grant from USAID for equipment to expand export capabilities. Significant support along this path was also provided by the government, which covered a substantial part of the costs for participation in international events.
"We participated in international exhibitions thanks to the support program from the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development. This reduces the level of investment needed to assess product popularity in foreign markets. Participation in such events costs tens of thousands of euros, which is expensive for startup companies," says the entrepreneur.
The First Dairy Exporter from Transcarpathia
The company's export history began in 2024. The first batches of cheese snacks were sent to the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Japan, and the USA. The export volume accounts for 6-7% of total production. All products shipped abroad are produced in Mukachevo.
"We aimed to start exporting in 2023, but our animal-based product is strictly regulated by food safety policies in all countries. The EU has a comprehensive list of producers allowed to supply products to the EU. In the Transcarpathian region, we were the first producer to receive permission to export dairy products," explains the company co