Career ascent at MHP: the story of a person who grew with the company

Vitaliy Zahorodnii began his journey at MHP as a sales representative in the Odesa branch, working in the franchising sales channel. Over ten years, he completed a full career cycle – from an entry-level position to head of the sales department in the same area, successfully realizing his ambitions and professional potential.

Among Vitaliy's key achievements are the launch of the "Myasomarket" project in the Odesa region and the implementation of joint business plans with retail chains within the Food Art Summit project, aimed at strategic partnership and joint growth of MHP and retail businesses.

What was his path? What motivates him to continue developing in sales? And what values of the CBD (Customer Business Development) philosophy became decisive for his professional formation – read in the material by UNN.

First steps in the company

Before joining MHP, Vitaliy worked at a large international company, but felt that he could not realize his potential and career ambitions. He sought stability, a transparent work system, a "white" salary, and clear opportunities for professional growth. It was then that an acquaintance, who had already worked at MHP for several years, advised him to pay attention to the company.

His expectations were met: demonstrating high results, Vitaliy was promoted to the position of sales specialist just six months after starting as a sales representative.

Then there was the position of networks specialist, and after that — retail manager. That is, I worked in various sales channels of the company, which significantly expanded my experience and management perspective. This experience gave me a deep understanding of processes and client needs

New direction, new role, new experience

After this, Vitaliy was transferred to the position of franchising manager — a horizontal move that actually became a new stage of development for him. In MHP, franchising is one of the key sales channels, where it is especially important not just to sell products, but to build long-term, partnership relations and help partners grow financially. It was in this role that he participated in the opening of the first "Myasomarkets" in the Odesa region.

This experience proved so valuable that after just eight months as a regional franchising manager, Vitaliy was offered to move to Kyiv and lead the development of the "Myasomarket" network. In his new role, he worked practically throughout Ukraine: together with partners, he formed plans for opening new retail outlets and strategies for network development.

"This is a project I am proud of, because the development of the 'Myasomarket' network since 2021 has become an important step in creating a new retail format and has shown high growth rates.

I remember that frantic pace, when we opened 30 retail outlets in just one month. I am very glad that I was involved in this interesting and dynamic process. This experience taught me to make decisions quickly, work effectively with teams, and plan large-scale projects," Vitaliy recalls.

Experience of strategic partnership with networks

MHP does not have a traditional sales department model. Instead, partners work with the CBD (Customer Business Development) directorate – a team that focuses not on simply selling products, but on developing partners' businesses and joint growth. This approach replaces standard transactional "buy-sell" relationships with a long-term cooperation model.

One of the practical embodiments of this philosophy is the Food Art Summit project, focused on strategic partnership with retail chains. Within this project, the company works with retailers on developing their business: from planning and optimizing processes – to jointly forming strategies that allow partners to grow together with MHP.

"I was directly involved in this project and conducted strategic sessions with partners. Within the Food Art Summit, we develop individual solutions for each partner: we synchronize strategies, identify needs, share trends, optimize internal processes, plan activities and product placement in the network to help partners increase profits. This is joint development and growth for both sides.

Before my current position, I also worked as a new business integration manager. This is a unique role, especially in current conditions, because MHP is one of the few companies in the country that continues to invest, including in other businesses. And from April 2025, I headed the sales direction in the franchising channel," Vitaliy clarifies.

New challenge – Head of Sales Department

Currently, he holds the position of Head of Sales Department in the MHP Franchisee Relations Department. His area of responsibility includes sales in networks that the company develops together with partners: "Myasomarket", "Nasha Ryaba", "Yizha Svizha" throughout Ukraine. This is a large-scale area with significant responsibility: a large team in the regions, forming and implementing business plans together with partners, as well as launching new retail projects.

With over ten years of experience in sales, Vitaliy has worked with almost all key sales channels. Each new position gave him additional competencies and opened the way for further development. During his time at MHP, he formed his own professional principles – responsibility, honesty, openness, and a constant desire for learning and improvement.

"Sales is a very dynamic environment, especially in the food industry, where the product has a short shelf life. You have to make decisions quickly, but at the same time think strategically and be able to build open and trusting communication – both within the team and with partners. And another important factor in my growth was continuous learning. I learned both additionally and during each new role, and I changed them quite regularly – every 2-3 years. This allowed me to develop flexibility, see processes from different sides, work with different leaders, and take the best from them. This is the advantage of working at MHP: there is an opportunity to grow in different roles, scenarios, and directions.

For over 10 years, I have been convinced: there are growth opportunities here for everyone who is ready to make efforts, be responsible for their work, and achieve results. The company supports the desire for development and opens opportunities for those who are not afraid to take responsibility and learn. Now I am focused on my current role and strive to realize myself in it, but I am sure that there are many new challenges and opportunities ahead," Vitaliy summarizes.

Reference

MHP is an international food and agritech company.

It has production facilities in Ukraine, Spain, and Southeast European countries.

MHP shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange.

It unites over 38,000 employees in Ukraine and abroad, and is among the top 20 best employers in Ukraine according to Forbes.

MHP exports products to over 70 countries worldwide. Its land bank is 360,000 hectares in 12 regions of Ukraine. The company is one of the largest taxpayers in the agricultural sector; in 2024, MHP was recognized as one of the largest investors in the country by Forbes and NV publications.

MHP is the leader in poultry production in Europe and is among the top 10 global poultry producers according to the WattPoultry rating.

The company develops over 15 food brands and, together with partners, several networks, including "Myasomarket" stores and Döner Market establishments.

Together with its strategic partner, the MHP-Hromadi Charitable Foundation, the company supports Ukrainians, develops communities, and preserves Ukrainian culture. For individual support and comprehensive assistance to military personnel, veterans, and their families, it implements the "MHP Poruch" program.

The founder and CEO of MHP is Ukrainian businessman Yuriy Kosiuk.