Sweeter Things

Kinder Bueno waffles have returned to Belarus after a long absence. Blogger Kokoby noticed and rushed to tell his audience. Buro found out that the treat is being supplied to Belarusian shops by our old acquaintance – a friend of Aleksandr Lukashenko's, businessman Siarhei Tsiatseryn.

 

Earlier, the investigative journalists had used the example of Ritter Sport chocolates to show how Siarhei Tsiatseryn had gained a monopoly on the supply of sweets in Belarus. After EU sanctions were introduced, Lukashenko decided to retaliate by banning the import of food from "hostile countries" into Belarus. In December 2023, the Belarusian government extended the ban until the end of 2024.

 

But it turns out that importing is still possible, just not for everyone. Siarhei Tsiatseryn's business became an exception. The businessman uses Logisticheskaya Kompania Vostok to supply "sanctioned goods". The company is registered to Aliaksei Matsveyeu, an employee of BelGlobalStart, another Tsiatseryn company. Siarhei Tsiatseryn himself has been under EU sanctions as Lukashenko's "moneybag" since 2021.

 

Logisticheskaya Kompania Vostok's revenue in 2023 amounted to 158 million Belarusian rubles. Net profit was 8 million rubles. The company supplies various sweets, including chocolate, wafers, candies, biscuits, and others, as stated in the Declaration of Conformity with Technical Regulations of the Eurasian Economic Union.

 

We found out what well-known brands Siarhei Tsiatseryn, a businessman and Lukashenko's firewood chopping partner, is still importing to Belarus:

 

Manufacturer Ferrero Polska Commercial Sp. z.o.o.: TIC TAC dragee, Ferrero Rocher sweets and KINDER BUENO waffles

 

 

Manufacturer FERRERO Deutschland GmbH: Nutella chocolate and nut paste, Kinder Riegel, Kinder Country and Kinder HAPPY Moments chocolates, Nutella B-ready bars and Raffaello candy

 

 

 

Manufacturer Ludwig Schokolade GmbH & Co. KG: Schogetten chocolate

 

Manufacturer Pringles LLC: Pringles chips

 

Manufacturer Haribo GmbH & Co. KG: Haribo gummi candy

 

 

Manufacturer Mars Italia S.P.A.: M&M´s Minis dragee

 

Manufacturer Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG: Ritter Sport chocolate