$1.546 billion Married with one son Interests: food processing, crops production, building materials
Making money in agribusiness has become increasingly lucrative in recent years, with at least 10 people included in this year’s 50 richest list involved in the sector.
Yuriy Kosiuk, known for his premium chicken brand Nasha Riaba, is first and foremost among them.
Kosiuk and the others realized years ago that someone has to feed the world’s growing population and the emerging middle classes in China, India and the near-abroad.
They are also aware that arable land in the European Union is already tapped and Ukraine, with Europe’s third largest share of arable land, is underutilized.
If you’re not a vegetarian, you’ve probably eaten something that Kosiuk produces. Whether it’s chicken, beef, cold cuts, foie gras, or a TV dinner, chances are you’ve had it.
Kosiuk’s Nasha Riaba has 52 percent of the poultry market, and his chicken producer, Mironovskiy Khlib Product (MHP), in 2009 posted $160 million in revenue, up from just $15 million in 2008 amid a global financial meltdown.
The modern plan is highly integrated with chicken incubators, 300,000 hectares of farmland to grow grain for livestock and meat processing plants.
But Kosiuk is not stopping here. MHP in April sold $330 million worth of Eurobonds and is building a new chicken production plant and a feed plant as part of a $750 million capital investment project.
While Ukraine still can’t feed the world, the country is well on its way to feeding itself.
