Creation of the company

The beginning of direct shipments of Bebi (Kolinska) and Frutek (Fructal)

Emir Hrkovic, the Moscow representative of the companies Kolinska and Fructal, became Europroduct's first partner in 1996, when he shipped a $50,000 lot of Frutek juices without advance payment.

Based on the results of the first year of collaboration, Vladislav Burda received an award from Kolinska as one of the best Bebi distributors on the territory of the CIS, after which a contract for direct import of baby food from Slovenia (Bebi and Frutek) was signed.

Implementation of the "Breakthrough" programme (BP-1). The company achieves a sales volume of $500,000 (a 10-fold increase)

The creation of the Antoshka children's supermarket

The creation of the company's own retail network was an essential step for the development of the Europroduct distribution company.

Nina Galina, vice-president of the company, suggested the name Antoshka for the children's shops and became the inspiration for most of the projects implemented in this retail network.

The format of a children's supermarket with six categories of merchandise (food, hygiene products, apparel, shoes, toys, prams and furniture) was innovative for post-soviet Ukraine.

The beginning of collaboration with Nestlé

In 1997 Europroduct (RedHead) became one of the seven importers of Nestlé in Ukraine with the signing of a contract for direct imports.

Five years later, Europroduct (RedHead) was the only remaining Ukrainian distributor of Nestlé baby food and had increased sales 50-fold from 1997 through 2004.

The beginning of collaboration with Farmagarant (Baby-Nova)

Since 1997 Europroduct (RedHead) distributes baby accessories Baby-Nova.

At the Baby Expo exhibition (Kiev) in 1998, the historic meeting of Vladislav Burda with Dirk Spiring, the representative of the Baby-Nova brand, took place. The 10-year joint plan to reach a purchasing volume of €500,000 was implemented in only four years.

The first visit to one of the largest specialized exhibitions of children's merchandise, Kind+Jugend (Cologne)

The first foreign business trip for the owners and several managers of the company took place in 1998. At the Kind+Jugend exhibition in Cologne they met suppliers who later became key partners: Bebe-Jou, Bebe Confort, Maxi-Cosi, and Pali.

The first competition among Antoshka directors

In late 1998 a competition among the directors of the first children's supermarkets was held for the Golden Antoshka and Silver Antoshka awards.

The birth of Timofey,
son of Vladislav Burda
and Nina Galina

The purchase of the first building for the central office

In 2001 the company acquired the office building in which Europroduct (RedHead) had been renting several offices for the past four years. The pace of the main office's development made it necessary to build on another two floors, and later to rent additional space in nearby buildings.

The company's central office was in this building until 2009.

The publication of a corporate newsletter and the start of the first website

In 2001 the company's official site, www.europroduct.com.ua, was launched.

The first issue of the corporate newsletter was devoted to the results of 2001 and was distributed among employees at the corporate New Year’s party. Over the past 10 years, 38 issues have come out. In 2009, Europroduct Review earned the highest award from the Association of Corporate Media of Ukraine for Best Corporate Magazine.

The purchase of a shop in Kiev (Pechersk)

In 2001 the company acquired real estate in the capital. Antoshka-Pechersk soon opened in the centre of Kiev, on Lesya Ukrainka Boulevard, on the premises of a former grocery store; this shop subsequently became the most profitable in the chain.

2nd company strategy.
Development of the retail network

In 2003 the first professional strategic planning session with Gregory Rayter took place. As a result of the session the company acquired the characteristics of a formalised organization and defined its goals concretely, concentrating on the development of the retail network.

Entering the luxury segment: the opening of the Naslednik chain of boutiques

In 2003 the company launched its own chain in the luxury segment – Naslednik. The original format of the boutique was a luxury version of Antoshka with its six categories of merchandise — clothing, shoes, toys, furniture, baby food and accessories.

The first Naslednik opened in the luxury shopping centre Mandarin Plaza in the capital, and then shops opened in Odessa, Lvov and Kharkov.

Three years later Naslednik was replaced by the newly-acquired Daniel chain.

The first Antoshka's Cup children's tennis championship

The children's summer tennis championship in Odessa has become one of Europroduct's (RedHead's) main sponsorship projects.

The first Antoshka's Cup national championship, organized on the initiative of Vladislav Burda, the Lawn Tennis Club and the Ukrainian Tennis Federation, took place in 2004.

96 tennis players from 20 Ukrainian cities in the age categories under 12 and 12 to 14 competed for the first Antoshka's Cup.

The beginning of collaboration with the Adizes Institute

In 2004, Vladislav Burda's trip to California and his acquaintance with Sunil Dovedy, president of the Adizes Institute in the USA, laid the foundation for the creation of a new structure in RedHead based on the principles of the Adizes methodology.

In 2005 Vladislav Burda first visited the international Adizes convention, a meeting of companies which implement the transformational methodology in their organizations.

The leadership program
with Vladimir Shubin

In 2006 a comprehensive programme for the development of leadership qualities in key managers and employees was conducted. The programme, which lasted 47 days, consisted of three "breakthrough" trainings in which 66 people took part, and two leadership sessions in the next stage, to which the 40 most persistent people passed.

After the work he did with the Europroduct (RedHead) leadership team, Vladimir Shubin and his partner, Marina Krupenina, wrote the book "There are Few Real Wild Ones", in which they used examples from this leadership programme.

The first buyout of a premium chain:
the opening of the Daniel boutiques

In 2006 the company acquired the Daniel chain and opened boutiques under that name in Odessa, Kiev, Lvov, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk.

A year later, thanks to its status as a family company and the innovative fashion galleria format, the company received the exclusive right to represent leading brands in children's fashion – I Pinco Pallino, Miss Blumarine, KidSpace, Armani Junior, Liu-Jo Junior, Baby Dior and Monnalisa

The purchase of a building for Sunshine City

In 2007 the company acquired the building and warehouses of the former Soviet Vetpribor factory. Two years later the new central office of Europroduct (RedHead) and the main logistics centre appeared in their place.

The main office began to be called Sunshine City for its vivid, positive interior design.

The creation of a family protocol

In autumn 2007 the company's owners, Vladislav Burda and Nina Galina, began working with Dr. Orenia Yaffe-Yanai, a specialist on management in family companies.

As an experienced consultant to married couples who jointly own a business, Dr Yanai was able to help compose and implement a family protocol – a foundational document which defines the mission, values and obligations of the owners in the company.

3rd company strategy.
Brand development.

The new strategy is the development and management of key assets as brands – RedHead, Antoshka, and Daniel – as well as the creation of private label brands of children's merchandise.

2012 Creation of RedHead's strategic declaration

At the beginning of 2012 the top managers of RedHead held a strategic planning session with business trainer and moderator Mikhail Veisberg. It was necessary to determine a vector for the further development of the corporation, and the declaration of RedHead's strategic goals adopted at the session documented the most important areas on which the company will focus for the next several years.

Opening of the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Slovenia at RedHead Central Office

In June 2013 Vladislav Burda became an honorary consul of Slovenia, thereby having vectored RedHead activity in a new diplomatic direction. The honorary consulate’s work will promote the cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and Odessa region primarily in the sphere of trade and tourism.

Atlantic Grupa owner, the largest supplier of Slovenian goods, strategic visit to Odessa

Vladislav Burda and RedHead team had a meeting with Emil Tedeschi, the owner of Atlantic Grupa and Srećko Nakić, the vice president at Atlantic Grupa. They outlined the joint strategy of actions across Ukraine that implies double increase in sales throughout the next 5 years. Besides the work with such brands as Bebi, Argeta, Donat, the partners negotiated on the promotion of other products by Atlantic Grupa. Moreover, Emil Tedeschi held a workshop for the owners of the Ukrainian family businesses at the FBN event in Odessa.

RedHead Team Participation in Ichak Adizes workshop in Kiev

In May 2013 Ichak Adizes workshop was attended by 450 managers from all over Ukraine including RedHead top managers. Vladislav Burda became one of the co-organizers of the event and gave his own presentation on the implementation of Adizes methodology in business structure.

The creation of children’s goods online store Antoshka.ua

RedHead's participation in the “revolution of dignity” and the war period events

Ukraine appeared to be on the threshold of the economic and social crisis after Viktor Yanukovich’s regime had been overthrown. As a result of military operations in the east of the country RedHead closed its branches in Donetsk and Lugansk.

Following the annexation of Crimea by Russia the work of RedHead distribution branch and “Antoshka” store in Sevastopol was suspended. Daniel boutique was destroyed during the conflicts in the streets of Kiev. “Mega Antoshka” in Odessa found itself in the thick of the armed unrest and the store employees showed courage defending customers’ lives.

Vasiliy Lypey, Vadim Stepchenkov, Roman Lozinskiy, the employees of RedHead branch in Lviv, became military volunteers in ATO zone. Many employees of the company participated in volunteering across the country.

Establishment
of a real estate
department

80-year anniversary of
Monopoly at Antoshka

Birth of the
Antoshka
Lumi-style

Transfer of management of Daniel boutiques
to Invogue Fashion Group.

Return to the family model
of management

The stores appearing
in a new format.

The development of
lumi-style design.

Restructuring of RedHead

Two major businesses were retained as the core of the corporation’s structure in 2017 – the Antoshka retail chain and distribution.

Support services (HR, IT, finance and security) were transferred from the corporate level to the internal structure of each business.

The CFO’s role is to integrate the corporation's resources and control the balance between retail, distribution and real estate.

The second generation started their careers at the family business

Alexander Kryuk and Dmitry Burda joined the top management of RedHead Family Corporation

Launch of "Smartik", distribution own brand

RedHead anniversary

In September, a solemn celebration of the 25th anniversary took place, where the RedHead Family Corporation employees, partners, and guests were invited. People and teams who have made a special contribution to the development of the company have received the "superhero" awards - RedHead Family Corporation Awards.

RedCube

The Mega-Antoshka building in Kharkiv, which was previously used exclusively as a children's shopping and entertainment center, has been reformated into a multifunctional retail and office center, including an Antoshka store, a fitness club, a cafe and a working space for IT companies.

The beginning of cooperation with Hipp