IKEA Buys First Land Plot In Ukraine

This fact was announced by Per Kaufman, IKEA CEO in Russia and CIS . According to him, IKEA is in the process of acquiring land near Odessa. This info is pretty unexpected for me. I don't say that Odessa is wrong city for beginning, but company has spent great efforts to enter Kiev market that this step does seem a little bit strange. I'm not confident that Odessa is better place for massive launch. Although it depends form the location, We can be sure that they will select the best site ever.

Perhaps you remember that previously IKEA announced plans to buy land for the construction preferable in Kiev, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk. But, according to P. Kaufman, the company has not acquired the land in those cities. "Ukraine is not the easiest market to dealing" he added.

And from my point, this fact means that IKEA should buy land in the secondary market, while they would get the land plot from the local authorities, in Kiev, at least. And there isa definite problem with it, 'cause they want property which is regulated by Verkhovna Rada.

Anyway, if this trend is going ahead, we'll see IKEA not only in Odessa, I guess.