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24.01.2025
Ukraine's largest drogerie network plans to open 55–60 stores, including the EVA BEAUTY format, develop logistics, and e-commerce, and invest in digitalization.
Despite the losses caused by the full-scale Russian invasion, EVA has strengthened its position in the drogerie market. While restoring damaged stores, the company continued to grow. In 2022, the retailer opened 26 new stores, 58 in 2023, and 65 in 2024, some in the new EVA BEAUTY format. By the end of 2024, EVA’s operational stores will reach 1,100, almost matching the pre-invasion total of 1,116.
Financially, the company is also thriving under the circumstances, increasing revenue by 34% in 2023. The sales growth for the first half of 2024 is similarly strong. EVA has also attracted new customers. But can these results be sustained in the coming year?
Four EVA top managers share their views on the most promising business directions for 2025.
Olha Shevchenko, CEO of EVA and EVA.UA
Since the full-scale Russian invasion, we have invested about UAH 3.3 billion in business development. This year, we will open 65 stores, exceeding our initial plan. By year-end, we will operate 1,100 stores.
Some stores had to close as we relocated them to larger premises nearby, sometimes even within the same mall. Unfortunately, we were forced to close 10 stores in areas affected by advancing Russian troops. Two more stores in Kherson were shut due to unprofitability caused by a sharp population outflow.
Despite this, we end the year on a positive note. The total net increase in the number of stores, even accounting for closures, is 50. Our customer base has grown by almost half a million shoppers. Orders through our online store increased by nearly 80% in the first nine months compared to the same period last year.
In 2025, we plan to continue developing the areas we’ve invested in over recent years. We aim to grow the network by 55–60 new stores, complete the first phase of the logistics center in Lviv, and implement new logistics projects.
Halyna Obodets, director of EVA’s private label department
This year was productive for the development of private labels. Their share in unit sales grew by 2.5 percentage points. Among our accomplishments is the creation of the Best of EVA.UA 2024 Beauty Gifts advent calendar, featuring 24 private-label and other branded products. This project was highly successful, selling out in three weeks.
Next year, we plan to expand our private label portfolio. In the haircare segment, we will introduce new brands of professional hair toning products from Italy and further expand the ABOUT hair product line. Additionally, we plan to launch a line of beauty gadgets for hair.
We are also finalizing testing for a personalized service that will allow customers to order custom-designed socks via EVA bot.
Vasylyna Petlytska, director of the EVA BEAUTY business line
The first EVA BEAUTY store opened in December 2023 in Kyiv. This year, we added another store in Lviv and, at the Kyiv location, launched the first Beauty Salon by EVA. We also significantly expanded our brand portfolio in 2024.
EVA BEAUTY now includes skin health centers in a shop-in-shop format. EVA is the first retailer to officially sell dermocosmetics from brands like La Roche-Posay, Vichy, and Bioderma, offering free skin testing and personalized consultations.
We plan to open at least five more EVA BEAUTY stores in 2025. We are expanding our assortment, introducing new brands, and enhancing services. Our global goal is to become a beauty industry expert and the top choice for online and offline beauty products.
Olena Annenko, director of EVA’s e-commerce department
In a challenging year for the country, the key achievement for EVA.UA was meeting our planned turnover growth. Over the first 11 months of 2024, turnover increased by 74% compared to the same period in 2023. This helped stabilize daily sales at 20,000 orders per day.
Next year, we will continue to support our growth strategy, aiming for year-over-year growth of over 50%. Key priorities for 2025 include horizontal and vertical assortment expansion, improving customer service, developing new services, further enhancing the EVA.UA platform, and increasing brand awareness among our target audience.
Our main project for 2025 is the EVA Marketplace, which we plan to evolve from an MVP to a full-fledged product.