An October morning at the production facility does not start with coffee. It begins with the steady hum of the new GOSTOL line and the rich warm aroma of a fresh Onion baguette. Work is in full swing in the spacious new slicing workshop. Freshly baked loaves quickly find their way into branded bags so they can hit the store shelves in just a few hours. Life here never stops for a minute.

This year on 16 October the Rumyanets brand celebrates 23 years since the very first oven produced its first loaf. Instead of long ceremonial speeches people here prefer to speak the language of action and new flavours. Twenty three years might seem like a very solid age for a company but you can feel an incredible drive at the facility as if everything is just beginning.

The managers carefully preserve old photographs. In these historical pictures from 2003 the plant looks completely different. You can see the first ovens brought from Europe by a small team along with those very first loaves. Looking at these archival shots it is a pleasure to realise the scale of our production today. However the most valuable thing that unites the past and the present is our people. Some of the bakers smiling joyfully from the old photos still work here today putting their heart and soul into every new batch of dough.

'We used to only dream of such a scale' smiles the workshop supervisor pointing to a giant new silo. This modern metal structure holds a massive 50 tonnes of flour. He explains that the company now has a stable supply making it resilient against any external disruptions. The production runs like clockwork. The new slicing and packaging workshop has significantly eased the workload. 'We manage to slice a lot more products because we see how much you love this convenient format for breakfast' he adds.

In the neighbouring department technologists are conjuring up novelties. This year the masters have outdone themselves by launching a whole range of delicious premieres. Alongside the baguette a delicate line of toast breads appeared including the Pokrovskyi loaf and the revived Custard tin bread. However the true pride of the bakers are the crispy rustic breads and baguettes baked according to special traditions with an incredible texture.

'Have you seen our new doughnuts?' asks the technologist laying out the bright sweet treats. 'We spent a very long time looking for the perfect combinations so that everyone could find their favourite flavour. All those sleepless nights by the ovens were not in vain'. The best confirmation of the quality and skill of the entire team was this year's victory in the prestigious Baking Awards competition. This is recognition that Rumyanets creates a top quality product.

Yet the most ambitious achievement of the year has been our geography. Rumyanets is now confidently travelling the world. Over the past year the company has established exports to five new countries. Our products have travelled to Romania Spain Bulgaria Greece and the USA.

Employees confess that reading messages from Ukrainians on the other side of the world is the most pleasant part of their job. For many people abroad the opportunity to open a familiar package and taste their native bread brings back a sense of home. Every review like this gives the team the strength to keep working.

The shift at the plant gradually hands over the work to the next one. Hot rustic breads are loaded into branded vehicles that quickly disperse across the city. The twenty third year of operation continues in its usual rhythm where the highest award and the best holiday gift are empty shelves in the bakery departments at the end of the day.