Arista Trading AG

An international grain trading company specializing in the export of agricultural products of Ukrainian origin. 

Operating model and business processes

Arista Trading AG was founded in 2016 in Zug (Switzerland). In February 2023, Ukrainian entrepreneurs Mykhailo Voronych and Artem Dehtiar acquired the company and transformed it into an international trader of grain and oilseed crops.

The company purchases grain and oilseed crops in Ukraine and exports them to more than 20 countries worldwide.

In 2023, Arista Trading AG actively used western overland routes via Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary. Subsequently, due to economic considerations, the primary focus shifted to transshipment through the Danube ports and the ports of Odesa.

In its operations, the company uses a direct transshipment model without stockpiling cargo on port infrastructure. This enables lower logistics costs, faster capital turnover, and more competitive purchasing terms for suppliers. 

Business continuity under wartime risks

During the full-scale war, the company continues to operate amid elevated wartime risks—shelling and a constant security threat—which directly affects drivers, engineering and technical personnel, and other employees. In response, Arista Trading AG systematically implements risk-mitigation measures, reviews and adapts operational procedures to wartime conditions, and prioritizes the protection of the team’s life and health.

In 2024, the merchant vessel AYA, carrying approximately 25,000 tonnes of wheat from Ukraine to Egypt, was struck by a Russian missile while transiting Romania’s territorial waters. This was the only documented case of a missile attack on a merchant vessel outside Ukraine and its territorial waters.

Arista Trading AG responded promptly: the vessel was berthed in the Port of Constanța and the cargo was transshipped onto another vessel, which made it possible to avoid losses and fully perform the contract for the foreign buyer. 

Key metrics

- 2024: 3.6 million tonnes of products exported.
- 2025: trade volume is expected to exceed 2.8 million tonnes, positioning the company among the market leaders in Ukraine.
- Geography of deliveries: more than 20 countries, including Turkey, Egypt, EU member states, and Asian countries.
- Ukraine’s largest soybean exporter.