{{Short description|Ukrainian tobacco company}} {{Infobox company | name = Tedis Ukraine | logo = TEDIS Ukraine Логотип.jpg | type = | industry = tobacco | fate = | predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = --> | successor = <!-- or: | successors = --> | founded = 2010 | founder = Igor Kesaev<ref>{{cite web|url=https://opendatabot.ua/c/30622532 |title=Power structure Tedis Ukraine |publisher=Tedis Ukraine |date=2023-07-06 |access-date=2023-08-28}}</ref> | defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | hq_location_city = | hq_location_country = | area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = --> | key_people = | products = | owner = <!-- or: | owners = --> | num_employees = 2500 | num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) --> | parent = | website = {{URL|tedis.ua}} }} '''Tedis Ukraine''' ({{langx|uk|Тедіс-Україна}}), earlier '''Metropolis Ukraine''' ({{langx|uk|Мегаполіс-Україна}}), is the Ukrainian largest tobacco and related products distributor. In 2013–2015, it was de facto monopoly on Ukrainian tobacco market with 99% share of it; in 2020, its share decreased to less than 75%.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://biz.nv.ua/markets/rynok-sigaret-dolya-distributora-tedis-ukraina-zametno-snizilas-novosti-ukrainy-50112342.html|title=Доля компании Тедис на рынке сигарет снизилась до менее 75% - глава Антимонопольного комитета|publisher=nv.ua|date=2020-09-16|archive-date=2022-02-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215021646/https://biz.nv.ua/markets/rynok-sigaret-dolya-distributora-tedis-ukraina-zametno-snizilas-novosti-ukrainy-50112342.html}}</ref>
== History == Metropolis Ukraine was founded in 2010 as a subsidiary of the Russian company Megapolis, owned by Russian businessman Igor Kesaev, after he purchased two largest tobacco companies of West Ukraine.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vedomosti.ru/business/articles/2017/04/03/683788-ukraina-distributora-sigaret|title=Украина обвиняет дистрибутора сигарет в неуплате налогов и спонсировании терроризма|author=|date=2017-04-03|publisher=Vedomosti}}</ref> In 2010, Metropolis Ukraine controlled 50% of the Ukrainian tobacco market.<ref name=":2" />
In 2012–2013, international tobacco companies Philip Morris International, Japan Tobacco International, Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco switched from independent distribution in Ukraine to the distribution via Megapolis-Ukraine.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://biz.liga.net/ekonomika/all/novosti/amku-mojet-nakazat-chetyreh-krupneyshih-proizvoditeley-sigaret|title=АМКУ может наказать четырех крупнейших производителей сигарет|author=|website=ЛІГА.net|date=2019-09-25|publisher=}}</ref> These four companies produce 90% of cigarettes in Ukraine.<ref name=":4" /> Megapolis Ukraine purchased main other tobacco distributors of Ukraine<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.ru/milliardery/371591-bashnya-i-avtomat-kak-vedut-biznes-tabachnye-koroli-kesaev-i-kaciev|title=Башня и автомат. Как ведут бизнес "табачные короли" Кесаев и Кациев|author=|date=2019-01-28|work=Forbes Russia}}</ref> and became de facto monopoly that controls more than 99% of the Ukrainian tobacco market.<ref name=":4" />
In 2014, after annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, Russian companies in Ukraine, including Metropolis Ukraine, faced problems.<ref name=":5" /> In 2015, Kesaev's representatives announced that he had quit Ukrainian business.<ref name=":2" /> At the end of 2015, a part of Megapolis Ukraine was sold to Boris Kaufman, a businessman from Odesa.<ref name=":5" />
In 2016, there was a scandal with Metropolis Ukraine, because Degtyaryov Plant, also owned by Kesaev, allegedly supplied weapons to the separatists in the War in Donbass.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://nv.ua/biz/top-100-bogatyh/boris-kaufman-dose-biografiya-sostoyanie-2019-skolko-deneg-u-sovladelca-tedis-kaufmana-50079058.html|title=Дело табак. Почему Борис Кауфман теряет миллионы и позиции в рейтинге самых богатых украинцев|date=2020-08-10|publisher=Novoye Vremya}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> The warehouses of Megapolis Ukraine in six cities were blocked by activists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.ru/rating-photogallery/328753-10-krupneishikh-riteilerov-rossii-2016?photo=3|title=10 крупнейших торговых компаний России — 2016. 3. Группа компаний Мегаполис|author=|date=2016-09-28|work=Forbes Russia}}</ref> The company management claimed that Russian shareholders withdrew from it.<ref name=":0" /> After the scandal, the company changed its name to Tedis Ukraine.<ref name=":0" />
=== Anti-Monopoly litigation === In 2017, Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMC) accused Tedis Ukraine of monopolizing the Ukrainian tobacco market.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://daily.rbc.ua/rus/show/tabachnoy-monopolii-prihodit-konets-1570640287.html|title=Табачной монополии приходит конец|publisher=RBC Ukraine|date=2019-10-10}}</ref> Tax evasion and terrorist financing have also been claimed.<ref name=":1" /> According to Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko, in 2015—2017 there were 2.5 billion hryvnias that were transferred from Ukraine into Russia through several companies, including Tedis Ukraine, and “some of them were used to fund the terrorist organizations LPR and DPR."<ref name=":2" />
In 2017, Tedis Ukraine was fined 300 million hryvnias after the court proceedings initiated by AMC,<ref name=":1" /> and in 2019 it was fined 3,4 billion hryvnias more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://delo.ua/business/amku-vyigral-sud-u-dvuh-tabachnyh-kompanij-na-46-370837/|title=АМКУ выиграл суд у двух табачных компаний на 460 млн грн|publisher=DELO|date=2020-07-21}}</ref> AMC announced its intention to forcefully split the company,<ref name=":0" /> but in December 2019 AMC lost the court with the company.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Справа про тютюнову монополію: "Тедіс" виграв суд у АМКУ|url=https://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2019/12/28/655412/|access-date=2021-02-06|website=Економічна правда|language=uk}}</ref>
On February 2, 2021, the Supreme Court of Ukraine satisfied the claim of Tedis Ukraine and canceled the decision of the AMC in 2019 on the fine of Tedis Ukraine in the amount of ₴3.4 billion.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Верховний суд скасував рішення АМКУ щодо мільярдного штрафу "Тедіс Україна"|url=https://www.epravda.com.ua/news/2021/02/2/670622/|access-date=2021-02-06|website=Економічна правда|language=uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Верховний Суд скасував штраф у 3,4 мільярда для "Тедіс Україна"|url=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-economy/3183092-verhovnij-sud-skasuvav-straf-u-34-milarda-dla-tedis-ukraina.html|access-date=2021-02-06|website=www.ukrinform.ua|language=uk}}</ref>
In October 2025, Ukrainian courts satisfied application of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine and seized funds of Tedis Ukraine in the amount of UAH 548 million.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-30 |title=Court seizes funds of Tedis Ukraine LLC in amount of UAH 548 million at request of AMCU {{!}} Ukrainian news |url=https://ukranews.com/en/news/1114249-court-seizes-funds-of-tedis-ukraine-llc-in-amount-of-uah-548-million-at-request-of-amcu |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=ukranews.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Description == Tedis Ukraine is the Ukrainian distributor of international companies Philip Morris International, Japan Tobacco International, Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco,<ref name=":0" /> which make 99% of their sales in Ukraine through Tedis Ukraine.<ref name=":1" /> The purchased tobacco products are resold to 40-50 wholesale companies and 80,000 retail companies.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://interfax.com.ua/news/economic/413879.html|title=Реализация сигарет со складов Tedis Ukraine в точки розничной торговли затруднена – участник рынка|author=|website=|date=2017-04-05|publisher=Interfax Ukraine}}</ref>
As of 2020, Tedis Ukraine had 35 regional branches with 2,500 employees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://interfax.com.ua/news/economic/674575.html|title="Тедис Украина" сообщает о попытках блокирования счетов и препятствованию операционной деятельности|author=|website=|date=2020-07-14|publisher=Interfax Ukraine}}</ref> In 2016 it paid 9 billion hryvnias in taxes, becoming one of the five largest taxpayers of Ukraine.<ref name=":3" /> In 2013, Megapolis Ukraine's revenue was 27.5 billion hryvnia, and it ranked fifth in the Forbes Ukraine 200 largest companies of Ukraine.<ref name=":5" />
As of 2017, among the owners of Tedis Ukraine were Boris Kaufman (47.22%), as well as British citizens Richard Duxbury (23.51%) and Richard Dorian Fenhalls.<ref name=":0" />
== References == <references />
== External links == * {{official website }} * {{Cite web|url=https://www.epravda.com.ua/rus/publications/2012/10/17/339969/|title=Российская табачная монополия в Украине|date=2012-10-17|publisher=Economicheskaya Pravda}} * {{Cite web|title=Owners of Tedis Ukraine are two British citizens, Ukrainian businessman|url=https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/417192.html|publisher=Interfax-Ukraine|language=en|date=2017-04-21}} * {{Cite web|title=Tedis Ukraine - Information about the legal entity "Tedis Ukraine" LLC|url=https://opendatabot.ua/c/30622532|publisher=opendatabot.ua|language=UK|date=2024-07-30}}
Category:Retail companies established in 2010 Category:Tobacco companies of Ukraine Category:Ukrainian companies established in 2010