Delickcious — about love, new habits, and the courage to reshape the market. Oksana Taras and Yuliana Trus at the “Meaning Makers” Marketing Forum

We at Kormotech shared this story at the 18th Ukrainian Marketing Forum “Meaning Makers” — an annual marathon of ideas where meanings and strategies are born, resonating with the market and society. It brings together those shaping the future of marketing: business owners, strategists, and brand leaders. We were among them to present the case of launching Delickcious — a brand that doesn’t just offer new products, but shapes new habits.

Why does Kormotech need another brand — and why now?
Our strategic goal by 2028 is to be among the top 30 pet food brands globally and reach €500 million in revenue, more than tripling our current size. We understand that to achieve such an ambitious result, we must scale and create something new.

We developed a standalone brand in a new-to-us segment—premium+ treats—during wartime, in a category where the consumer doesn’t yet know us. That was a conscious decision.

Delickcious is not just tasty food for cats and dogs. It’s 22 unique recipes crafted with care for our furry friends: shrimp with pumpkin, chicken fillet with green beans. It’s a product that challenges the old stereotype of “treats from the table.”

How do we anticipate consumer desires — and turn them into must-haves?

“We don’t just want to meet demand. We want to create a new habit. Because treats are about emotional connection, and when a piece from the table was seen as love, that time should stay in the past,” said Oksana Taras, Brand Lead at Delickcious.

We didn’t rely on intuition. We conducted extensive research — in-depth interviews, behavioral pattern analysis, and quantitative validation. We asked: How often do you treat your pet? What do treats mean to you?

Here’s what we found:

• 20% of pet parents treat their pets regularly.
• 60% do so occasionally.

That’s a huge segment — one that was waiting for a brand made just for those moments.

The culture of treating varies from country to country
In export markets, pet parents are eager to experiment. They look for new formats. They’re not afraid of innovation.

In Ukraine, people still occasionally share food from the table with pets. But there’s also a growing demand for high-quality, pet-specific treats. As a company, we want to lead this shift—to foster a culture of responsible pet care, explain why it matters, and offer products made specifically for pets.

That’s why Delickcious is not just a commercial response to a trend. It’s our contribution to shaping a culture and developing a category that, according to forecasts, will grow faster than the overall pet food market by up to 11.8% annually through 2032.

A new segment. Unfamiliar markets. Complex logistics. A premium price point. And yes — a war in our country. But this is our growth zone. And it’s here that new meanings are born — meanings that resonate with the future.

“We chose the path of research, not assumptions. We didn’t just identify who our consumers were — we deeply understood them. And that’s why we’re confident: Delickcious will reshape the market,” said Yuliana Trus, Brand Manager at Delickcious.

Delickcious is more than just a brand. It’s about new rituals in pet parents' daily lives. It’s emotion with flavor. It’s growth that begins with movement, and movement that starts with meaning.