“Epiravlyk”: How Investment in Knowledge from the Platform for Social Change Transforms a Business and Its Community
“If I hadn’t welcomed those first visitors back when everything was far from perfect, I don’t know whether the farm would even exist today,” says Aliona, the owner of a snail farm in the Khmelnytskyi region.
Today, “Epiravlyk” means гастро-tours, full-scale production, 18 varieties of sauces, skincare products made with snail mucin, and a steady flow of visitors. But just a few years ago, it was only an idea — and a strong desire to build a business that offers freedom, purpose, and growth.
Read the full story of how structured support and investment in development helped turn a small farm into a center of growth.
A Beginning That Almost Didn’t Happen
In 2020, Aliona was on maternity leave when she came across a grant competition and decided to apply — more out of an inner impulse than a clearly defined strategy. Her idea of starting a snail farm made it to the finals. At first, she doubted herself, especially seeing other participants with strong, already operating businesses.
In 2021, the farm launched with a typical market model — exporting snails to Europe. But then the world suddenly shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. European buyers stopped purchasing, and many producers were forced to suspend their operations. At that moment, she could have given up or waited for the market to recover.
“Epiravlyk” chose a different path. The first visitors arrived when the farm’s infrastructure was still far from perfect. It would have been easy to postpone and wait for “better conditions.” But Aliona said yes. That decision became a turning point. Gastro tours, tastings, and word-of-mouth promotion helped the business survive at a time when exports had stalled.
In 2022, another turning point came — sudden, stressful, and overwhelming: the full-scale war began in Ukraine. The farm could have stopped once again. No one knew what would happen next — whether there would be a season, visitors, or any demand at all.
But, as Aliona recalls, people started writing to her themselves: “Please open. We need this.” For many, the farm became a place where they could pause, breathe, and step away from the anxiety of reality, even if just for a short time. And it was during that year that demand reached a record high.
The business survived. But to grow systematically, it needed more than intuition and courage. It needed strategy, a professional environment, and a new level of management.
That was the moment when the Platform for Social Change entered the story of “Epiravlyk.”
Not Just Growing — But Growing Systemically
“I understood that I could move slowly — at my own pace. And maybe I would have gotten there anyway. But it would have taken a few more years. Or I could accelerate.”
When a business is already operating, it’s easy to feel like you’re in control. “I knew my strengths. But I simply didn’t want to see my weaknesses,” Aliona admits.
She registered for the Platform for Social Change program for the second time — and almost backed out. “It was peak season at the farm. The snails, the household, offline training in Kamianets… I thought, this is definitely not the right time.” But she gathered her thoughts, weighed the pros and cons — and went anyway.
“After the very first modules, I realized this was a completely different level. It wasn’t just lectures. It was when someone lays out your business piece by piece.”
Marketing wasn’t about pretty photos — it was about strategy. Finance wasn’t bookkeeping — it was a growth model. Legal issues weren’t formalities — they were the foundation of stability.
“They really highlighted my blind spots. They showed me how my business looks from the outside. It was a bit uncomfortable — but absolutely necessary.”
Another turning point was learning to delegate. “For me, that’s psychologically difficult. I’m used to controlling everything. But if you want to grow, you have to let go.”
The Platform didn’t offer a magic formula for success. “No one said, ‘Do this and everything will work.’ They gave us tools, structure, and a strong professional environment. After that, it’s up to you to take action.”
And from that moment on, “Epiravlyk” began moving from intuitive development to systematic growth.
An Investment That Changed the Scale
After completing the program, “Epiravlyk” received substantial grant support that fundamentally changed the scale of the business.
“For us, this wasn’t money just to stay afloat. It was money for growth,” Aliona says.
The funds were invested in professional production equipment: refrigerators, stoves, stainless steel worktables, and a dehydrator for new product lines. What had been only a dream a year earlier became reality.
The farm transitioned from a semi-home-based setup to full-scale production. While the product line once included around eight sauces, today there are eighteen — and the team continues to expand the ассортимент. A new direction has also been launched: skincare products made with snail mucin. Production has become stable, manageable, and scalable. Each new season now begins with a clear product strategy.
“A year ago, I could only dream about equipment like this. Today it runs every day. And you realize the business is operating on a completely different level.”
The grant was not a one-time aid package — it was an investment that enabled the business to move to the next stage of development.
An Environment That Creates Strength
Funding became a catalyst — but it was not the only outcome.
“What I gained the most wasn’t even the money,” Aliona says. “I saw how strong the people around me are — and how much we can strengthen one another.”
The Platform for Social Change offered more than just a program — it created an environment. Collaborations emerged naturally. Together with another brand, they launched soap made with snail mucin. In just a month and a half, around 2,000 units were sold — and demand exceeded production capacity. It wasn’t a one-time experiment; it was the result of trust and shared effort.
Partnerships with other program participants followed — joint product development, orders, бухгалтерський support. A professional circle formed where entrepreneurs don’t compete destructively but reinforce each other’s growth.
“When we’re alone, we’re just businesses. When we’re together, we’re a force.”
And this is not a poetic metaphor — it’s a development model that truly works.
An Ambition That Goes Beyond the Farm
Today, the goal of “Epiravlyk” is to become the No. 1 snail farm in Ukraine. But for Aliona, this is not only about production volumes.
“I want this to become a true center of snail farming. I want people to come not just for a tasting, but for an experience. I want our village to appear on Ukraine’s tourism map,” she says.
This vision goes beyond business. It is about local development, new opportunities for the community, and eco-tourism that creates added value where it was once unseen.
Aliona has learned more than once that what seems like a dream can become a plan — and a plan can become reality. But that transition happens faster and more confidently when the right support, knowledge, and environment are in place.
The story of “Epiravlyk” shows how investing in an entrepreneur’s growth can translate into the growth of a business — and of an entire community.
Why This Matters to the Platform for Social Change
We do not operate on the principle of a “one-time grant.” Our role goes deeper. We teach entrepreneurs to think strategically, help them identify growth points, create an environment where they strengthen one another, and invest in those who are ready to take responsibility for their own development.
When we look at “Epiravlyk,” we see more than 18 sauce varieties or a new cosmetics line. We see scaled production, a sustainable growth model, the development of local tourism, new collaborations, and a functioning ecosystem of partnership.
Social entrepreneurship is not about support for the sake of support. It is about investing in people who are capable of transforming the economies of their communities.
And when we see how tools, knowledge, and support translate into tangible results, it gives us the most important thing — confidence that we are moving in the right direction.
Stories like this are what inspire us to keep going.
