RAU Expo 2026 in Kyiv: The Main Exhibition for Retail, Manufacturers and Developers Will Take Place on June 10-11
On June 10-11, Kyiv will host RAU Expo 2026 the ninth main specialized exhibition for the retail industry, commercial real estate, development and manufacturers. This year, the event goes beyond the usual industry format and brings together on one platform the companies that are shaping Ukraine’s consumer market today: stores, marketplaces, developers, banks, logistics operators, manufacturers, service and technology businesses. The theme of RAU Expo 2026 is “Partnership as a Strategic Vector of Development.” And this is not a decorative phrase for a poster. Ukrainian retail no longer operates in conditions where it is enough simply to open a point of sale, agree on rent and wait for the customer. The market has become more complex. Companies need strong partners, fast decisions, new sales channels, technologies, flexible teams, clear scaling models and access to those who can strengthen the business not someday, but now.
This year, RAU Expo is being held in an expanded format and, for the first time, systematically integrates the manufacturing sector. This is an important change. Previously, such events were often perceived primarily as a meeting of retailers, developers and representatives of commercial real estate. Now the logic is broader: the manufacturer is no longer an outside participant who simply supplies goods to shelves. It becomes part of a larger conversation about network development, private labels, logistics, partner sales, franchising, investment and entry into new formats.
RAU Expo 2026 is expected to bring together more than 1,500 participants, 110+ experts, 80+ exhibitors, three stages, three exhibition halls and 17 thematic sessions. For an industry event, these are not just numbers. They are a sign that the market needs a live professional conversation. Business needs not only to hear forecasts, but also to see who is actually moving forward, who is looking for partners, who is ready to invest, open new locations, develop networks, launch products and test technological solutions. The program includes topics that are now defining the future of retail: AI and digitalization, ecommerce, development of commercial real estate, HR transformation, franchising, brands and private labels, business scaling and investment opportunities. These are exactly the areas without which modern trade can no longer develop steadily.
Artificial intelligence and digitalization are needed by companies for process automation, analytics, personalization of offers and better management of customer experience. Ecommerce remains one of the key sales channels, especially for companies that want to be closer to the buyer and not depend only on physical stores. HR transformation has become critical because of the shortage of personnel and competition for people. Franchising is of interest to those looking for faster scaling models. And private labels are becoming a way for chains to strengthen margins and build customer loyalty. The weight of the event also lies in the list of speakers. The program will include representatives of companies that know the Ukrainian market not from presentations, but from daily work under conditions of competition, war, changing demand and logistics challenges. Among them are Volodymyr Tsoi, president of MTI Group, Taras Panasenko, co-founder of the Aurora chain, Iryna Chechotkina, co-owner and co-CEO of Rozetka, Andrii Halytskyi, co-founder and CEO of Lviv Croissants, Artur Mikhno, founder and CEO of Work.ua, Maksym Sheremet, operations director of Epicentr, Nataliia Kravets, commercial director of Dragon Capital Property Management, and Vladyslav Druhov, regional sales director of Sinsay.
Such representation makes RAU Expo not a formal conference, but a place where different parts of the market can be heard. Rozetka is about e-commerce and scale. Aurora is about rapid network growth and working with the mass customer. Lviv Croissants is about franchising and format development. Work.ua is about the labor market. Epicentr is about large-scale retail and operational complexity. Dragon Capital Property Management is about commercial real estate and retail space. All of this together gives a broad picture of the industry, where every decision in one segment affects the others. The list of participants also includes representatives of PUMB, mono, MHP, LC Waikiki, Podorozhnyk, Nova Poshta, OKKO, NOVUS and UPG. More than 300 companies have already confirmed their participation, including Silpo, EVA, Kasta, UKRNAFTA, KFC, PUMA Ukraine, Meest POST, Arricano, Respublika Park, RETROVILLE and others. For visitors, this means not only access to speeches, but also the opportunity to see which companies are currently active, who is looking for partnerships, who is expanding and who is ready for new negotiations.
Since 2017, RAU Expo has worked as a professional industry meeting for retail chains, developers, shopping malls, manufacturers, solution providers, technology and service companies. In 2026, this role becomes broader. Retail, commercial real estate and manufacturing can no longer be viewed separately. Stores need efficient suppliers and strong brands. Manufacturers need sales channels and access to chains. Developers and shopping malls need anchor tenants capable of attracting people. Technology companies need real business tasks, not abstract presentations. That is why the strength of RAU Expo is not only in the exhibition part, but also in the ability to move quickly from acquaintance to a specific conversation. For this, the organizers have provided a digital application for networking and business meetings. Through it, participants will be able to establish contacts in advance, arrange negotiations before the Expo begins, create their own schedule of meetings and speeches, avoid missing important sessions, navigate exhibition zones and discuss business issues in a secure digital environment. This is a practical detail that can significantly change the quality of participation. At large events, the problem is often not that there are too few people, but that the right people pass by one another. The application is designed to help avoid chaos and turn a visit to the Expo into a clear working route: whom to meet, whom to talk to, which session to attend and where to find a potential partner.
In addition to the business program, guests can expect a performance by KALUSH, a charity auction in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and networking in an informal atmosphere. This is also part of modern business culture: important agreements are not always born only in the hall during a panel discussion. Often, they begin with a short conversation after a speech, an introduction in the exhibition zone or a meeting in an informal format. For those planning to attend, a 10% discount is available with the promo code NEW24 until June 8 inclusive. This is worth considering for companies and professionals who want to join the event not at the last moment, but with a prepared meeting plan.
RAU Expo 2026 looks like an event for those who do not want to simply watch the market. It is for companies looking for partners, seeking to scale, seeing potential in private labels, interested in franchising, working with commercial real estate, investing in technology or searching for new growth points. Ukrainian retail is going through a difficult path. It is operating under the pressure of war, staff shortages, changing consumer behavior, logistics challenges and strong competition. But RAU Expo 2026 shows that the market has not stopped in survival mode. It is looking for new development models, bringing different sectors together and increasingly understanding: strong businesses grow not in isolation, but through partnerships, technologies, fast decisions and the ability to negotiate. On June 10-11, Kyiv will become the place where retail, manufacturing, development and services meet not for a formal exchange of business cards, but for a conversation about how the Ukrainian market will move forward.
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