Is it true that Bonduelle, the French food company, had sent a large quantity of canned vegetables for Russian soldiers entrenched in the armed conflict in Ukraine?
The mystery began when an image of a basket full of Bonduelle cans, a product of the French multinational of the same name, was shared and then deleted on VKontakte, (the Russian Facebook). According to this publication, 10,000 baskets were delivered to the soldiers with a gift for the New Year along with a message encouraging them to go ahead in their Ukrainian conquest. Was the French company backing the Russian invasion?
Since the beginning of the Cold War, Bonduelle has remained in Russia with the aim of further developing its activity in the food industry. However, the group came out and assured in a press release that “this information, as well as the statements attributed to Bonduelle and its management, were totally false”. Bonduelle also denied comments attributed in this VKontakte publication to its general director in Russia, Ekaterina Eliseeva, who also reportedly expressed her wish for a “quick victory” in Ukraine.
Despite the difficult times the country has been going through since the invasion of Ukraine, Bonduelle is one of the few French companies that has held its own in Russia, as have Leroy Merlin and Auchan. “The Bonduelle Group is continuing its activities in Russia with the sole objective of ensuring the population’s access to food in Russia and neighboring countries,” the brand reiterated.
