Sales of beverages and water produced by IDS Ukraine (the Morshynska, Mirgorodska brands) more than doubled and amounted to 5.4 million bottles per day during peak heat days, which is a new company record, said IDS Ukraine Supply Chain Management Director Serhiy Murenko.

"Until now, over all the years of IDS Ukraine's activity, the standard volume of product shipments to trading partners for the summer peak of consumption was about 2.5 million bottles per day. During the current peak, daily sales of our water and beverages reached a new record - 5.4 million bottles. The abnormal heat became the driver of more than a twofold increase in daily sales," Murenko said in a comment to the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

He emphasized that, given the pronounced seasonality of water and beverage consumption, the company's two plants in Myrhorod and Morshyn were prepared in advance and even before the abnormal heat entered an enhanced operating mode, forming water reserves around the clock: 70 company warehouses, plants, distributors and logistics operators throughout Ukraine accumulated products to meet high demand in the amount of 50 million bottles. It is noted that during peak demand, the company did not rely only on warehouse stocks: the plant in Morshyn worked at maximum capacity, sending up to 200 trucks of products daily, while the maximum shipment in the summer season usually amounted to 100-120 vehicles.

"The most difficult challenge in these conditions was the energy deficit. The production needs in Morshyn are largely met by backup power from industrial generators. A more acute energy challenge was for the plant in Myrhorod - this location has stricter shutdown schedules, accordingly, a more acute electricity shortage, from which the plant suffered," Murenko said. However, according to him, the production was partially adapted to problems with the power supply: the work schedule is adapted to power outages and power shortages.

"Despite the circumstances, the plant operates when possible - on weekends and at any time when there is electricity. The generator partially covers the need for electricity," Murenko said.

To ensure strategic sustainability in the conditions of energy shortages and continuous production, the company is considering various scenarios and technologies to strengthen energy independence. Not limited to traditional generators, IDS Ukraine analyzes the possibilities of importing electricity, its production from alternative sources, such as sun or generation on alternative fuel.

In addition, given the unstable external situation, abnormal summer heat and the risk of power outages in winter, the company decided to increase warehouse stocks and strengthen preparations for the autumn-winter period in order to cope with future possible challenges.

IDS Ukraine is a Ukrainian group of companies founded in 1996, one of the largest national producers of bottled water. The holding includes the Morshyn mineral water plant Oskar, the Myrhorod mineral water plant, the distribution company IDS and the water delivery operator IDS Aqua Service.

The holding owns the trademarks Morshynska, Mirgorodska, Alaska, and Aqua Life.