Economic Aspects of Catering Business Development in Ukraine

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to investigate the economic aspects of catering business development in Ukraine, analyse the current state of the catering services market, identify the factors affecting the performance of enterprises in the industry, and substantiate the prospects for their development under current socio-economic transformations.

The article reveals the economic essence of the catering business and determines its role within the hospitality industry. The current state of the Ukrainian catering services market is analysed, including the main consumer segments, the industry's development before and after 2022, and the impact of martial law on business operations. The economic features of catering enterprises are examined, particularly the structure of revenues and expenditures, cost formation mechanisms, pricing principles, and indicators of economic efficiency. External and internal factors influencing the industry's development are systematized, while the key challenges facing catering enterprises are identified, including rising service costs, labour shortages, logistics disruptions, declining purchasing power, limited investment resources, and increasing competitive pressure. The study also substantiates current innovative trends in catering business development, including business process digitalization, the implementation of CRM and ERP systems, the application of artificial intelligence technologies, environmentally sustainable practices, service personalization, and the introduction of new catering service formats.

The research findings demonstrate that improving the economic efficiency and competitiveness of catering enterprises requires a comprehensive combination of digital transformation, modernization of the material and technical base, human capital development, service diversification, and investment attraction. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of applying its findings to the development strategies of catering enterprises and the improvement of their management systems. Prospects for further research are associated with developing models for assessing the economic efficiency of catering enterprises, studying digital management technologies, investigating mechanisms for the post-war recovery of the industry, and facilitating the integration of the Ukrainian catering business into the European services market.