Horrified by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Danish businessman Brian Karstens was eager to help but knew his days of picking up a gun in the military were long behind him. As domestic demand in Ukraine plummeted as a result of the war, Karstens, then-Category Group Manager for Beverages at Coop Denmark, one of Denmark’s leading retailers, saw an opportunity to open the door to Western markets for Ukrainian brands. Last summer, he joined forces with the State Institution "Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office of Ukraine" (EEPO) and the Federation of Employers in Ukraine to find partner companies for Coop.