INNOVATIONS AS THE BASIS OF SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF DAIRY PROCESSING ENTERPRISES

The article considers innovative activity of dairy processing enterprises. The key challenges faced by dairy companies are highlighted, including the military conflict, security risks, economic instability, logistical challenges, limited access to markets, energy issues, forced relocation of enterprises and workers, etc. The main industry-specific features of dairy processing enterprises are outlined, which affect the possibility and feasibility of innovations implementation. The importance of innovations for the successful development of business entities is emphasized. The article highlights the increasing demand for functional, lactose-free, and organic dairy products. It is noted that the implementation of modern technologies, such as ultrafiltration, membrane filtration, fermentation with probiotics, cold extraction of milk fats, and the use of molecular sensors, contributes to improving the quality and competitiveness of products. Special attention is paid to the digitalization that is critical in optimizing production processes by reducing manual work, and improving both efficiency and product quality. Automating of processes can simplify and streamline the complex operations, reducing the risk of errors. Moreover, dairy processing enterprises can improve the accuracy of operations. The article shows that despite the war, enterprises continue to actively work on the production greening (reduce the carbon footprint of their operations and waste, optimizing resource use). Dairy processing enterprises focus on producing goods in a way that minimizes environmental impacts. Packaging materials can be made from renewable or recyclable materials, reducing the environmental impact of packaging waste. The level of digitalization among the enterprises worldwide is analyzed. The benefits of digital tranformation in business development are emphasized. Digital transformation of dairy processing enterprises achieved with the implementation of SAP which allows easy access to employees of different departments, responds quickly to shifts in demand and leads to greater productivity.