Five years ago, the "Ostrov Chistoty i Smaku" (Island of Purity and Taste) chain comprised 750 outlets and was one of the leaders in Belarusian retail. The founder of the business, Viktor Ramuk, controlled not only retail but also the household chemicals factory "Romax," a chain of pharmacies, and a number of other specialized assets. However, in 2022, the business began to crack amid financial miscalculations, debt burden, and claims from regulatory bodies. This resulted in the bankruptcy of the "Romax" group of companies. Later, the vacant retail spaces began to be occupied by new players. The publication Office Life reports on what is happening with them now.
"Ostrov" / "Vinapolis"
In 2024, control over the remaining part of the "Ostrov Chistoty i Smaku" stores passed to LLC "IslandGroup" (Alexander Pupal was its owner for a few days, then a Russian citizen Alexei Mokshantsev became the owner).
At the end of 2025, the new operator carried out a rebranding: retail outlets continued to operate under the truncated sign "Ostrov," and later specialized "Vinapolis" points appeared on the market.
At that time, the updated chain comprised 55 stores. However, a trend towards business reduction is now observed. According to the retailer's official website, the chain only lists 34 outlets.
But, as Office Life noted, semi-empty shelves can be seen in operating stores, and a number of retail outlets are only open until August 31. The brands' websites and social media have not been updated since the end of July.
In May 2026, Konstantin Starovoitov left the position of director of the chain, as he announced on social media.
For 2025, "IslandGroup"'s revenue amounted to 35.5 million rubles, with net losses of almost 11.5 million rubles.
"DNC-market"
In parallel, at the beginning of 2025, Anatoly Pryhodzich, a former top manager of the "Romax" group, created the company "DNC-Market," which began opening stores under the eponymous brand name. Its first outlet opened in Zhodino. The next store appeared in the capital at the "Uruchye-3" market. The idea was to create stores with "truly low prices" (DNC - "deystvitelno nizkiye tseny"). The format was positioned as a hybrid of a classic store and a convenient warehouse space. At the same time, a partnership with the "Romax" factory was announced.
The company announced the launch of a nationwide chain. According to the Trade Register, the organization currently has 12 outlets (the last two were registered at the end of March 2026 in the Minsk shopping mall "Tivali" and in Lida). It is noteworthy that some stores opened at former "Ostrov Chistoty" locations.
However, the business failed to scale. According to information from the "Justice of Belarus" magazine, "DNC-Market" has been in the process of liquidation by decision of its owners since mid-August.
According to the latest data, the company has two owners: Anatoly Pryhodzich owns 88%, and the Minsk LLC "LinvaRent" controls 12% (it joined the founders in June 2026).
At the beginning of the year, the company actively sought investors to enter the retail business. Various options were considered: from attracting a reverse loan to transferring a share in the authorized capital with the right to participate in operational management.
Before the liquidation procedure began, the company had six changes in management. It is indicative that the last director was the founder of "Ostrov Chistoty" himself, Viktor Ramuk, who worked in this position from May 19 to August 18, 2026.
Shortly before closing, in mid-July 2026, "DNC-Market" transferred the rights to four trademarks (HAPPY HOUSE, "KREPYSН," "EKONOMY-KA," and MISTER LUDWIG) to the company "Fabrika Romax."
Regarding financial indicators, for 2025, "DNC-Market" operated with net losses of 633 thousand rubles on revenues of 842 thousand.
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