Votes for the best privately owned “all-Ukrainian” company to have emerged since independence were initially slow coming in. Readers offered several theories to explain that.

“The response says something about the field of contenders,” one reader wrote.

“Since most of us are not familiar with the Byzantine ownership relationships common in this country, it is difficult to determine what is an ‘all-Ukrainian’ company,” wrote another.

The former declined to vote. The latter hesitantly gave his vote to Mr. Snack, which “seems prosperous and appears to be all-Ukrainian.”

Once responses started pouring in, it was Obolon – also named best Ukrainian company in the Post five-year anniversary issue last year – that stood “head”and shoulders above the pack. Readers offered some heady reasons why:

“Whatever purists say, this company brings joy to many a Ukranian soul!”

“Obolon helps make the transition period easier for people.”

In that vein, a couple of votes came in for a company that is more a state of mind: Kupidon tavern, where copious quantities of Obolon can be quaffed.

“They know their target market (people who want to drink all night and don’t give a rat’s [behind] about decor),” as one gentleman put it.

Another reader argued that Galacton had a tougher road to climb than Obolon, since milk is harder to get to the market than beer. In addition, Galacton had to build a business of collecting milk – “an enormous task considering enforcement of the strict quality controls while dealing on a daily basis with thousands of small dairy farmers.”

UkrSat Internet service provider received the vote of one grateful Web addict, who said it helped revolutionize the domestic market as well as set an example of good corporate citizenship.

“It proves that Ukraine isn’t just a land of coal and steel, but a country with strong IT companies as well.”

A land of coal, you say? Well, one of the most interesting votes congratulated Donetsk Organic Novelty Chocolate Factory for its “exploiting the region’s prestigious mining heritage by producing high-quality novelty chocolates which looked like lumps of coal.”

Pure marketing genius.

RESULTS

Winner:Obolon

Others receiving votes: Business Inform Publishers, Dom Kofe, Emergex Business Solutions, Kievstar, Kvazar-Micro, Kupidon, Privatbank, Slavutych, Sumy Foods, Taller, Ukraine International Airlines, Ukrprominvest, Ukr-telekom.