FOREIGN PATENTING AS A FACTOR FOR ACTIVATING FEA AND MANAGEMENT OF FOOD ENTERPRISES IN INDUSTRY 4.0 IN THE CONDITIONS OF POST-WAR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The article substantiates overseas patenting as an instrument for intensifying foreign economic activity (primarily exports) and as a factor enhancing the management efficiency of Ukraine’s Industry 4.0 food enterprises during post-war recovery. The paper analyses key barriers to entering the EU, UK and US markets for food producers (with a special focus on confectionery): stricter requirements for food safety (HACCP and risk-based approaches), traceability, evidence-based documentation, readiness for official controls, as well as wartime logistics and energy risks and limited access to modernization finance. It is shown that export competitiveness increasingly depends not only on the product itself, but also on the controllability of production processes and the quality of data on batches, raw-material origin, process parameters and certification records. The study argues that Industry 4.0 solutions (ERP/MES/SCADA/IIoT, digital traceability and batch tracking, machine vision and SPC, WMS/TMS/EDI, and analytics) ensure stable product parameters, audit readiness, loss reduction, faster document flows and greater trust from importers and retailers. Particular attention is paid to the institutional digitalization of trade (including the transition to TRACES NT) and to the role of private food-safety schemes (ISO 22000, IFS, FSSC 22000) as markers of supplier readiness. Practical patent routes are proposed for Ukrainian food companies under different target-market and budget constraints (UA→PCT→national phases; UA→EPO(+UK); UA→US(+/−CA) with FTO; fast UA protection; an FMCG strategy based on trademarks and industrial designs; and an IP portfolio for grants and reconstruction programs), along with guidelines for selecting patentable assets versus retaining know-how. The paper concludes that combining overseas patenting with digital compliance and robust quality systems forms a foundation for long-term presence in highly regulated markets.