Proceedings of the International scientific and practical conference ―Science and Society in Times of War‖ (June 5-7, 2026) / Publisher website: www.naukainfo.com. – Kharkiv, Ukraine, 2026. - 417 p.

10 sector includes enterprises engaged in the production of meat, dairy, bakery, confectionery products, oils and fats, as well as other goods. In recent years, the activities of food industry enterprises have become considerably more complicated due to the destruction of production facilities, labor shortages, disruptions in logistics chains, and rising production costs [3, p. 154]. At the same time, Ukraine‘s integration into the European economic space creates new opportunities for the development of the industry. The share of food exports to European Union countries is increasing, while efforts to implement international quality and product safety standards are ongoing [2, p. 47]. This study proposes to analyze the relationship between two key groups of determinants – innovative and financial – which, in turn, shape the development of the industry. Effective development of the food industry is possible only under conditions of simultaneous strengthening of innovative and financial potential. Innovations require sufficient financial support, while access to financial resources depends on increasing the innovative capacity of enterprises and the attractiveness of the industry for investors and donors [7, p. 615]. The high cost of loans and insufficient state incentives for innovation remain significant obstacles to enterprise development. At the same time, international grant programs and financial support from the European Union create additional opportunities for the implementation of innovative and investment projects [8, p. 122]. In order to systematize the key factors of food industry development in the context of European integration, it is advisable to identify the innovative and financial determinants underlying the competitiveness of enterprises in the sector. Effective development of the food industry depends on a balanced combination of innovative and financial factors. Enterprise modernization requires appropriate financial support, while access to investment and credit resources accelerates technological renewal, digitalization, and the integration of enterprises into the European economic space [6, p. 86]. It is important to realize that the development of the food industry in the context of European integration is influenced primarily not by the availability of separate