Stories - 27-02-2017
Developing the fresh cut market together
Tatiana Ovsyankina is Managing Director of the Russian processing company Provance. Being an entrepreneur in the current challenging economic situation is not without risks, but she feels strongly supported by the knowledge and experience of Rijk Zwaan.
Market research
“For 15 years I worked for a Russian retail company, where I gained good insights into the main consumer trends in our country. One of them was the big potential of the fresh cut segment. So when I decided I wanted to start my own business, I chose to start a new processing company. Since fresh salads are really something new for Russia, I began by conducting extensive market research. Together with my Sales Manager, Dimitri, I spent a year travelling and visited many different growers and processors in Russia and abroad.”
“During this process we learnt a lot about the industry and the assortment. I found out that there are a lot of important details to take care of. We soon identified our main priority: to raise the quality of Russian fresh produce. But since we didn't have reliable growers, we didn’t know how to approach this.”
Specialists
“When visiting these companies we often heard the name of Rijk Zwaan. As the market leader in lettuce, they have a wide overview of the market and an impressive network of specialists. We contacted their local specialist and he supplied us with a wealth of information – about the scope of the assortment, but also about how to achieve the right level of quality at the right time. In this context, they could put us in touch with the right Russian growers and with useful contacts abroad.”
Growing assortment
“Since opening our first factory in Tyumen in 2012, our company has expanded steadily. We’ve just opened a new facility in Rostov-on-Don and supply an increasing number of retailers with a growing assortment. Furthermore, we still see many opportunities for the future, such as the introduction of baby leaf or Knox™ varieties.”
“It’s funny – now that we’re bigger we sometimes get contacted by growers who want to supply to us. So whereas it was initially Rijk Zwaan that referred us to growers, we now refer growers to Rijk Zwaan. We know that they have the right varieties and also provide good technical advice. Our cooperation really is a win-win situation.”
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