[28.09.2004, 12:40]
Russian Coffee Market ... According to the "Roschaikofe" association, last year Russia's coffee market was amounted to 103-105 thousand tons, a growth of 5% compared to 2002 and 1.3 billion US dollars in wholesale prices, a growth of 30% compared to 2002. At present Russia imports all kinds of coffee. The green coffee imports showed the highest growth and it rose by about 20% in 2003 compared to the previous year to 25934 tons from 20587. The imports of natural roasted or ground coffee increased by 28% in 2003 compared with previous year to 5078 tons from 3659 tons. The imports of soluble coffee in 2003 remained unchanged at the level of the previous year. Unlike the segment of natural coffee in which local production shares almost 75%, imported products dominate in the soluble coffee segment. According to the "Roschaikofe" association, the segment of natural roasted coffee in 2003 was amounted to 18-20 thousand tons and the soluble coffee, including two-in-one and three-in-one mixtures was 85-86 thousand tons. The fact that Russia imports from many countries in various regions shows that the country is involved in the world coffee market in full. Following are the main players on the coffee market:
- In the green coffee segment: "Bernhards Rodfos" and "Orimi Treid";
- In the natural and roasted coffee segment: "Orimi Treid", "Rusky Produkt", "Chibo", "Kraft Foods", "Kuppo" and "Pouling";
- In the soluble coffee segment: "Nestle", "Chibo", "Kraft Foods", "Rusky Product", "Grand" and "Moskovskaya Kofeinaya na Payakh".
According to forecasts by "Roschaikofe", Russia's coffee market will continue to grow in 2004 and the growth rate will be at the level of last year, about 5%. As in 2003 the natural coffee segment will guarantee this.
//Ruseconomy.ru//

[28.09.2004, 11:30]
Association of "Roschaikofe" admits new members ... Rusteacoffee association that embraces local companies engaged in coffee and tea production informed that it admitted two new members, Rusky Produkt and SDS-Ekom (Ahmad Tea). In his commentary the general director of the association R. Chanturia said: "The move by the Rusky Produkt Company is in line with the trend to coordinate efforts by local producers and this makes it possible to stimulate lobbying interests of local enterprises engaged in this area. By admitting the SDS-Ekom Company we united the major players on the tea market and are ready to coordinate efforts effectively to solve strategic tasks linked with the technical regulation of local tea production and promoting tea as a drink. Following are the members of the Association in addition to the new ones:
Amtel, Avalon, Vostochny Kupets, TD Grand, Imperatorsky Chai, Baby food factory in St. Petersburg, May Company, Moskovskaya Kofeinya na Payakh, Moskovskaya Chainaya Fabrika, Orimi Trade, Sapsan, Teastan and Vostochnaya Stolitsa that joined the association recently. At present the association has 15 members.
//Coffeetea.ru//

[24.09.2004, 11:20]
Commission on protective measures recommends… ... According to the press service of the Economic Development and Trade Ministry, the interdepartmental commission on protective measures in foreign trade and customs tariff policy at its meeting reviewed customs taxes on importing and exporting goods. It discussed the possibility of increasing importing duties on such products as raw-sugar, yeasts, bottled coconut oil and roasted coffee.
The commission decided to leave importing duties on roasted coffee unchanged on the grounds that an increase in duties could affect the country's consumer market.
//Coffeetea.ru//

[16.09.2004, 18:40]
World Food 2004 invites… ... The four-day international food exhibition of World Food Moscow 2004 opens on the 21st of September and the producers and distributors will present their products in more than 50 basic categories.
Speaking at a news conference devoted to the opening of the exhibition, the chairman of the board of directors of the ITE Company that organizes the show, Ross Strawby noted that the exhibition had continued to grow and develop. This year the exhibition has increased compared to last year and covers an area of 22 000 square meters. More than 1000 companies will participate in the exhibition and 70% percent of them are Russian. The director of the exhibition Anastasia Sevastyanova drew the attention to the fact that the traditional "Product of the Year" competition would be held under the aegis of Russia's Agriculture Ministry during the exhibition. In addition, the 2nd international conference will be held as a part of the exhibition involving qualified experts. It will discuss urgent and important topics linked with food. The area of the exhibition grew to 22 000 square meters from 3 000 square meters since it was held for the first time in 1992. According to organizers the exhibition has grown in the past three years and its annual growth rate has been about 50%. The exhibition occupies five main pavilions at the exhibition centre in Krasnaya Presnaya. The new participants of this year are Mexico, Peru and Uruguay and Argentina and Brazil will expand their representation. The exhibition is divided into 11 topics and this makes easier for finding companies, which visitors are interested in. The new system of visitors registration will help the organizers to further upgrade the exhibition’s internal structure and special measures will guarantee security on the territory of the Expocentre in Krasnaya Presnaya.
The fact that many companies engaged in tea and coffee business participate in the exhibition will most likely please the visitors of the World Food 2004. More than 70 tea companies and over 50 companies engaged in production and selling of coffee have expressed desire to participate in the exhibition.
The visitors will get an opportunity to meet the representatives of mass media devoted to tea and coffee and get all kinds of information about the “Coffee and Tea in Russia” magazine, which is being released for professionals, and “Planet of Tea and Coffee”, newspaper for consumers and special news site www.coffeetea.ru at the 814th stall in the second pavilion.
//Coffeetea.ru//

[15.09.2004, 11:50]
Kraft Foods Company Helps Children in Beslan ... Kraft Foods Company has delivered 600 kilograms of its products to the children of Beslan who suffered from a terrorist attack. The consignment of humanitarian aid included, milk chocolates and soluble coffee with sugar and cream. It was handed over to the Russian Red Cross committee, which will deliver it to the hospitals in North Ossetia.
And what's more, the staff of the Kraft Foods Company collected one million rubles and transferred the money for treatment and rehabilitation of the victims of the terrorist attack.
//Nrs.com//

[13.09.2004, 11:30]
A Russian Style Coffee House ... The history of Russian coffee houses started in 1995 when the first coffee house, Coffee Bean was opened in Moscow. The number of coffee houses has continued to grow since then and it has reached to 160 in the city. Among these are individual coffee houses and chains such as "Kofemaniya" and "Shokoladnitsa". The leader on the Russian market is "Kofe Haus" Company that has 43 coffee houses, including 25 in Moscow. The company plans to increase the number to 100 in the next two or three years. The leading companies in the Russian fast-food market promote this trend too. The Rostic Group opened "Moka Loka" coffee houses in 2002 and McDonald's in its MacCafe chain of restaurants in the same year. The number of coffee houses grew rapidly. They covered the owners' outlay significantly faster than that of restaurants. Moreover, the niche of each of the chains differs slightly, in some places the set-up is more democratic and some others have refined dessert. This has made it possible for coffee houses to exist quite peacefully until recently. But the situation has lately changed. The market is undergoing its transition period. The time when coffee houses were stylish and profitable has passed. Now only professionals remain in the market. According to the general director of "Roschaikofe" association Ramaz Chanturia, there are two possibilities before the players: either they must upgrade their professional skills or leave the market. This trend is confirmed by the recent deal when "Montana kofe" bought one of the first Moscow coffee houses, "Zen kofe". An official of the "Kofe Haus" company, Yana Stavitskaya agrees with R. Chanturia. She insists that future is with chains or professionals. Information has appeared time and again in the past two or three years that Starbucks Company will appear on the Russian market. The last time such information came in this past summer. But Starbucks has not officially confirmed it yet.
//Expert.ru//

[02.09.2004, 15:40]
Samovar for the president ... It has long been a hobby for the 56-years-old resident of Samara to collect samovars. His collection includes about two hundred samovars. Most likely, this is the largest private collection in Russia. For comparison, it must be said that the largest museum of samovars in Tula has about 350.
All samovars of the collector were made in the middle of the 19th century and each has its own stamp. Collector is proud of his Turkish samovar, which is the smallest in the collection. Its outer surface is made of red copper but the inner of silver. It has double walls like in a thermos. This makes it possible to maintain the high temperature of water for seven or eight days. The collector says: "I have many oriental samovars, which were brought to Russia from China, Israel and some other countries. I have Iranian and Iraqi samovars and many from Tashkent. In fact, samovars were brought to Russia from the East. This is an eastern invention. Each country made its own samovars. For one, Chinese samovars differ from ours. They remind flying saucers. Nevertheless, Russian samovars are being highly valued in the world".
The collector has named one samovar "the President". It a very valuable one in the Moscow collection, and was made in the middle of the 18th century. It is decorated with silver and is in very good condition. It can be used to prepare tea even now. The collector plans to present it to president Vladimir Putin.
//Rusky kuriar//