Author Archives: CrispConsulting

JFC Group ‘records major loss’

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Russian fruit and vegetable importer Joint Fruit Company (JFC) Group has reportedly recorded a major revenue drop to RUB 8.18bn (EUR 19.3m) for the first nine months of 2010 (a 6% fall in compared with the same period a year before).

Reports also indicated that JFC,  which is well-known in the country for its Bonanza banana brand, suffered a loss of more than RUB 253m (EUR 5.98m) during the nine months, compared with a profit of RUB 153m (EUR 3.62m) a year before.

Based in St Petersburg, JFC has operations spread across Russia, maintaining offices and logistics terminals in Moscow, Novosibirsk, Krasnodar, Ekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Kazan and Nizhniy Novgorod. In addition, the group operates production subsidiaries in Ecuador, Costa Rica and Cyprus.

Source: www.fruitnet.com

Fruit and Vegetables Inflation Rate in Russia Reached 54%

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Fruit and vegetable index of Fruit-Inform shows that cost of fruit and vegetables for the Russian consumer in mid November was on average 54% higher than in the same period of last year.
The largest increase of prices was registered for traditional vegetables and potatoes. Their main set was up in price by 141% comparatively with the last year! Glass-grown vegetables were on average 26% higher in price than a year before, fruits – only by 5%. Fruit and vegetables keep on increasing in cost in Russia. Within the last week, prices for fruit and vegetable produce grew on average by 5%. All main categories of fruit and vegetables were increasing in price.

Source: www.lol.org.ua

Fixed Fee Imposed by the New Customs Code in Russia

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The Russian Federal Customs Service has taken into account complaints of the business and is trying to facilitate the customs clearance procedure by setting a fixed fee which doesn’t depend on the value of cargo. The customs clearance procedure is supposed to become faster and easier, but experts are warning that the new system will have a negative effect on medium-sized businesses.  At the moment it is being agreed upon the amount of the new fixed fee; initially it was suggested that it should be as much as 5,000 rubles (approx. USD 160). Dmitri Medwedew admitted that Russia is losing potential investors due to the long and costly customs clearance procedures, partially caused by time spent of identifying and verifying the cargro value.

Source: www.retailer.ru

Moscow Kiosks to Be Removed

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The new mayor of Moscow criticized the former authorities for kiosks and tents abundance in the Russian capital and its historical centre. Two years ago the estimated number of kiosks was more than 10,000. 2008 it was reduced to 6,500.  Due to this fact, heads of the municipal councils Tverskaya and Presnenskaya have already been fired, as well as the head of the Consumer market and service department. The Department must carry out an inventory check of small-scale retail facilities and remove the kiosks. First of all the unauthorized tents and those obstructing the traffic should be dismantled.  Kiosk and tent owners are obliged to remove them within 24 hours after the order.  Significant amount of fruits and vegetables are sold via “uncivilized” street retail in Moscow, such orders are to a benefit of retail chains and will have an effect on the structure of the retail market.

Source: www.retailer.ru

Russian Advertisement Market Recovering

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According to the Association of Russian Communication Agencies, the cumulative advertisement turnover in Russia has gained 14% during January – September 2010 and reached 158 – 159 billion roubles (incl. VAT). This is more than during the respective period in 2007 (152 – 153 billion roubles), but the advertisement market is still far from the 2008 record (186 – 187 billion roubles). During 2010 the market has been recovering. In particular, TV gained 11%, print press – 7%, radio – 8%. The volume of outdoor advertising increased by 18%. However, Internet remains the growth leader with increase of 37%, same pace as in 2009.

Source: www.retailer.ru

Azbuka Vkusa Retail Chain Opened 2 New Supermarkets in Moscow

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Premium-class food supermarket chain Azbuka Vkusa has opened two new supermarkets.  In October 2010, the new supermarket opened its doors at Russakovskaya Street in Moscow. Its total area is 1,800 sq.m, sales area – 800 sq.m. Another supermarket started its work at Leningradskoye Shosse. Its total area is 1,200 sq.m, sales area – 565 sq.m.  5 new facilities have been launched since the beginning of this year. The opening of 3 more supermarkets is planned till the end of 2010. One of them will be opened at Profsoyuznaya Street and will start its work in November.

The food supermarket chain Azbuka Vkusa is run by “Gorodskoy Supermarket” LLC, founded in Moscow in 1992. The first shop was opened in 1997. As of end of October 2010, Azbuka Vkusa counts 31 supermarkets in Moscow and Moscow Region. Director General: Vladimir Sadovin.

Source: www.retailer.ru

Russia lost 41,5 billion rubles due to the drought

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According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the losses of the Russian agriculture caused by this summer’s drought run up to RUB 41.5 billion. By the end of September the cost of damage was estimated for RUB 39.1 billion. 24.861 farms and holdings in 888 districts of 41 federal districts suffered from the disaster.
According to experts, more than 13.3 million hectares of land lost crops, which is almost 29% of the crop area in the mentioned regions, 17% of the total growing area or 30% of the grain growing land.

Wal-Mart Negotiates with Kopeyka

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Wal-Mart – the world’s largest retail chain – resumed negotiations with Russian discounter chain Kopeyka.  Earlier in the year,  X5 – Russian retail market leader – was reported to almost complete the purchase of Kopeyka.

“The Trading House Kopeyka”, which runs the chain, launched the second public offering of its bonds at the MICEX stock exchange with the total volume of RUB 3 billion. The first warrant rate is 9% per annum.

Source: www.retailer.ru

Discounters and Hypermarkets Top the Russian Retail Market

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According to the “Ranking of FMCG retail chains of Russia”, by the INFOLine Agency, the growth of shopping space of  top 70 Russian FMCG chains is more than 315,000 sqm estimated from January to September 2010. Russia’s 70 largest FMCG retailers opened 874 shops within this period. Among expanding retailers are such chains as Magnit, Karusel, O’key hypermarkets, Victoria, Atak, Azbuka Vkusa supermarkets, as well as Diksi, Kopeyka, Maria-Ra, Holiday, 7ya Sem’ya, Kvartal, Monetka, Aniks discounters and convenience stores and others. As of October 1 2010, top 70 FMCG retailers have 10,928 outlets with the total sales space 7.1 million sqm.

As of October 1 2010, there were 424 hypermarkets in Russia with the total sales space of 2.7 million sqm. During January – September 2010 it grew by 39,000 sqm.

The number of supermarkets, run by the top 70 retailers, was 1169 as of October 1 2010, their total sales space was more than 1.2 million m2. The sales space growth from January to September exceeded 16,200 m2.

The total number of discounters and convenience stores was approx. 9,335, with the total sales space about 3.3 million m2. The January – September growth was more than 296,000 m2.

Source: www.retailer.ru

В конце прошлой недели в штате Нью-Йорк (США) начался сбор урожая яблок

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На этой неделе начинается сбор урожая самых популярных в Нью-Йорке сортов яблок. Как сообщают фермеры, качество фруктов в этом сезоне просто выдающееся: благодаря обилию солнечного света и тепла этим летом уровень сахара в яблоках очень высок.

«Этой осенью потребители могут рассчитывать на супер-сладкие яблоки», – заявил президент Нью-Йоркской Ассоциации яблок Джим Аллен.

В данный момент по всему штату проходит сбор яблок Макинтош. Кроме того, на прошлой неделе начался сбор яблок Гала и Ханикрисп.

Яблоки штата Нью-Йорк имеют неповторимый вкус, очень хрустящие и сочные, в течение всего лета, а особенно последних месяцев, созревали в очень благоприятных условиях.

В этом году фермеры прогнозируют 27 млн. бушелей яблок.

Полный справочник садов штата, а также информацию по сортам, рецепты и сведения по здоровому питанию вы найдете на www.nyapplecountry.com.

О Нью-Йоркской Ассоциации яблок:

Нью-Йоркская Ассоциация яблок расположена в Фишерс, штат Нью-Йорк; является некоммерческой сельскохозяйственной торговой ассоциацией, представляющей коммерческие яблочные сады Нью-Йорка. Ассоциация поддерживает прибыльное выращивание и сбыт нью-йоркских яблок, повышая спрос на яблоки и яблочные продукты, представляя эту отрасль на уровне штата и на федеральном уровне, а также являясь главным источником информации по всем вопросам, касающихся яблок Нью-Йорка.