Author Archives: CrispConsulting

2013 tough year for Russian fresh produce imports

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Due to a number of factors, 2013 was a difficult year for many of Russia’s fruit and vegetable suppliers. Bad weather negatively impacted some crops while restrictions on fresh produce shipments to Russia from several regions of origin limited supplies. Many companies in Moscow also experienced problems with fresh produce storage when one of the biggest warehouse complexes in the city was closed. Negative changes in consumer behaviour and purchasing power also became evident at the end of the year.

According to data from the Federal Customs Service, imports of fruit, nuts and dried fruit to Russia in 2013 remained roughly equal to 2012 levels – amounting to 6.19 million MT or $6.26 billion. Compared to the previous year’s figures (6.16 million MT, $6.28 billion), the volume of imported fruit increased by 0.4 percent and the value decreased by 0.35 percent. Imports of vegetables over the same period grew more intensively. The gross import volume of vegetables reached 2.90 million MT, or $2.80 billion, exceeding the volume and value of 2012 by 6.3 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively.

www.freshplaza.com

Horex Siberia 2014

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Horex Siberia 2014

April 9-11, 2014

IEC Novosibirsk Expocentre, Novosibirsk, Russia

The Horex Siberia has taken place for the past 10 years and has now become a highly-respected and leading exhibition for the HoReCa industry in Russia. The exhibition features hundreds of domestic and international exhibitors each year, and has been a key factor in helping companies to enter the Russian market for the first time, or raise their profile.

The Horex Siberia exhibition includes:

  • Professional shop fittings for catering and trade companies;
  • Tableware, kitchenware, dishware;
  • Foodstuffs, spices for professional cuisine;
  • Coffee, coffee-machines, tea, specialized equipment;
  • Banquet, fourchette, catering organization;
  • Pre-fabricated modules;
  • Vending equipment;
  • Mini-bars;
  • Hotel and restaurant textile, household chemicals;
  • Fabrics and drapes, accessories;
  • Bathroom equipment and fitting;
  • Telecommunications, automatization and safety systems, software;
  • Conditioning and ventilating systems;
  • Computer-cash systems, cash-register equipment;
  • Lighting systems, blocks, lightfitting;
  • Shop design, P.O.S-marketing;
  • Warehouse equipment and machines;
  • Furniture, accessories, carpeting;
  • Cleaning, hygiene equipment and products;
  • Lighting, sound, musical equipment
  • Dry-cleaners, laundry equipment;
  • Amusement, gambling equipment.

For more information see: www.horex-siberia.ru

Alaska’s Halibut and Black Cod Harvest Season Opens Saturday

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Alaska’s wild halibut and black cod (sablefish) harvest season opens Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 12:00 PM local time. Statewide Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits for Alaska halibut and black cod are set at 16.8 million pounds and 33.6 million pounds respectively. Alaska is home to over 95% of the Pacific halibut and over 70% of the black cod harvested in the United States. Like all species of Alaska seafood, Alaska halibut and black cod are wild and sustainable, as mandated by the Alaska Constitution. Alaska’s science-based fishery management practices are considered a world model.

The International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) is responsible for setting the annual halibut harvest limit based on stock assessments and halibut biology, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) makes allocative decisions based on that quota. The Alaska black cod fisheries are both federally and state managed, with the NPFMC reviewing the annual stock assessment and harvest limits for fisheries in federal waters and the State of Alaska managing the fisheries in state waters.

The largest of all flatfish, Alaska halibut is prized for its mild, sweet flavor, firm texture, and spectacular results whether grilled, roasted, sautéed, or poached. Alaska black cod offers a beautiful snow-white fillet, perfect flake, and succulent velvety texture. Along with being excellent roasted, sautéed, and poached, Alaska black cod is ideal for smoking.

www.alaskaseafood.org

Instability in Ukraine affects fresh produce

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The political instability in the Ukraine is having an effect on the fresh produce imports and exports to the country.The cost of fresh produce has increased by 10% in February, citrus alone rising by 20%.

The Ukrainian border with Poland is closed due to the situation and no fruit or veg imports or exports are taking place. One Polish apple exporter said that if the situation continued it would greatly affect the market, Poland exports 200,000 tonnes of apples to Ukraine every year.

Similarly imports of Greek kiwis have ground to a halt this week. A Ukrainian importer said that it was becoming more and more difficult to purchase fresh produce from abroad. “The value of our currency has dropping steadily making everything very expensive, to add to this the banks are now taking 1½ to supply foreign currency which makes payment very slow.”

Most fruit and vegetables are still available in the Ukraine, but with the change in the administration getting customs clearance is proving to be a long progress too.

www.freshplaza.com

11% increase in revenue for Metro in 2013

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There was an 11.3% year-on-year increase in the Russian revenues of Metro Cash & Carry, the grocery retail division of the German Metro Group, to RUB 183.2bn (€3.68bn), in 2013. At the same time, the company’s like-for-like sales grew by 7.7%. The company disclosed its Russian financial results for the first time because it is considering an IPO for the Russian Metro Cash & Carry business. The Metro Group is planning to float 25% on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

In addition, the company’s EBITDA rentability figure has reached 12.4%, which is a record among large grocery retailers in the country.

According to Metro’s quarterly report, at the end of 2013 it was operating 73 Metro Cash & Carry hypermarkets in Russia.

www.ceeretail.com

FOODSTUFF 2014

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FOODSTUFF 2014

March 27-29, 2014

Grand hotel «Zhemchuzhina», Sochi, Russia

FOODSTUFF 2014 is a specialized food products trade show. For many years, the exhibition has been attended by leading manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of food and beverages from different regions of Russia.

Main sections:
– Environmentally friendly products Kuban;
– Meat, meat products, poultry;
– Dairy products;
– Fish and seafood;
– Confectionery and bakery products;
– Groceries;
– Oil and fat products, seasonings, spices;
– Frozen foods and ready meals;
– Fruits, vegetables, canned;
– Tea, coffee, drinks, honey and bee products;
– Food for babies;
– A functional food for health and sport, bio-agents;
– Equipment for the food processing industry, restaurants, cafes and bars;
– Packing, storage and logistics.

In the course of the exhibition:
– International Competition of meat, fish and dairy products;
– Workshops, training seminars and presentations of the participants;
– Conference on Nutrition, “Produce Business Kuban. Market for milk and dairy products. Market of meat and meat products “;
– Competition “Ecoproduct Kuban”;
– Cooking shows.

For more information see: www.soud.ru

Anjou pear sales are up

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Anjou pear volumes were 24% higher in the last quarter of 2013 than in the same quarter the year before.

Sales of the variety also were 26% higher, according to Nielsen Perishables Group data analyzed by Wenatchee, Washington-based grower-shipper Stemilt Growers.

Volumes and sales of red anjous, bartletts and boscs also were up in the quarter, according to a Stemilt news release.

More use of ripening programs, value bag offerings and multiple varieties on ad at once are some of the reasons Stemilt has enjoyed a season of brisk pear movement, marketing director Roger Pepperl said in the release.

“Here at Stemilt, our pear program has really benefitted over the past several years from capital investments, new products, and a focus on getting multiple pears on ad every month during the fall and winter season,” Pepperl said in the release. “The increased shelf space for pears during a multi-pear ad often results in 15-20% increases in volume when compared to one item pear ads.”

www.thepacker.com

Russia reduces apple imports

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Russia’s imports of apples are still significantly lower compared with the previous season, according to Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation.

In particular, Russian importers purchased just 109,000 tons of apples in January 2014, a decrease of 28% year-on-year. Russia’s cumulative imports over the first 7 months of the current season fell by 15% compared with the same period of the previous season and totaled 575,000 tons.

Such a sharp decrease in apple imports is connected with lower shipments from Poland, which has reduced exports to Russia by 30% since the beginning of the season 2013/14, and rather moderate demand for apples in the Russian Federation.

www.fruit-inform.com

Zespri releases new payout forecast

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Zespri chief executive Lain Jager says everything is on track for growers to be getting healthy returns and prices for green kiwifruit are up. Growers of green kiwifruit are earning over $40,000 per hectare, the best return in 10 years.

The price for gold kiwifruit is also very strong at $12.60 per tray, but it is on reduced volumes because of the vine-killing disease PSA. Mr Jager has added that the 2014 crop, which will shortly start being harvested, is looking good and gold kiwifruit numbers are beginning to recover. Last year 2 million trays of the new variety of gold kiwifruit were harvested and this year it will be about 9.5 million trays.

www.freshplaza.com

ExpoHoReCa 2014

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ExpoHoReCa 2014

March 25-28, 2014

St. Petersburg, Russia

ExpoHoReCa is the only in the North-West of Russia Exhibition for restaurateurs and hoteliers that collects in one place the leading players in the market: companies, associations, professionals. The exhibition presents a full range of services necessary for the quality performance of the hotel, restaurant, bar, cafe, fast-food.

The extensive business program helps to solve problems for the successful operation and business development. The business program annually brings together leading hoteliers, restaurateurs, head chefs, producers, and professionals of restaurant and hotel business.

The business program includes: master-classes, presentations, tastings, demonstrations of new equipment and technology, competitions of the top chefs of Russia and countries of the Baltic Sea, seminar-workshop, and consultancy for industry professionals, visit the new and well-known hotels, restaurants, cafes.

For more information see: www.farexpo.ru