Produce buyers from five Russian retail chains, who came to Washington State this week to learn about the tree fruit industry, said they were impressed by the technology in orchards and packing houses, as well as by the openness of the people.
This was the first trip to the United States for the buyers, who represent four retailers in western Russia and one in the Russian Far East. They were accompanied by Ksenia Gorovaya of CrispConsulting, who represents the Washington Apple Commission and Pear Bureau Northwest in Russia.
Rebecca Lyons, export marketing manager with the Apple Commission, said such reverse trade missions are fairly rare and are usually arranged for buyers in new markets where the tree fruit industry doesn’t have many existing contacts.
Russia is an established market, but Gorovaya said what’s new is that retailers are beginning to import directly from suppliers. Traditionally, fruit has been shipped through importers and then wholesalers before reaching retailers.
“Now, they’re cutting out the middle man,” she said. However, it will be a gradual process because importers are still strong and the retail industry is not consolidated. No single retailer in Russia has more than a 5 percent market share.