Less than 50% is occupied by Kazakh producers on the shelves of large chain stores - Maria Koval

Maria Koval spoke about her experience in the production and sale of cheese and noted: “For myself, I concluded that it is better for a local manufacturer to sell the bulk of the volume through its own retail outlets, to create them, including cafes. In our cafes, cheese is both a finished product and a separate ingredient in our dishes. The kitchen processes all the non-sales that periodically arise.”

Then the expert proposed to analyze the region of producers of dairy products presented on the shelves of large chain stores in Kazakhstan. She noted that the volume of consumption of dairy products in the Republic of Kazakhstan is 5.6 million tons according to DIA data (in terms of milk). Imports, according to the Dairy Union of Kazakhstan, amount to 0.8 million tons in terms of milk. This is 14.2% of consumption in the country. But is this so, asks Maria Koval.

“If we look at photographs of store shelves, we can see that Russia is usually represented by familiar brands, including international ones, while Kyrgyzstan, for example, is represented by unfamiliar manufacturers; this is, first of all, a product. Based on the display of products, we can conclude that the representation of Kazakh manufacturers on the shelves of large chain markets is less than 50%. At the same time, it should be noted that there is a very high percentage of product purchases not in chain stores – less than 40%, but this figure will grow,” the expert noted.

To promote their products, Maria Koval suggested that local producers consider burger shops and coffee shops, which can supply local milk, pizzerias – cheese, and “the most interesting niche, in my opinion, is restaurant chains that actively present various dishes with cheeses,” shared the cheesemaker.

“What trends do I see in the development of our industry? The first trend is international. Kazakhstan is an actively developed state where European cuisine is very popular. But then natural milk is required to produce cheeses. I would leave hard cheeses to those countries that have a surplus of milk. The second trend is local. This is the creation of traditional dairy products in local packaging. It makes sense for a local manufacturer of local products to create their own branded stores or even merge with other stores to create a network,” Maria Koval summed up her speech.

The I International Conference AqAltyn - Dairy Industry of Kazakhstan will be held on November 28, 2023 in Turkestan, Kazakhstan.

General partner: Clever Machines

Technology partner: Kieselmann

Altyn Sponsor: Borte Engineering

Altyn Sponsor: ANR Engineering

Altyn Sponsor: Aseptic Packaging

Official partners: National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Ata Meken " , Dairy Union of Kazakhstan , Republican Chamber of Dairy and Combined Breeds of Cattle , FRANCE GROUP

Sponsor: Tauras-Fenix