Akram Talibov: Only niche cheese production is viable in Uzbekistan

According to Talibov, raw milk in Uzbekistan is even more expensive than in Kazakhstan and is in very short supply. He therefore suggests focusing on cheeses that require less milk and face less competition. As an example, Talibov presented a project prepared for an Uzbek client: producing European-style soft mould-ripened cheeses with a long shelf life for the Chinese market. The project proposes processing whey into sterilised functional beverages—a blend of whey and juice—for markets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Middle East and China. Calculations put the project's internal rate of return (IRR) at 44%, with a payback period of around two years at a cost of capital of 12%.

The project is being discussed with Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex. According to Talibov, the idea is to extend the shelf life of cheese and beverages using packaging and film incorporating copper.

Talibov believes Central Asian producers have two advantages. First, the region's regulatory framework is less stringent than Russia's, where requirements governing cheese types and quality are stricter. Second, consumer preferences in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have yet to take shape. He suggested paying particular attention to packaging and how cheese is presented. According to him, retail in Tashkent is developing rapidly, but food producers lag far behind retail chains' requirements. "There is a huge unfilled niche here for cheese as a product in the right packaging," Talibov said. He described the hotel, restaurant and catering sector (HoReCa) as "the driving force behind everything in Central Asia."

Starting in 2006, Akram Talibov headed the rennet cheese and whey department at Unimilk, which later became part of Danone.