The demand for cheese is growing in Russia firmly. The only question is: what product will a consumer buy in the store – the domestic or the foreign origin? The cheese-making, perhaps, is the only branch of the dairy industry, where the advantage is still belonging to the imported goods.

To the question “Whether the Russian manufacturer can to overcome the expansion of the foreign products?" answers the article “The Liquidity Direction” of the new issue of the magazine “Food Promotion. Prod & Prod”.

The Swiss, the Italian and the French can talk about cheese endlessly. It is a part of their national self-determination, the gastronomy’s basis, interlocking with the culture and the history closely. In Italy the financial loan are disbursed on security of the famous parmesan, in the UK Gloucester the skating competition of a head of cheese are organized every year, in Switzerland this product can be an exquisite gift at the wedding day.

The Russians, bared of “the cheese history”, have being contented with the taste of the hangover of the Soviet industry – “The Russian”, “The Kostroma”, “The Poshehonsky” for a long time. Today, thanks to the public fancy for the Mediterranean and the French cuisine, the Russian mistresses have extended the possibilities of the cheese use, using it for the papering of salads, appetizers, sauces. However, about the real culture and aesthetics of consumption of this product is too early to say. For the majority of the domestic consumers the cheese, first of all, is the component of a sandwich. There is the analog of a cheap sausage. That is why one of the main requirements to the product from the hand of the Russian consumers is the price.

As regards the countries-importers, the Russian marketplace is very attractive for them. Belarus and Ukraine make export supplies, for the most part, the nameless quality categories, and the Eastland and the European suppliers – the brands that have made its name in the national markets. The imported products of the low-cost segment are much cheaper than the domestic cheeses. In addition, by virtue of a clearly defined branding, to find it on a store’s shelf is easy, and its gustatory quality is attracted many buyers.

What attempts are made the Government in order to help the domestic producers to solve the problems, reducing the competitiveness of the industry – a reader will find on the pages of the magazine.

To improve the profitability of the own business, the domestic cheese-monger not only hopes for the government support, but makes their own arrangements as well. Today many enterprises are implanting the system of the waste-free production, using the unique biotechnologies, adding the commodity bundle with the brine and soft sour-milk cheeses such as: brynza, ossetian, suluguni cheese, feta, mozzarella.

At the present day, the individual Russian enterprises are producing the similar products, and its presence in the manufacturer’s the portfolio is image-building character still.

And, meanwhile, such manufacturing is unrepeatable economically and strategically and can play an important role in the fate of many domestic cheese-makers.

The author is identifying several priority tasks, which the Russian cheese-makers are facing with in the coming years. These tasks are the following: the technological re-equipment of the enterprises, the optimization of the manufacturing processes and the effective strength of using the raw materials, the implantation of the principles of the waste-free production, increasing of the produced product quality, the development of the new market’s niches, searching the priority communications with a consumer. Those companies, which do not provide its products with a significant marketing support, will be mercilessly driven out by the foreign or the more far-sighted domestic competitors.

The protectionist policies of the state, regarding to the cheese-makers, will give them a chance to learn how to stand against the foreign competitors. However, talent, purpose and foresight of the producers themselves will play the crucial role in gaining of the consumers’ loyalty towards the Russian cheese. The gain a consumer’s loyalty can only be achieved by using a combination of the high quality of the products with the reasonable pricing policy and the intelligent marketing activity.

The All-Russia Exhibition “Prodexpo-2012”, where the suppliers of the cheese and the new quality category and flavors of this product will be presented, will take place in the February, in Moscow.

The new market players will be able to express themselves and to tell what progresses they have achieved in the domestic market during this year within the frameworks of the exhibition.

About how this event will be held, the readers can learn from the new issue of the magazine
“Food Promotion. Prod & Prod”.