The cheesemakers from Nizhny Novgorod are targeting the Chinese market

As it was written by DK.RU, the manufactory "Gubernsky syrovar" was opened by three entrepreneurs from Nizhny Novgorod, who were engaged in cheese making as a hobby. During the year the cheese, made according to European recipes, was liked by buyers in Nizhny Novgorod and in Moscow. The manufactory opened several retail outlets in Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow regions, and also began supplying cheese and butter to the shops-partners.

As the co-owner of "Gubernsky syrovar" Valery Kuzakov told DK.RU, now there are negotiations about deliveries of the Nizhny Novgorod cheese and butter to large network shops of Moscow: SPAR, "Cheese & butter", "VkusWill". There are plans for collaboration with the network "Azbuka Vkusa" in Moscow and SPAR stores, the shopping center "Narodny" and "Novy vek" in Nizhny Novgorod.

"The first shipment of goods to SPAR was in Kaliningrad. This experience was useful, but very sad, especially when we brought a big batch. As it turned out, the network does not know how to deal with natural cheese. They are accustomed to a lot of preservatives that allow you to store the product in different conditions - shared his opinion an entrepreneur. – But our cheese is natural without any additives. So if the temperature does not meet the requirements, it is immediately covered with mold".

According to Mr. Kuzakov, working with small shops in Nizhny Novgorod ("Solyanka", "Farmers' cooperative Fedyakovo", "Pavlovskaya kurochka"), the owners of "Gubernsky syrovar" didn’t face such difficulties. In large networks they are not so anxious to the conditions of delivery and storage of products.

"We will enter the networks carefully. We will watch how they do laying-out and store products. It sometimes happens that cheese is just forgotten at the warehouse - adds a businessman. We decided to pack products ourselves. The cheese will be vacuum-packed. We used to sell cheese in heads, and the network cut and packed it themselves."

Many networks operate through distributors, and this is the second problem, admitted Valery Kuzakov. "Of course, it is convenient for networks to have one company to deliver various products and be responsible for them. We have to first negotiate with the network, then with suppliers. The longer is the chain from us to the consumer, the higher the price is. With the distributors the margin increases to 100%, although in our own shops it is 20-30%".

At the end of the year, "Gubernsky syrovar" will open new outlets and expand the range of dairy products. Now there are different types of cheese and butter. The product line will be expanded at the expense of traditional dairy products: yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese, milk.

"In addition to the existing types of cheese (Belper Knolle, Carville, Scamorza, Jack, Tom and "Gubernsky"), there will appear Cheddar and Maasdam" - emphasizes Valery Kuzakov.

Now "Gubernsky syrovar" is considering the possibility of entering the Chinese market. Businessmen are cooperating with the Russian export center (REC). They are being trained for importers in order to begin to participate in the upcoming international exhibitions. REC covers part of the cost of participation in the exhibition, helping with the translator and legal issues.

Read full article in Russian on DairyNews.ru