The importance of shopping locally in Australia

– by Christine Smith, Melbourne Australia

Those following me on social media and who know me well are aware that I do quite a bit of travelling (take a look at our Instagram page if you’re interested and don’t already follow Recipe4Change). I find myself heading back to the UK almost every year and my exposure to both the UK and Australia reinforces something I am incredibly passionate about: the importance of shopping locally.

The way we shop here in Australia is very different to how people shop in countries where small traders are thriving.

Most of us know that many small traders (think butchers, your local fruit shop and so on) in Australia (and the UK for that matter) are on struggle street and it all comes back to the way we shop Down Under.

It’s hard to identify unless you’re exposed to countries and vicinities where small traders are going from strength to strength.

Back in the UK, I engage in an online indie group (it’s not as ‘out there’ as it may sound) that actively encourages people to #EatShopBuyLocal in what we call ‘High Street,’ which is what we use to refer to the concept of primary business streets within towns or cities.

The big question we find ourselves asking is:

How can we unify to drive a global movement to boost High Street engagement?

Should we be encouraging local stores to engage in cross promotions to support each other and ensure people shop locally? How many struggling smaller stores are running weekly competitions to build their email database or even just thinking outside of the box in terms of getting consistent foot traffic in-store?

Think about your own shopping habits. Sure, this may look like a familiar picture:

Strip shopping is an option for Aussies having mostly been built during the early years of new housing estates. Beyond that, reality is, most Australians shop in places like the Westfield chain of centres, which do nothing but sap the life out of local shops. Westfield also has a presence in the UK but in my opinion, it doesn’t have as big of a stronghold over consumers as it does here in Australia.

Here in Rowville, we have Wellington Village Shopping Centre, which is built on the farm land of John Joseph Gearon (Jack) and Ada Gearon.

The couple farmed the property in the 1920s and throughout the Great Depression, raising nine children on the land. Fast-forward to 2004 and the family developed the land into the Shopping Centre. The Centre has a strong link to the community and charity, holding various events throughout the year.

In country areas, we have main streets. Anyone down my way also knows we have Emerald Main Street

In recent times, I’ve become incredibly passionate about spreading the message about the importance of people shopping locally.

Big players in the retail space don’t feel the impact of you choosing to spend your dollars elsewhere. For smaller traders, $5 here and $10 there adds up to a lot of money over time and every dollar counts. Why wouldn’t you support a local business? Sure, it may be more convenient and time-savvy to do all of your shopping in the one store but we need to realise that the situation is now dire for smaller traders.

When we buy local, we’re supporting the people living in our own community. We all have purchasing power and we need channel it to where it is needed most.

Christine Smith Recipe4Change P/L

http://www.rowvillecommunitykitchen.com.au

http://www.twitter.com/RowvilleCK

http://www.facebook.com/rowvillecommunitykitchen

http://www.facebook.com/Food4Kids

Indie Top Tips

Interiors – the journey so far…

I’m Steph Briggs, the owner/director of a small interiors and gifts shop in Andover, Hampshire. I had a successful corporate career but in 2015 decided that I wanted a lifestyle change so bought a local business, La Di Da Interiors. At the same time we also decided to start a family – it’s been a roller coaster and a lot of hard work but the business is now steadily building and growing and we also have a beautiful 2 year old son. My husband has just joined me in running the business and we have three part-time staff.  I’ve been asked by Richard Shorney for his #shoplocal campaign to share my top tips in working in independent retail, so here goes….

Stay creative –we are small, which means we can change quickly, if something isn’t working, you can change it, you don’t need to put a project plan and a business case and schedule a board meeting to make it happen, embrace that flexibility

Service is key– My customers know that I will go above and beyond to help where I can.  Always under promise and over deliver.

Social media is essential– you can’t get away with “I don’t like it” or “I don’t do it” in 2018. Let’s face it, it’s a really cheap route to market. You can create a following and speak to them directly. In my line of business a picture paints a thousand words, I have increased footfall by regularly posting about products and services. It doesn’t have to be sell, sell, sell – a few behind the scenes snippets go a long way to making people realise there is a human running this business. https://www.instagram.com/ladida_interiors/

Website– It’s essential to have one – even if it’s only a basic page. I have learned how to upload products and do the basics using shopify and trust me, I’m no techie. It’s not perfect, it’s a continual work in progress. www.ladida-andover.comMake sure it’s one that you can self administer, you need to keep it fresh (see below!) and you don’t need the expense of asking someone else to do it everytime.

Keep pushing– It doesn’t always go to plan but enthusiasm is key. Get involved with your local committees, speak to other shop keepers, practice what you preach and buy local wherever possible. Grow and evolve, we are constantly looking at ways to stand out more, improve customer experience and to increase tight margins.

Keep it fresh– it’s the basics but by having a good move around in the shop, a new window display, a new coat of paint on the exterior, a new product are all ways to keep it new and exciting for both you, your staff and your customers.

Cashflow– I’m no accountant but I know my basic numbers, and I also know when to ask for help, my accountant works hard for the fee I pay. They have a vested interest in my business success, and I use it.

Fun and friends– A sense of humour is essential, on the Great British High Street we all have days where a tumbleweed would not look out of place, you need to laugh. I have a few trusted friends who are shopkeepers in similar businesses in different towns that I can speak to and bounce ideas and frustrations off, it helps to keep my sanity in place.

You can visit La Di Da Interiors at 34 Bridge St, Andover, Hampshire SP10 1BW

www.ladida-andover.com

—

Stephanie Briggs

Creative Director

RETAILERS WITH DIGITAL WALLET CAPABILITIES WILL WIN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

POSTED BY ADOBE DIGITAL INDEX ON NOVEMBER 17, 2014

 

While all retailers are hoping for a record year this holiday season, the savvy ones will open wide their digital wallets for customers. Analysis by Adobe Digital Index (ADI) has found that smartphone conversion rates are much higher when retailers  digital wallet payment options, such as PayPal, Amazon Payments, Google Wallet, or Apple Pay.offer

According to ADI, 23% of purchases on smartphones use alternative payment methods, while just 16% use digital wallets across desktops, and 19% use the payment option on tablets. Tyler White, an analyst at ADI, explained that digital wallet usage on mobile is higher because people find it convenient not to have to enter credit card information while on the go.

“People are also more wary of entering their credit card information on mobile devices,” White said. “They don’t feel as secure.”

ADI- Share of Sales via Digital Wallet
According to White, ADI predicts Apple Pay will soon become the default alternative payment tool for many consumers using Apple devices, because it enables easy transactions both off-line and online. “Mobile conversion rates are expected to increase as digital wallets become more commonplace for online shopping,” White said.

Bridging In-Store/Digital
Mobile applications are another way retailers are bridging online and in-store, and it seems to be working, with phone apps being used more than tablet apps. ADI research indicated that app usage growth on phones outpaced tablets by more than two times (70% vs. 35%).

 

ADI – App Launches Growth

When it comes to Android vs. iOS, Apple’s operating system represents 65% of app launches, and Android represents just 34%. The average iOS app is also used twice as long as is the average Android app per launch.

ADI – Share of App Launches by Device Type
According to ADI, Apple Pay will get a bigger push into the market as more retailers add it as an option for in-app purchases as well.

Local Personalization
According to Gaffney, the adoption of alternative payment options on mobile and the increased use of mobile apps in-store is phase two of an overall digitization of the retail environment. “Digital wallets are really changing the landscape for buying on mobile, and beacons and location awareness is adding another dimension to in-store digitization,” said Gaffney.

ADI shows high hopes for the use of location-based technology during the holidays. According to a survey of 400 U.S. consumers who own a smartphone or tablet, and plan to shop online during the holidays, 71% like having ads personalized, but opinions differ about the quality of today’s personalization efforts:

20% like it, but say that such ads are “not done well enough today”
30% like it and feel that today’s efforts are “as tailored to me as they need to be”
20% feel today’s personalization efforts are too intrusive
29% don’t think ads should be personalized at all
ADI – Survey_Marketing Promos by Location
Additionally, ADI found that 34% of respondents report having received a marketing promotion based on their location, and another 21% were unsure. Also, 53% noticed retargeting efforts aimed at them. The survey also found consumers are open to beacons, with 55% finding it useful to receive promotions on their mobile device while

in a physical storeMost retailers are initially xcited about Apple Pay’s implications for the in-store environment,” explained Tamara Gaffney, principal analyst at ADI. “In-store adoption of payment technology, however, typically takes longer because it means new systems at the store. So, as Apple Pay becomes more ubiquitous, its first win could very well be online.” In fact, according to ADI, cart completion rates increase by 10% when digital wallet payment options are available.“Beacons aren’t just changing the retail environment,” Gaffney said. “They’re being used in other venues as well, such as travel and hospitality and sports stadiums. Location awareness is coming from everywhere, since people have their phones everywhere they go.”

*You can take the girl out of retailing but ……*

Guest Blog for Richard Shorney @retailmentoring – 16th Nov 2014 – Copyright Gaye Moore

I want to express huge thanks to Richard for asking me, via twitter last Sunday morning to write a guest blog for him and my apologies for taking a week to do so, I’ve been retailing!!!!

I sometimes wonder are retailers born or created…. I’ve been in retailing all my life, ever since I was a very young child helping my parents in their general merchant shop in a very small village in rural Ireland. My family’s shop not only provided food staples such as bread, milk, tea, sugar, baked beans, and tins of steak and kidney pie, but also postage stamps, old age pensions, paint, plugs, light bulbs, coal, petrol, kerosene, animal feed, and potato blight prevention powder – everything the local farming community needed!!! I remember sugar being scooped, weighed and sold from large brown hessian bags and also Kimberly Mikado and Coconut Cream biscuits being sold singly [like pick and mix] from large square metal tins – health and safety would have a field day if we were doing the same now. We were also the only household with a phone at one time, so my parents would often be asked to phone the local vet if some of the livestock needed looking after or if a cow was calving.

I also ran my own Wedding Shop for 16 years, designing and retailing bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses and accessories and now on a part time basis I am managing two charity shops which sell everything from bric-a-brac to designer handbags, and clothes.
I absolutely LOVE retailing – I love meeting people, interacting and connecting with them and have witnessed in every area of my retail experience, how retailing is such a big part of any community. Retailing is much, much more than buying and selling objects, whether it’s a 50cent [30 Pence] object from a charity shop or a multi thousand euro designer gown from a Bridal Shop – it’s a life experience which our customers encounter every day.
I love watching how people tick, who they meet, and listening to their stories – from the 50 year old mother of 10 who is suffering from a Vitamin B deficiency and calls in every day to give us her health progress, or the young bride who is devastated because her mother doesn’t like the bridal gown she has selected. Everyone has a story to tell and the majority of people do not feel as if they are listened too, hence their complete willingness to confide in near perfect strangers such as shop assistants, hair dressers, and beauty therapists their innermost secrets.
At my parents shop, local farmers could be seen regularly sitting in their cars or tractors talking for hours on the current weather conditions and the impact it would make on their crops, – it wasn’t really the weather that was important but the connection to another human being.
In the charity shops I see middle aged and elderly widows and younger Polish mothers meeting to have a chat and connect with others, we also sometimes provide a chair and a resting moment to an elderly lady suffering from arthritis who needs a little respite on her walk uptown to the doctor – These customers buy something from us every week – however it’s not the object that has meaning for them, its the service we provide – we know the name of every customer who comes in to our shops and we greet them with a smile ☺ . Face to face interaction in a retailing premises assays the loneliness that on-line retailing cannot do, both for the customer and retail assistant.
In my Wedding Shop families, sisters and friends congregated to create dream weddings and the stress and overwhelm sometimes got to the bride, so I often ended up as a bride’s ally and counsellor providing a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and much needed empathy – this is actually how I ended up in coaching and as a Potentialist! Seeing people getting so entrenched in their views over an inanimate object such as a piece of fabric or colour , made me realise that that sometimes we forget what is the real meaning of joy, life, marriage, friendship and love. When a bride told me she went through FIVE cheque books in the week leading up to her wedding and having witnessed how the bridal industry had changed its focus from helping a bride have the most magical day in her life to a business which became all about spending money I decided to change career, left the retailing industry for a while and went back to college , qualified as a life coach and now I combine part time retailing with my coaching workshops and talks, which is all about teaching people how to create JOY in their working and personal lives so that they can *laugh without fear of the future*.
I am a separated parent of #15yrold fashionista, and I strive every day to make it the best I can – so yes I am a very happy human – I am so delighted with this opportunity to guest blog – thank you Richard for the opportunity to reminisce!
You can connect with me on Twitter @GayeMoore or https://www.facebook.com/GayeMoorePotentialist

RICHARD SHORNEY – Profile

An astute, commercially minded relationship manager and mentor who has over twenty years’ experience of operating in the independent retail sector. His expertise is in helping independent retailers develop and grow their business.
For 3 years he has passionately been following and supporting the independent retailers, local producers and fighting to protect your town centre and High Street.

Contact:
M – 07551 827907
E – rshorney455@gmail.com

Areas of expertise include:

Category Specific Sales Development
B2B Sales
B2C Sales
Account Management
Financial Analysis
Franchisee development
Ranging (including local produce)
Space Allocation
Layout
Communications
Problem Solving
Customer Service Skills
Identifying Sales Opportunities
Marketing
Social Media (Training & Strategy)

Who has the control over shop rents?

We all love our independent shops, but sometimes it may seem like they are losing the battle against supermarkets, online shopping, and high rents and rates. Is there any way in which the situation can improve? What can we do to keep those shops in business, apart from encouraging people to shop locally? If you are a shop owner, or are thinking about taking on premises, there are ways to give yourself a fighting chance.
The common perception is that landlords control rents and tenants are powerless. This does not need to be the case. The more that tenants negotiate and hold out for a better deal, the more likely they are to get it. Of course it does depend on the property – in a prime location with lots of demand, you have less bargaining power than a property in a struggling high street.
Rents are based on comparable evidence, so each time a retailer agrees a rent, whether on a new lease or maybe even a small increase at rent review, this helps to push rents up for the next business to come along. You may be told that the rent on your property should be say £20,000 pa, but proper research will show that because of the type of lease and layout of the property, you should only be paying £15,000 pa. Over a five year lease that is a £25,000 saving. Who wouldn’t want to negotiate if that could be the outcome?
By following the tips below you can ensure your rent is as low as possible, making sure your business is sustainable. The key is NEGOTIATION – you can do this yourself but like anything if you have expert advice you will reap the benefits.
1. Ask for a RENT FREE PERIOD before signing a lease. This is common practice, and the longer the lease, usually the longer the rent free period granted.

2. NEGOTIATE THE RENT – Don’t just take the landlord’s word for it – speak to other local businesses and share information.

3. RENT REVIEW: If the landlord gives you notice that he is putting the rent up, NEGOTIATE. Research other rents in the locality, and look at whether your premises or your lease has any disadvantages compared with the other units. Is your sales floor split level? Is your lease longer than the standard? These are just some of the aspects that could keep your rent down.

4. LEASE RENEWAL: You may be able to REDUCE YOUR RENT if you renew your lease. Like rent reviews, you need to look at what comparable rents are, but on a lease renewal your rent can go down as well as up. This is not just theory; I recently reduced the rent for an independent retailer by 25% in the first year, saving him more than £9,000 over the next five years.

I recently came across a lease renewal where the landlord agreed to renew at the same rent. The tenant thought that was reasonable, but having researched it I established that he could have reduced his rent by over 30% had he negotiated and used the comparable evidence. He is now stuck with that for the duration of his new lease – don’t let that happen to you, or think you have to close because you can’t afford the rent.

There are many other ways to cut costs, by considering service charges, dilapidations and repairing liabilities, but they will need their own blog post!

So you do have more control than you think – you just need to know how to use it!

If you want to find out more on any of these tips, or get a bit more detailed advice, please do get in touch. I am a chartered surveyor who specialises in negotiating rents and leases, and wants to make surveying advice accessible to smaller businesses.

Contact details:
Kirsty Harvey, KTD Surveying

T: 01462 820092
M: 07766 781920
E: kirsty.harvey@ktdsurveying.co.uk
W:www.ktdsurveying.co.uk
Twitter: @ktdsurveying

A Personal View Of The Independent Retail World

Hello my lovelies!!

How are you all? Well and prospering I hope.

It is a while since I have taken the time to write a little blogette! As always this is badly written and full of errors.BUT, it is written from the heart. So suck it up and move on soldier.

I am so very heartened by the amount of twitter traffic that pays reference to independent retail and local produce! It really seems to be gaining a foothold. (Do you realise how hard this is to write without using smiley faces and hash tags?!!)

Local Has Gone Global ?

In my opinion the ‘local’ initiative has gone global. Local, is and is not the right word! The ideals and intentions of using/selling local product are beyond reproach.This agenda has limitations.

What I am craving and looking for is non mass produced, pap free food sold through marketing and gimmick…

View original post 507 more words

The Effect of Supermarkets on Existing Retailers (A report commissioned by the FSB)

THIS REPORT WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE FSB. shown courtesy of Roger Tym & Partners

The Effect of Supermarkets on Existing RetailersFinal Report
6.7 The shopper survey is supported by findings of the retailer survey which identifiedthe new supermarket development as the main factor where loss of trade/profit hasoccurred. Key findings include the following:
The majority of retailers in Alloa (84%), Dumfries (55%) and Dingwall (67%)depend on the local trade;
Employment comprises mostly part-time workers, which is typical of family runand local independent businesses;
Since the opening of a new supermarket, 53% of the retailers in Dumfries and38% of retailers in Alloa have reduced their overall number of staff2;
44% of retailers in Dingwall and 67% of retailers in both Alloa and Dumfriesexperienced a decline in business performance since the opening of the newsupermarket2;
The main reason given for this decline, were displacement of shoppers from thetown centre to the new supermarket development;
Future business prospects are noted as particularly low for Alloa with 64% ofrespondents anticipating a further decline in either turnover and/or profit;
88% of retailers in Dingwall and 93% in both Alloa and Dumfries have beenadversely affected by the new supermarket development3. Again, displacementof shoppers (and trade diversion) from the town centre was a primary reason;and
An overwhelming majority of retailers in Alloa (86%), Dumfries (88%) and inDingwall (77%) agreed that development of a new supermarket had had animpact (negative) on the town centre – i.e. reduction in shoppers/custom fromexisting retailers, leading to closure of shops and increased vacancies.
Conclusions and Recommendations
6.8 The findings of this study offer support to the broad view that large supermarketdevelopments impact adversely on the retail structure of the traditional town centre.Through the analysis of the three case studies undertaken, evidence has beenuncovered that demonstrates the following trends post-supermarket development:
A decrease in the number of convenience retailers operating in the town centre;
An increase in the number of vacant units and corresponding floorspace;
A broad shift in convenience expenditure away from the existing town centreretailers to those operating the new supermarket development;
A significant decline in the level of business activities undertaken by existingretailers. This is attributable in the main to competition from the supermarket;and
A general acknowledgment in respect of a decline in the overall number ofshoppers frequenting the traditional town centre.
6.9 In light of the findings of the study, a series of broad recommendations should bemade and/or specific actions undertaken that would seek to address the range ofissues encountered in the three town centres examined by this study. These wouldtypically include the following, as appropriate:
2 Figure relates to respondents who answered the question.
3 Figure is a percentage of those who have been either negatively or positively affected by the supermarketdevelopment.
Roger Tym & Partners
December 2006 46

The Effect of Supermarkets on Existing RetailersFinal Report
Regular monitoring of the relative ‘health’ of the town centre, to include a seriesof key performance indicators and measures, such as floorspace, vacancies,diversity of uses, rental levels, etc;
Regular town centre user and retailer surveys to be undertaken – to establishthe strengths and weaknesses of the town centre, and identify areas of potentialimprovement or need for future action;
Establishment of a town centre management or action group, ideally comprisinga cross-section representation of all public, private and voluntary sector agencyand organisations with an interest in the operation, performance and delivery ofretail and key local services in each town centre; and
Building upon the presence of, or subsequent creation of a town centre group,then a town centre strategy or action plan as well as a detailed implementationplan should be prepared. This would identify a series of prioritised actions, eachwith individual or collective responsibilities for delivery and funding noted. Inaddition, a programme detailing the time period in which each project or actionshould be achieved, should be provided. A series of short, medium and longerterm targets and initiatives should be agreed.
6.10 In the specific context of assessing the likely and subsequent impacts of plannedretail development, such as supermarkets and superstores, it is important that arobust and comprehensive impact assessment is provided by the applicant. Thisshould cover not only retailing and town centre issues but also aspects associatedto transportation, the environment, and the local and wider economy.
6.11 The preparation of such impact assessments – along with the undertaking of regulartown centre monitoring, data collection exercises and survey work – will help forman important part of any ‘before and after’ appraisal of the effects of supermarketdevelopments. This would ideally involve the ‘after-development’ stage of researchbeing undertaken some 18 months to 2 years following the commencement of tradeat the retail store development.
6.12 In turn the key findings of the above work will similarly inform and help guide thefuture direction and approach for any town centre strategy or action plan
Roger Tym & Partners
December 2006

Creative young minds shaping the future of the high street

This month volunteers on Retail Ready People (RRP) are busy planning ways that they can breathe new life into empty shops. The two teams of volunteers, RRP Leeds and RRP Rochdale, are meeting twice a week for retail training and expert advice while they plan pop-up shops for their local communities. Since the retail industry is the biggest employer of young people, this training and experience will equip the 16-25 year olds on the programme to progress their careers in retail-related industries.
Retail Ready People is run by two charities, vInspired and Retail Trust. It’s a 14-week skills development programme that offers 16-25 year olds retail training from leading figures in the industry with a view to opening a pop up shop on their high street for one month. This cycle, the shops will be in Leeds and Rochdale, and will be open from 11th May 2013.
Through this experience, volunteers will gain priceless, hands-on experience in all aspects of retail. The teams are also focusing on ways to use their shops to benefit their communities. From supporting local suppliers by stocking local products, to bringing communities together through workshops and events on their high streets, the shops will be far more than temporary retail outlets.
By offering young people retail skills and hands-on experience, we’re giving them the opportunity to have a say in the future of their high streets and activating their presence in their communities. We can’t say it better than Trish, one RRP Rochdale volunteer, who blogged this after her first retail training session last week:
“The first week of retail training has been exhausting. We have learnt a vast amount in such a short time and it has made us realise what a great opportunity we have been given. The skills we are learning now are invaluable and we are all bursting with excitement to apply them to retail projects we may be involved with in the future.”
To find out more about RRP and the work we’ve done so far, check out our previous pop-ups!
Retail Ready People is supported by vInspired, Retail Trust and Dan Thompson, of Empty Shops Network and #Riotcleanup fame, who will work with young people to turn empty shops into amazing pop-up spaces.

The Russian Food Sector by Raffaella Barruzzo

Please know that the food Hall I work for (Kupetz Elissevski – St Petersburg) does not belong to any of the below sectors as it specialises in ‘colonial foods’ and retains a very strong heritage in terms of wine and food importer and is seen as a coffee&tea house rather than as a ‘food shop’.

Our top selling products at the moment are macaroons: we produce the best macaroons in St Petersburg – min 1000 to 5000 per day during festivities) and moreover of all Russia chef Christophe Frigara.

The food sector in Russia* has been growing twice as fast as the country’s industry as a whole in the past seven years; up to 10 years ago it was fairly difficult to find “European” products at reasonable cost and/or imported via official channels.

To understand some of the fundamental dynamics of the country and the anthropological value of their eating habits it is important to consider some important factors.

Russian cuisine is famous for its festive dishes such as smoked sturgeon balyk, sturgeon with horseradish, slightly salted salmon, red, black and pink caviar, pickled and salted mushrooms. But this is, of course, only a small part of Russian national cuisine.

Other popular and traditional dishes include kasha, a mixture of cereals and porridge, soups such as borsch, pancakes, pirogi pies with different salty fillings, and many dough based dishes. Poultry dishes are considered festive in Russian cuisine. Stews, meat and cabbage are popular daily foods, as well as goulash, an old traditional meat dish. 



Bread and other wheat products are also an essential part in the food culture, especially brown bread. Other popular breads include olad’i, which resembles a pancake, shan’gi, white bread rolls, pyshki, tiny doughnuts dating back from Soviet times, baranki, and bubliki, similar to bagels, and kalachi, white baked bread. Russian bread products have a long history along with vodka, which first emerged in the late 1400s.

Vegetable and meat salads are also very popular. Salads are usually heavier than in Western countries, and consisting of potato, carrots, beetroot, mayonnaise etc. The most famous salad in Moscow is the Olivie, which was named after its inventor, a French chef of the Hermitage restaurant in the 1860s. It is made mainly of vegetables mixed with mayonnaise, and boiled meat or chicken.

History and the orthodox religion have also had a significant effect on Russian food culture. Soviet snacks and dishes still remain popular and Orthodox culture has had a big influence on which dishes are eaten at which time of the year. There are still special restrictions concerning the food during Lent, during which meat, poultry, and dairy products are not allowed, and so vegetables are used, for example the form of stews and soups. Fish is also used as a replacement for meat. 


Kissels are popular desserts consisting of sweetened juice thickened with flour. 

A kissel can be made from berries or other fruit. It can be made thick and jelly-like to be eaten with a spoon or it can be drinkable. It can be served both hot and cold, for example on pancakes or with ice cream. 

Dishes containing curd, which was mistaken for cheese before, are a very popular part of the food culture. One special dish is oladyi, more commonly known as syrkini – cheese cakes, which are made of curd with eggs and flour and then fried in oil. 


Pancakes have a special spot in the Russian food culture as they are a very old tradition. Pancakes were considered ritual food, representing the sun in the old pagan traditions. The pancake week, Maslenitsa, is organised every spring to celebrate the sun and the end of winter.

Vodka is one of the most popular drinks in Russia, mainly because it is cheap. It is usually drunk very cold, and generally with food or some snacks. 



Tea, surprisingly, is a very popular drink in Russia. Tea is drunk traditionally from the Russian Samovar, which is a heated metal container used for boiling water.
Other popular drinks include Sbiten, a spicy hot drink flavoured with wine or honey, and Kvass, a drink usually made from black rye or rye bread. 


Russians also drink Mors, which is made of berry juice and water, and birch tree juice, using extracts from the trees.

The main point with regards to the above overview is that there is no such a thing as an indulgent and quality traditional approach to food – if not for caviar, Vodka and crab (from Kamchakta).

Russky Product is the largest grocery producer. Its turnover is about $100 million, and it works in the same market segments as Podravka – which sells the popular Vegeta mixture of spices and vegetables in Russia. Apart from spice mixtures, Podravka also makes snacks, drinks, teas, canned fruits and vegetables, ice creams, and canned meat.

There are six leaders in the confectionery sector – United Confectioners, SladCo, Nestle, Kraft Foods, Mars, and Dirol Cadbury – which account for 67% of sales and only United Confectioneries is Russian-controlled.

Goods not mentioned in the above overview are cheese, charcuterie, olive oil and chocolate considered niche and luxury goods (mainly because they are imported).

The above items are part of the new food philosophy and of a new type of food distribution channel: the gourmet supermarket (Asbuka or Globus Gourmet), where quality products are sold at a matching price; this type of retail caters for the middle to luxury market or ex-Pats (more and more numerous in Russia).

For many customers the packaging is more important than the actual quality of the product and the choice for an expensive item most often is based on an experience abroad where the brand is well known or as the reply to new advertising.

In many cases the refence for the taste of the product is a specific brand than before any other has introduced such a product on the market.

The very new trend speaks ‘organic’ as result of an imported ‘need’ from Europe and thanks to the number of international magazines about food that are starting to be popular in Russia.

Exporting food to Russia is a lucrative business, but surveys show that Russian food producers (unlike carmakers) are not scared of their foreign rivals. According to the Russian Institute for the Economy in Transition, 54% of Russian companies in the sector believe that their products are competitive with imported goods in terms of price/quality ratio, 17% consider imported foods uncompetitive, and only 8% said their output stood little chance against foreign-made goods.

Integration and consolidation are not a 100% guarantee for foreign companies making inroads into domestic territory.

Money is not the only prerequisite for prospering on the Russian market and foreigners also need connections……

http://m.rusiahoy.com/multimedia/video/2013/04/18/los_grandes_almacenes_de_los_hermanos_eliseev_27005.html

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