Produkty Pitania will spend $200 million to build a new frozen foods plant in Kaliningrad
— 2006-02-26 —

Produkty Pitania – Russia’s largest frozen foods manufacturer – announced that it will soon begin construction on a $200 million state-of-the-art production and storage facility in Gusev, Kaliningrad.  The new plant will produce a wide range of convenience foods, including pizzas, lasagna, puff pastries (such as croissants and pastries with a variety of fillings), pancakes, pelmenis, ready-made meals, and vegetable and meat-based entrees. 

Produkty Pitania continues to lead the Russian market in frozen chicken convenience products, having also added a diverse line of dough and vegetable-based foods – 45 products in all – which it markets under the Zolotoy Petushok and Domashnaya Skazka brands.  President and CEO Stefano Vlahovic, who is a citizen of Croatia, reports that EBRD holds 27.5% of the company’s shares, with the remaining 72.5% held by private investors in Croatia. 

In keeping with its commitment to quality, Produkty Pitania is listed on the Federal Customs Service “white list,” which simplifies the customs process when it comes to shipping frozen foods.  Currently the company operates four production facilities, which exceed 29,000 square meters of floor space. 

In 2005, the company reported earnings of around $160 million - compared to $100 million for the previous year – and expects a market share growth of 50% in 2006.