Feedback from exhibitors and industry experts

Nikolay Kharitonov, Chairman of the Russian Federal Assembly’s State Duma Committee on Regional Policy and Affairs of the North and the Far East:

- There is trust between Prodexpo exhibitors. I kept asking on my way through the stands whether they held any talks. The exhibition opened just a few hours earlier, and people were still looking around, but many of them told me they already held talks, it was not their first time at the exhibition, and they had trusted partners. Another 25 regions of Russia presented their group stands at the exhibition for the first time. That’s wonderful. This is an opportunity to present oneself, to look at the others, and to promote the selling of one’s goods. Of course, there will be rivalry for quality and eco-friendly products.

Despite the sanctions, Italians and representatives of other countries also come here to display their goods and to find their way to the Russian market. Prodexpo is completely practical. I do not think this exhibition will ever go obsolete.

Tovar da Silva Nunes, Brazilian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia:

- Brazil has been participating in Prodexpo for a number of years. Brazilian goods supplement the Russian market. This is not something made in Russia. On the other hand, Brazil imports Russian fertilizers. Our economies are mutually supplementary, and this is very important.

Brazilians happily participate in the Prodexpo exhibition. They feel themselves at home and readily come here. This is a top-grade exhibition. I think it has great prospects. The exhibition has a very convenient location and falls in line with the modern policy of Russia, which is making much headway in agriculture. The exhibition is convenient for both exhibitors and visitors due to its perfect logistics.

Sangadzhi Tarbayev, Permanent Representative of the Kalmykia Republic Head to the Office of the Russian President – Kalmykia Deputy Prime Minister:

- There is no doubt that such events as Prodexpo present a chance for Kalmykia to tell about its products. So, colleagues are trying to use the occasion to the fullest extent. Most agricultural products of Kalmykia are organic. Our republic is 80% agricultural.

The exhibition is a business and aesthetic show, where every manufacturer tries to win attention. This is also a big marketing event. The exhibition fulfills its mission. It brings together those who would have never met in real life otherwise. Such a format as person-to-person communication will never go extinct.

Taimuraz Goginov, founder of Ironsan Winery (South Ossetia):

- We have been interacting with Prodexpo for years. We have long-standing respect for the venue and deem it to be one of the most efficient and best in Eurasia. Results achieved by us at last year’s exhibition exceeded our wildest expectations. We concluded contracts with reputable Russian companies, a Kazakh distributor, and federal retail chains. We are also active this year. This perfect venue, Prodexpo, enables us to present the unique wine-growing zone of South Ossetia, which is little known so far, as well as the culture of wine consumption in our state.

Our interaction with the Prodexpo administration is amazingly efficient. Everything is perfectly managed and aimed to assist exhibitors. We have never been unable to reach an exhibition official or to solve a problem. The best solutions are offered by everyone, from the exhibition supervisor to rank-and-file staff, whenever we make a request. We are very grateful.

Ekaterina Minina, organiser of the group stand of the Chelyabinsk Region Ministry of Agriculture:

- This is the first time the Chelyabinsk region has opened a group stand at Prodexpo to present products of six enterprises. We have decided this is a perfect opportunity for our enterprises to broaden their sales network and to find new buyers.

Apart from the group stand, there are lots of companies from the Chelyabinsk region, such as Soyuzpishcheprom, Tavria, Uvelka, and others, in other exhibition pavilions. However, companies demonstrated at the group stand acquired their exhibition space at the government’s expense. Some cannot afford participating in Prodexpo, so they join the group stand.

As I walked through other pavilions, I was surprised to see that the visitor turnout was much higher at regional stands. We will analyze results and it is quite possible that the Chelyabinsk Region Ministry of Agriculture will double the size of its stand at Prodexpo next year. Companies represented at the group stand established numerous contacts, including with companies from CIS countries, on the very first day of the exhibition. We are happy with the first day results.

Sergey Ryabko, General Director of OrgBio and ORGANISSIMO Organic Supermarket:

- We take part in Prodexpo every year. It is good that organic products are demonstrated in a separate hall, which draws new audience. I think this is good for everyone. Each of us tells customers what organic products are, how they are different, and why they are worth attention. The demand has been on the rise.

We plan to continue our participation. Our visitors are very different: there are individuals interested in such products and, naturally, market players, including chains and small organic food stores. A variety of products are in demand, including gluten-free food, vegan food, oil, pesto, etc. The geography is as wide as the country: Tyumen, Vladivostok, Kaliningrad, and Yekaterinburg.

There is still a growth potential; I do not think we have covered the entire clientele yet.

You can see main market players at the exhibition. Everyone knows and supports each other. We exchange views and contacts. We also meet with new companies entering our market. Consumers are not fully aware of what organic products are. So, we have to explain.

We will sum up results after the exhibition is over. There is interest. Results will become clear during the year, after the exhibition bears fruit. I think our market has a future and will find its buyers. Participation in the exhibition is not just a wish to find a client but also a chance to show that the market of organic products exists.

Oksana Libmann, representative of HPW (Switzerland):

- We have been operating on the European market for 20 years. Our production facilities are in Ghana, Africa. We own plantations. Our headquarters are in Switzerland. We are participating in numerous shows in Europe in addition to every international exhibition. This year we decided to make our debut in Russia and to present our products to the Russian market. Our task is to draw clients, to find distributors, and to hold negotiations with retailers and retail chains.

Why Prodexpo? We consulted our European partners and they told us this is No.1 exhibition in Russia. There are lots of various visitors. We have seen numerous regional managers, representatives of Kazakhstan, Bashkortostan, Penza, and Tyumen. We will make contact with them after the exhibition and will see how we can be of use to each other. We very much hope this exhibition will be our gateway to the Russian market.

We plan to come here again next year. This exhibition is very convenient for us, considering that it has proper visitors, clients looking for organic products. We are fully content and comfortable, Our communication with the administration has been good, and every problem has been solved rapidly. We also like the location in the center of Moscow.

Mikhail Shonin, Commerce Director of the Ulybino Poultry Factory:

- Ulybino is the first big duck factory behind the Urals. We started our production in December 2019. This is our first time at Prodexpo. Our task is to find clients all over Russia. I have been working on the meat market for 20 years, and I know this exhibition well as a perfect place to present new products.

We knew where we wanted to locate our stand, and the exhibition met us halfway. We have a central location and are happy with our participation. We met with lots of clients from a variety of places from the Far East to Moscow, within one hour, and we reached an understanding with some of them. Agreements have been signed, and deliveries will begin shortly.