Baskin Robbins ups ice cream output in Russia - Company News - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Eurofood, Nov 8, 2001

The Baskin Robbins ice cream plant in Moscow turned out 15% more product year-on-year in the period January-September, according to company sales chief Victoria Gandzy. Those nine months saw some 1 200 tonnes of ice cream produced.

Gandzy noted that the plant is able to turn out 62t per day. "This is one of Baskin Robbins' largest plants in the world, but only 7-12% of its production capacity is being made use of," she said.

The unit cost US$50m (56m [euro]) to build when it opened its doors back in 1996. Its output capacity was intended to service 1 000 Baskin Robbins cafes, but the 1998 financial crisis thwarted those plans and to this date there are only 105 cafes open in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The majority of these are located in large cities around Russia, with Moscow home to 16 of them. Another five will open in the Russian capital before the end if the year.

Gandzy emphasised that the 1 000-cafe plan has not been abandoned. "The process is going slower than earlier thought, but ten to twelve are opening each year," she said.

US firm Baskin Robbins is a franchise business, with some 4 400 cafes bearing the brand name around the world.