Foreigners eye Russian waffle market

A survey of waffle consumption in Russia reveals that traditional non-packaged snacks remain very popular.

The survey, conducted last month by consulting agency Market Advice​, took into account the snacking preferences of 1,542 respondents in the 13 largest cities of European Russia, excluding Moscow.

It revealed that non-packaged waffles - hugely popular in the Soviet era - remains one of the largest sectors of the market. These products are largely produced by domestic bakeries and confectionery firms.

As a result, the Market Advice report confirmed that Russian companies remain a significant force within the waffle industry.

But as with much in the country, things are beginning to change. Competition within the waffle market is increasing, and several large multinationals now operate within the country.

These include the Nestlé group, which has three factories, Cadbury, which operates a plant in the north west of the country and Danone, which has a factory in Moscow. This is resulting in more expensive glazed and packaged products coming onto the market.

Interestingly, the Market Advice survey revealed that there is significantly higher awareness of foreign brand products than of domestic products. For example, 43 per cent of respondents instantly recognised Nestlé group's products, while 20 per cent of respondents instantly recognised both Cadbury and Danone brands.

An impressive 87 per cent of respondents were able to identify a Nestle waffle product with the aid of a hint.

The Sladko Group was the highest placed Russian brand in terms of instant product awareness - 10 per cent of respondents instantly identified the brand.

These findings suggest that while traditional non-packaged snacks still dominate the market, foreign brand names are beginning to dominate consumer consciousness through expensive advertising and promotion.

For more information on Russian and CIS food or ingredients markets, contact Katrin Myagkova​ at Market Advice.​​