MSP Magazine Issue 44

INTERVIEW
WHAT LEVEL OF CONTROL
DO YOU IMPLEMENT?
– “Mit Star” has a food safety management
system based on HACCP
principles. Our company is also certified
according to ISO 22000:2005
standard. We perform control of
the inward raw materials, finished
products and throughout all stages
of production. We train our employees.
There is also production control,
including for gluten content,
performed by accredited laboratories.
We also perform constant
control of the hygienic quality of
the production.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT
THE POTENTIAL OF THE
GLUTEN-FREE MARKET?
– Compared to the total meat consumption,
it’s very small. There
is a small number of people with
gluten intolerance. Of course, our
products can be consumed by
people who don’t suffer from the
Coeliac disease. This certification
guarantees safety not only for us,
but for the consumers too. Now we
can proudly say that not only our
products but the whole production
process doesn’t contain any gluten,
and the consumers don’t have
to worry about it anymore.
DOES THIS MEAN THAT YOUR
PRODUCTS CAN BE CONSUMED BY
PEOPLE WITH COELIAC DISEASE?
– Yes. We want to provide maximum
guarantees. That’s why it was so
important to have a third-party
organization’s confirmation that
our company works in accordance
with all the rules and regulations
for gluten-free production. It is
important to note that our products
are not intended for therapeutic
use and for diet and preventive
nutrition.
BUT NOT ONLY PEOPLE
FROM SAINT PETERSBURG
NEED THOSE PRODUCTS.
WHERE ARE THEY SOLD?
– For now, mostly in Saint
Petersburg, Leningrad region and
in some cities of the Northwestern
District.
Our products have a short shelf life,
that’s why not all of our products
are presented in the retail chains.
We also work in the retail business.
We have three meat stores that
work under our brand. Customers
can taste and buy our products
there.
In order to distribute our products
in other regions, we must find solutions
that will allow us to perform
long-distance transportation of our
products without compromising
quality. Moreover, we plan to modernize
our packaging facility and
introduce new types of packaging.
Either way, it is important for us to
keep the quality of our products as
high as before.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO PROMOTE
YOUR GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS?
– We publish materials in newspapers,
we have adverts in the
subway. We also plan to conduct
promotion campaigns in the
retail chains and to highlight the
shelves with our products using
promotional materials. However,
honestly speaking, I think that the
most effective promotional tool at
the moment are our branded meat
stores where people can taste
and buy our products. This is not
a business project, it’s not profitable.
We put a lot of efforts in it
but the rent that we pay for the
premises is what we invest in the
advertising. People come to our
café, taste our products, talk with
the seller – this is remembered a
lot better. In two years, our recognisability
increased considerably.
DOES THE GOVERNMENT
SUPPORT YOU AS A
MANUFACTURER OF GLUTEN-
FREE PRODUCTS?
– Yes, the government supports
us but this support program is for
small and medium-sized entrepreneurship.
They subsidized the
interest on our loans, as well as
the interest on acquiring equipment
on lease. But this has nothing
to do with gluten. After all, it’s not
so socially important. You can just
buy a piece of meat and it won’t
contain any gluten. And this is not
bakery production which involves
more risks. However, we satisfy
the requirements of those consumers
for whom the food safety is
extremely important, trying to gain
their trust. •
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44 | JUNE/JULY 2020 | MSP Magazine