Organic Corporation in Russia

Organic Corporation is a unique project in Russia. Based on a holistic concept, this pioneer in the Russian organic market is a producer and distributor and also runs two supermarkets in Moscow. Launched in 2006, the company has been working to boost the organic sector and to promote a healthy lifestyle in harmony with the environment.  It was the first company in Russia to achieve organic certification for a dairy brand. (Picture: Bio-Markt in Moscow)

It is still not easy to create the connection between Russians and organic products, since little time and effort has been invested in educating consumers. Moreover, there is no proper training for the operators, and there is still no regulation pertaining to organic production. Without appropriate involvement by the government, entrepreneurs in the trade will continue to find it difficult to keep their businesses running. But, as in the rest of Europe, people in Russia care about a healthy lifestyle, good nutrition and the environment.
 

This is why Organic Corporation was launched in 2006. Focusing on both the present and the future, the company sees its most important task as improving the physical and spiritual health of people and preserving the balance of nature. The company’s work can be considered holistic in every respect. At the dairy company Spartak near Moskow, organic production and processing with the EtoLeto label takes place, the distribution of organics is carried out by Trading House EcoProduct, and there are two organic supermarkets called Bio-Markt (picture) in Moscow.
 

Other than in conventional supermarkets in Russia, where very few organic products are available, Russia’s only organic supermarket chain makes organic one-stop shopping a real possibility. Bio-Markt sells the best organic products from all over Europe, with the assortment being checked carefully on a regular basis and constantly expanded.

More than 3,500 products are available, like bread from Schedel, Voelkel juices, Elkershausen fruit and vegetables, Gepa chocolate, Martin Evers Naturkost products and Dr. Hauschka cosmetics from Germany, as well as Living Nature cosmetics from New Zealand, and Coslys and Emile Noel from France. Alongside other dairy products, EtoLeto products are also sold in Bio-Markt stores, together with meat, fish, frozen food, soy products, nuts, dry food and preserves, mushrooms, honey, oil, cereals and legumes, muesli, sugar, tea, coffee and cocoa, sweets, and herbs and spices.

Pet supplies, nappies, toys and detergents are also part of the range, as well as hampers, compiled according to the wishes of the customers. In each store, the company also runs a cosmetics studio with a wide selection of natural cosmetics, and offers customers comprehensive advice (picture) together with a range of applications.
 

The company prioritises artisan products: a chocolatier uses Belgian chocolate for his creations (see picture below), and customers can choose their own toppings. In the bread shop, grain is ground in a wooden mill. In the coffee shop, cooks prepare traditional Russian meals as well as international dishes. Customers at Bio-Markt are invited to see the stores as a place to linger, to meet, to get information and simply to feel comfortable. The staff are very well trained and ready to answer all the questions their customers have, whether it is about ingredients, special diets or simply the enjoyment of organic food. An important aim for the company is to create a certain atmosphere – organic should not only be a healthy choice in terms of food, but should also represent a lifestyle. This is why the décor in the stores is a sunny orange and the fittings are made from natural materials, the environmental lifestyle being reflected in everything, including the shopping baskets made of willow.
 

Regular tastings and courses take place, led by chefs, confectioners and chocolatiers. Lectures held by nutritionists, doctors specializing in ayurverda or pediatricians play an important role in educating customers. Various events deal with a particular subject, like “health days”, “days for children” and “Christmas markets”. Bio-Markt focuses on children in particular. Soft toys made of warm cotton replace the plastic toys found in other stores, and children are invited to watch a mill grinding crops. Special menus are offered in the coffee shop for the little ones. Various activities, like making dough from organic ingredients, drawing, origami, or decorating chocolate with food colours and festivals, help them to learn about environmental matters and entertain them at the same time.
 

Organic Corporation's distribution company Trading House EcoProduct plays a very important role in developing the organic market in Russia. Its main objectives are to increase the availability of organic products in Russia and to offer organic products for people with average incomes. Today, the range of Trading House EcoProduct consists of more than 1,500 items covering all commodity groups - food, cosmetics, household equipment and of course goods under the private label EtoLeto. Because European producers remain the major suppliers of organic products to the Russian market, the Organic Corporation has a warehouse in Germany, meaning that it can respond rapidly to demand and can import goods in the required quantity in the shortest possible time.
 

In 2006, Spartak - a project on a farm near Moscow – was launched. Spartak is the first dairy in Russia whose production is certified according to organic guidelines. With the help of experts from Switzerland and certification from Bio Inspecta (based on an agreement in 2008) and with regular inspections, in July 2009 Spartak received an international certificate for being a company in conversion. In the summer of 2010, the first line of organic dairy products was launched and appeared on the shelves of the stores in Moscow. The concept of the brand fulfils all the requirements of an organic product: a high-class product in glass containers and marketed in a transparent way. So far, milk, sour cream, kefir and curd cheese branded EtoLeto (picture) are available.
 

Organic Corporation regards it as very important that their staff at all levels are involved in the pursuit of the common cause and that they adhere to the basic principles of the corporation. Workshops and classes are organised, and the staff travel to Spartak to learn more about organic production. They also arrange visits to organic businesses in Europe and Canada. Before starting to work for Organic Corporation, each employee must learn the organic standards, the features and methods of organic production and the product range, and they also have to be in agreement with the company's philosophy – caring for and promoting the environment and human health. (Picture: cows at Spartak). All pictures by Organic Corporation.

Tip: www.organic-corp.ru