This year, Rota-Agro plans to launch a cheese production plant to complete the full production cycle "from field to shelf," which they have been developing since 2016. Alla Nalcha (Sablina), managing partner of Rota-Agro, shared this information. The plant will have a capacity of up to 5,000 tons of finished products per year.
They have imported highly productive breeds of cows and carefully selected them. The company grows its own animal feed, gradually increasing the area of its fields. They have also purchased French breed sheep called Lacaune and have become the first industrial producers of sheep's milk in Russia. By the end of 2024, they plan to obtain 8 tons of sheep's milk per month, expanding their herd (currently at 5-6 tons). They initially planned to produce cheese from sheep's milk, as there was a demand for this niche in the Russian market that was vacant.
Currently, the agro-holding unites five agricultural enterprises and two cheese production workshops. For the new plant, the company has acquired cheese production technologies of soft, semi-hard, and hard cheeses from France and Italy. After implementing these technologies in their workshops, they adapted them to the preferences of Russian consumers. They carefully studied the market and responded to needs, continuing to produce cheese types that were popular among buyers. They are now launching a line of cheeses that are already in demand at the new plant.
By increasing cheese production volumes, the company plans to expand its delivery geography. Previously, Rota-Agro's products were sold only in the South of Russia. Now they plan to start operating in the Central Federal District market, and then gradually expand their presence to the Urals and other regions of the country.