Russian ice cream manufacturers are encountering renewed hurdles as imports of key foreign raw materials slow or halt, prompting a shift in recipes and the search for alternative suppliers. This situation has been reported by Kommersant FM.
Industry insiders say store shelves are feeling the impact, with prices rising around 15% over the past year as producers gear up for the upcoming summer season. Some materials had to be secured in the spring to bridge gaps as producers prepared for peak demand.
“Stock levels dwindled, forcing changes to several product lines and even removing some SKUs from the range because the necessary inputs could not be sourced,” explained Ksenia Vyshmakova, head of marketing at Icecro. “Naturally, overall costs have climbed by more than 30–40%.”
Vyshmakova noted that lactose-free varieties based on coconut milk, originally ordered from Thailand, encountered port delays, causing the company to pivot to whatever inventory was available from Russian suppliers.
Natalya Utkina, Deputy General Manager of the Ice Cream Association, added that production costs have risen by about 20–30% on average. She pointed to a near doubling of cardboard packaging and sugar costs and highlighted ongoing issues with spare parts for imported equipment.
Earlier reports from Izvestia, citing a source within a major market player, suggested that producers in the dairy and juice sectors may trim December output in the near term, reflecting the broader pressure on inputs and logistics. These developments were described by industry observers as part of a broader tightening of supply chains affecting several segments of the frozen dairy and beverage sectors.