The fourth season winner of Leaders Russia, the flagship project of the Russia is a Land of Opportunities platform, Alexander Ochkov, has doubled the turnover of his premium upholstered furniture company.
Looking ahead, the entrepreneur aims to broaden the product line and expand into new markets within Russia.
“We hit last year’s revenue in just the first five months of 2022 and expect annual turnover to rise each year. On average, we ship 30-35 orders monthly and generate up to 9 million rubles in revenue. When we began making upholstered furniture, these figures were about ten times smaller, but since 2020 we have been growing steadily,” Ochkov shared.
Alexander Ochkov works with his partner and a team of 35 to produce two designer furniture lines: RU-SKY (inspired by the Russian sky) in the premium segment and Jacob Design in the business class.
“We offer everything needed for a modern interior — modular sofas, beds, wall panels, and poufs. Visually, the products share a strong design language, though the Jacob Design line is a touch more streamlined. We created this series to satisfy customers who want a really nice sofa but can’t reach the RU-SKY price point,” he explained.
A hallmark of the furniture crafted by Ochkov’s company is the use of high-quality materials.
“Positioning the brand as premium means ensuring top-tier quality in both style and materials. The furniture relies on 90% Russian components. We only use imported fabrics because local manufacturers do not yet offer the required quality and texture. When we source fabrics, the options are typically from China or Israel, with rare engagement with European suppliers. Everything else — the frame, accessories, padding, and technical fabrics — is produced in Russia,” he noted.
Alexander Ochkov, the grandson of a military pilot and Hero of the USSR Alexander Medvedev, along with partner Ruslan Bulanov, launched the business in 2018. The venture began as Russia’s first company to produce exclusive decor items and furniture from real aircraft parts — leather, wings, and fuselage components.
In the Leaders of Russia competition, more than 57,000 applications arrived from across the country for the Business and Industry track. Of those, 126 emerged as track winners and 31 were named final winners in the competition, which culminates with a super final round. [Citation: Leaders Russia program records, 2024]