MOSCOW, 29 August (BelTA) – A new gastronomic space named Belarusian Village has opened within the flagship hypermarket of the Auchan retail chain at Moscow’s Aviapark Mall. The outlet offers a broad range of Belarusian food products, including meat and dairy products, confectionery, and sweets, BelTA has learned.
“Our products have always enjoyed a special status in Russia,” Belarusian Ambassador to Russia Aleksandr Rogozhnik told journalists at the launch. “It’s about guaranteed quality and natural purity. We avoid excessive additives and prioritize freshness, ensuring our goods don’t languish on shelves.”
He also pointed to the steady year-on-year growth of Belarusian exports to Russia. “We finished the first half of the year with growth of over 1%, driven by strong performance in services like transport, IT, and construction. This project now offers Muscovites a trusted place to find authentic, quality Belarusian goods – a genuine taste of Belarus,” the ambassador said.
For his part, Auchan Retail Russia’s Director General Ivan Martinovich explained that the project was born from a January meeting with the ambassador, which focused on expanding ties with Belarusian suppliers. The embassy subsequently organized a tour of Belarus for the retail team. “We met directly with manufacturers. The trip was highly successful, the reception was exceptionally warm, and we genuinely liked everything that we saw,” Ivan Martinovich added.
In July, the same hypermarket launched a large-scale promotional campaign, Operation Belarusian Goods, which lasted for a month. According to the director general of Auchan Retail Russia, it was very successful: sales of Belarusian products doubled, and for some items, several times. Such cooperation is also beneficial for Belarusian manufacturers, who can supply their products to one of the largest hypermarket chains in Russia directly without intermediaries.
According to Ivan Martinovich, there is substantial potential for deepening cooperation with Belarusian manufacturers. The product range at the Belarusian Village is soon to be enhanced with the addition of textiles, linen, and porcelain goods.
The project was implemented in partnership with Minsk Dairy Plant No. 1. According to Irina Novikova, Director General of the Minsk Dairy Plant No. 1 Trading House, the gastronomic space offers products not only from this enterprise, but also from other Belarusian manufacturers. “We have extensive experience promoting dairy products and hold contracts with all major federal retail chains in Russia. However, we concluded that despite this presence, the Russian consumer can still struggle to find our goods on the shelf. The shelves are vast and dominated by numerous excellent Russian producers. To stand out, we need to be more discoverable. This led to the idea of uniting Belarusian manufacturers under a single banner and creating a dedicated space where we can present our wide range of products together,” she said.
“The Belarusian Village is where taste meets consumer demand. We combine the unparalleled quality of Belarusian products with an inviting atmosphere, ensuring every guest feels welcome and leaves delighted by the authentic flavors,” Irina Novikova added.
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