— Five years ago, in an interview to PARTNER, you noted that the launch of a new plant of food ingredients  in Russia would improve customer service, optimize logistics, and will allow not to think about sanctions and  counter-sanctions, that is still very important nowadays. Is everything going according to that plan?

— We see how the Russian retail market for meat processing, ready meals, snacks has grown over the past few years, we know that the modern consumer is more demanding on the variety and quality of products, and this makes the food industry move forward, develop in terms of assortment, taste solutions, and of course alternatives to Western products that can and should be produced locally. We annually invest not only in the development of new production facilities, but also in the development and modernization of our business in Russia. The launch our own production here was in May 2018. It was an essential  stage, and today we have a European-level production facility that meets all the requirements of Russian legislation. Strict regulation rules have been developed and implemented. The quality department continuously checks all raw materials and finished products and pay much  attention to sanitary and hygienic issues.  Our  production facility and a warehouse complex are equipped "by the last word". Our factory produces 32,000 tons of products per year. First  the production of food ingredients for meat processing  was launched, then the  flavor production for snacks was organized.  The  products  are created in our Russian Development and Innovation Center  to meet all the needs of our customers. Yes, the presence of a local development center allows us to respond quickly  to the customer requests  and  market challenges.

— Did you manage to provide your production with all necessary raw materials during the last year? Were there any challenges? 

A business that is based on local production has a completely different approach of  organizing the supply of raw materials. First of all we think of business sustainability and supply guarantees to our customers, so our raw material suppliers are 75% Russian manufacturers. We started implementing this strategy more than 4 years ago. If earlier the share of European suppliers was more than 50%, today it is less than 5%. We have also expanded our raw material supplier pull towards Asia and CIS countries. We are  testing alternative types of raw materials from different sources - from the different countries of the world, we also find local producers of mono ingredients and develop relationships with local suppliers. The main issue of the past year is the uninterrupted supply, to help our customers to implement  their projects. For us, forecasts from customers are very important, and we provide all raw materials according to the forecasts. Yes, we do not delay, we always ensure deliveries on time. We continue to invest in our production capacity: in new equipment, in new lines. Our plan is to increase production by more than 10% in 2023 compared to 2022. And we are not going to stop there. The focus for the  technologists in 2022 was  the search of alternatives to European raw materials  and provide the constant supply of raw materials to the plant . The team did an excellent job, and we can say with confidence that the share of European raw materials by the end of 2023 will be less than 2% in our turnover. The company's previous investment in local production and a local development center gives us an undeniable advantage in the market today.

— Talented musicians are able to repeat any melody by ear. Can we say that your technologists also easily determine the composition of the product by its sound?
— In Russia, we have technologists-developers in each area: meat, fish, snacks, gastronomy. The laboratories develop concepts for final products, including solutions for taste, aroma and texture. The ability to combine different technologies to solve specific customer issues is a hallmark of our company. We have a sensory lab and a trained group of panelists who taste products professionally. Flavorists and chef create unique flavor solutions. In the context of your question, you can call them composers. The Marketing Department is involved in the development of product prototypes based on the taste preferences of Russian consumers and in line with trends observed in the Russian and global markets. Not every company has such an arsenal of tools! We have expertise both in the catering market and in the retail market. Our solutions to foodservice  enable us to move faster in  the retail market as well. We are very proud of our solutions as they enable our partners to achieve commercial success and increase their market share. What is reflected in the name of our company ALLWIN.

— You have rebranding, and now we are pleased to introduce a new company to the market with the beautiful name ALLWIN, which is literary means "everyone wins". Tell us more about this, please.

-  By the end of 2022, the process of Kerry's transition to local management was completed. At the beginning of 2023, the company was renamed to Olvin LLC, and a complete rebranding was carried out. I am glad that the message that we put in the name of the company is so easy to read - "everyone wins", this fully reflects our approach to work, development of partnerships and building a business. As a company, we have been present on the Russian market since 2006, which is quite a long time - more than 15 years, during which time we have built strong and trusting relationships with our customers. The mission of our company is a developing partnership. We are interested in the successful business of our clients and are ready to develop the food industry in Russia. We were the first to open a research and development center in the Moscow region in 2014. At this center, our flavorists, in collaboration with a team of chefs, develop new types of gastronomic flavors. Application technologists are testing new flavor solutions on meat and snack products. The existing pilot workshops for meat processing, breading and snacks, with all the necessary equipment, allow us quickly to  receive samples of finished products. The final decision if  products meet customer  is carried out on the basis of sensory analysis. Proof of this are the launches of products that our customers release not only on store shelves, but also in the menus of famous restaurants. Our deep convenience  is that only openness and trust between partners lead to gains from all sides. First of all, the consumer wins, who receives a high-quality, modern product, which builds a consumer loyalty to the manufacturer of this product , and when the customer loyalty is grown, we get the trust to our company as a partner that is always ready to find solutions to move the food industry forward.

— What did the last AGROPRODMASH exhibition show, have the requests of customers changed? What will ALLWIN offer this year?

— Agroprodmash exhibition in 2022 showed high market activity, our customers are full of business development plans. Now snack category is at the peak of development. We also see how the taste preferences of our consumer are changing, the requests are becoming more complex and, one might say, premium, not in terms of price, but in terms of taste. For example, in meat processing, we see a shift in emphasis towards raw smoked sausages. A wide variety of varieties such as salami and solchichon are appearing on the market.

— Will the new company's strategy differ from the previous one? If "YES", then what exactly?

- The strategy of the new company is to strengthen our position in the market of meat processing, fish processing, breading systems, snacks and ready/frozen meals and vegetables. We actively invest in people and production facilities. We also have plans to expand our business in Russia, the CIS and other regions.

- Tell us about yourself - where did you get your education and what, why did you choose the Russian market, how How long have you been working in Russia?

— I got a business education in France - marketing, sales and business development. 18 years ago I took the position of General Director of Lactalis in Ukraine when the company purchased new production facilities. And I moved to Russia 13 years ago to continue my career growth in the international company Kerry, wanting to invest and build a team and plants in the country.

—  What would you do in your life if you had the knowledge that you have now?

— I would have left France earlier to discover new cultures and business models for myself to continue my personal and professional journey. Creating and growing a team and business is my individual journey, in which I can learn something new every day, adapt and win.