"Russia" news and stories

In Italy, you can get a fresh hot pizza out of a vending machine. In Australia, you can get french fries. And in the spirit of catering to the local market, in Moscow, you can now find vending machines that dole out caviar, LA Weekly reported.

A Russian company has installed 33 vending machines across Moscow, including in the mayor's office, that dispense glass jars and tin cans of red salmon roe (fish eggs), a less-pricey version of the caviar that Russians spread on toast and drink with sparkling wine for special events.

Those looking for the black sturgeon varieties -- such as Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga -- won't find it in vending machines, London's Telegraph reported, as the high price tag puts it out of reach of most Russians. Black sturgeon caviar harvesting is limited to about 9 tons a year as many varieties have been hunted to near-extinction.

I've never been able to afford Johnnie Walker Blue, though I am partial to the Black variety. Russians, though, seem to have no problem affording it. The land of vodka and harsh winters is now the biggest market for the world's priciest Scotch whisky according to the Financial Times.

Vodka still accounts for more than 90 per cent of the country's spirits sales, largely because Russians are not used to the taste of whisky or gin. Despite this barrier sales of costly libations have been rising largely due to the populations increased wealth.

Last year Russia became the first European country to import the "King George V" edition of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, which can go for up to $1,000. That's quite a markup over the everyday version, which sells for a mere $180 a bottle.

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What did you do to mark Victory Day this year? Well, some members of the US Navy and the Russian naval force got together for a friendly sandwhich competition. According to the BBC, sailors from the USS Stetham, which is visiting the Russian port of Vladivostok, battled their Russian colleagues in a tasty challenge.

Turns out a Russian won for best tasting sandwhich, while an American won for most creative presentation. More importantly, everyone got a welcome party with traditional Russian food and vodka. The American winner got a bottle of vodka and handed out USS Stetham hats and sweatshirts.

Pepsi Co is already a soft drink powerhouse with a global footprint. The soda maker has production outlets and sub brands in most countries around the world. Now Pepsi Co is expanding into the Russian juice market.

The multi national company is spending $1.4 billion on about 75% ownership of Russia's largest juice maker, JSC Lebedyansky. This deal doesn't include Lebedyansky's baby food or mineral water divisions. Nope, Pepsi just wants the juice, thanks.

The deal has to be be given regulatory clearances from the government and the current shareholders will have to approve the spin off of the two rejected divisions of the Russian company. Also, Pepsi Co will have to offer to buy the rest of the shares of Lebedyansky from shareholders, according to Russian law. Other than that, Pepsi is in the clear to expand into the growing juice market to its heart's content.

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After a long, hard workout, women just want to settle down to a nice refreshing salad and a glass of vodka. That's the scene that one vodka manufacturer in Russia is trying to sell to the upwardly mobile ladies of the country. The vodka, which comes in lime, vanilla, almond and original flavors, is being heavily marketed to women, in an attempt to convince them that they deserve a vodka designed especially for them.

This is concerning Russian doctors, as alcoholism is rampant in Russian. There are 2.5 million registered alcoholics in the country, but experts estimate that the real number of alcoholics in that country is closer to 10 percent of the nation's population. So far, sales of the Ladies Vodka have been brisk, but what does that mean for the health of that country's women? I guess when it comes to sales and marketing, the bottom line is always more important than the health line.

[via The Morning News]

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