How an immigrant makes money on the sale of banned European products to Russia

At the end of 2015, businessmen Natalya Novikova and Suren Matevosyan, living in Hamburg (Germany), accidentally learned that Russian food sanctions only apply to commercial supplies, and for personal use, Russians have the right to buy food from European manufacturers. The couple quickly came up with the concept of the store and launched sales of European farm cheese for Russian buyers, so an online store appeared Chill & Cheese.

Фото: Depositphotos

Natalya Novikova told the publication about how the shop for the sale of "banned" functions biz360.ru.

How was the idea of ​​the project born

Natalia Novikova and Suren Matevosyan launched an online store in 2013 SaleDJselling German musical equipment, which is not officially sold in Russia. Gradually, the business gained momentum, and in 2015, it was even intensified by another project - a recording studio.

Once Natalya and Suren sat with friends in the kitchen and accidentally on the air of one of the Russian TV channels they heard that food sanctions relate exclusively to commercial deliveries, and for personal use Russians have the right to legally receive express mail from abroad up to 31 kg of food in the amount of no more than 10 000 euro. True, there are a number of limitations - in one package there should be no more than 5 kg, and the products should be in the packaging of the manufacturer. The project was immediately invented, a rough business plan was calculated, and a month later the site was launched and the first sale was made.

“The starting capital for the launch was taken from the income from our music store. The money was spent on creating a website, writing and translating texts and product cards, contextual advertising, and promotional packages to friends. All this required about 300 thousand rubles (about $4),” Novikova said.

The main focus at the first stage of the promotional campaign was placed on acquaintances and word of mouth.

“We promoted ourselves through friends who live in Moscow and St. Petersburg. These are musicians, media persons, celebrities. For example, TV presenters Evgenia Voskoboynikova and Maria Komandnaya, singer Tatyana Tereshina, and other famous people. They left their reviews on the website and told their friends about our store. Several well-known publications even wrote about us,” Natalya noted.

Screenshot from Chill & Cheese website

Parmesan out of competition

Cheese for customers Chill & Cheese farmers produce in several countries - Germany, Italy, England, Switzerland, France, Norway, Holland. After placing the order, the cheese is packed - and sent to Russia in special thermal boxes with the help of a delivery service Boxberry.

The bulk of orders are sent to Moscow, with St. Petersburg in second place. Consumers from other Russian regions are just beginning to connect. The absolute leader among the varieties of cheese ordered is Parmesan.

Weekly Chill & Chese sends 20-30 parcels to Russia. The average bill for one parcel is Euro 80-100 ($ 94-117). The average weight of one order is 3-4 kg.
Cheese prices vary from 2700 ($43) to more than 20 rubles ($000) per kilogram; the most popular price segment is 318-3 thousand rubles ($4-48) per kilogram. For many varieties there are minimum weight restrictions - for example, if Swiss Belper knolle can buy from xnumx grams then dutch Fenugreek will have to purchase a minimum of 400 grams.

Initially, Natalia and Suren expected that the Russian middle class would become their clients. But in fact, it turned out to be people of higher affluence - businessmen, top managers, officials, show business stars.

Restaurants and shops Natalya and Suren cannot sell cheese according to this scheme - they are legal entities and fall under the sanction legislation. Of course, the package can be issued by their employees, but then it will be the risk of the establishment itself. For everything to be legal, when ordering, the client leaves the passport data and just in case he is warned that the cheese is intended for personal consumption, and not for resale.

Delivery is not without problems

Although the sales and delivery scheme that is used Chill & Cheese, legal, without problems on the boundaries still can not do. For example, once on the Polish-Belarusian border 20 parcels, which were traveling to Russia in a wagon together with other delivery services, simply disappeared. Boxberry. Belarusian border guards considered the delivery illegal.

Natalia and Suren called all instances, tried to return at least the goods. But the cheese disappeared, and no trace was found, as well as to receive compensation or at least an explanation.

After that, businessmen decided to deliver cheese only by air.

The shipping cost for Russian buyers is 15 euros ($ 17,5) per package, but orders from 50 euros ($ 58) are delivered free of charge.

Cheese cake, price - 410 dollars, weight - 7 kg
Photo: Chill & Cheese

Expansion of the range

In 2016, the assortment Chill & Cheese began to expand - fruit bread, cheese jam, cheese cakes were added to the cheeses. Soon there will be some other premium positions.

“Together with cheeses, it is appropriate to sell the same olives, oils, sauces, meats - in general, everything related to delicacies. There is definitely a demand for such products. Yes, this is an expensive delicacy; it was difficult to find it in every supermarket before. But our clients are interested in expanding the range, and we will provide it to them,” Novikova explained.

She believes that the success of the site is not least connected with the use of the Russian language and its full orientation towards the Russian-speaking audience.

“We were not the first in this segment. But we are the first to create a website entirely in Russian for the Russian-speaking audience and where all communication is also conducted in Russian. This means that we have an advantage over foreign stores that offer the same product, but whose services can only be used by Russians who speak foreign languages,” emphasized Natalya Novikova.

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