New Zealand Natural opens ice cream franchise store in Russia

Ice cream franchise company, New Zealand Natural Pty Ltd , is going from strength to strength, achieving 30%+ growth of export sales in 2008.

New Zealand Natural has just launched its first ice cream franchise site on the Island of Sakhalin on the east coast of Russia. This is the 21st country to be granted a license agreement with New Zealand Natural, a successful ice cream retail franchise with over 600 branded outlets globally.

From Sakhalin, the new master franchisee plans to open more branded outlets on the East Coast of Russia, then expand to the densely populated West Coast to open outlets in Saint Petersburg and Moscow. ‘Russia is a notoriously difficult market to break into’ says Managing Director Shane Lamont.

He continued to explain that New Zealand Natural weren’t sure if the first consignment of product would even get through the border. He said that the ice cream franchise was very fortunate with their choice of master license holder, as they have strong contacts and understand the problems and challenges of conducting business in Russia.

“First feedback from our new Russian customers is that they love our ice cream, it is in a quality bracket they have never experienced before. They comment on the exceptional mouth feel; (seventy percent of ice cream made in Russia is made using cheaper vegetable oils), the creaminess and texture of New Zealand Natural is something astonishing and new,” he said.

The dessert franchise group is celebrating their 21st in June as Russia is now the 21st export destination.

Shane continued to explain “The New Zealand Natural franchise network is also showing outstanding growth in China and the USA, where both countries have aggressive store opening programs underway. In addition, New Zealand Natural is listed in over one thousand top end supermarket outlets across America and Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan and Indonesia.’