Restaurant critic at the publishing house that recently launched a lifestyle magazine about food - Afisha Eda. We meet at a Georgian restaurant right next door to the publishing house.
"Afisha Eda studied the oil/butter breakdown in Russia. It turned that olive oil is used by less than 1% of the Russian population. So I wouldn't say there is a significant lifestyle/quality food trend going on in Russia.
Yes, there is a trend of people who think that everyone should have a "man he buys meat from at the market", a list of restaurants with favorite dishes, a grandma that brings 'real' butter from the village.
House in the Village dairy has been exploiting this trend for a while now.
Observation: This looks like a very Russian thing. In hair care consumers keep saying they have a friend hairdresser who supplies them with professional shampoos at wholesale prices. This may be the Soviet legacy - when you could get quality food only if you had connections.
"At the same time Afisha Eda sells more copies than its elder brother [the city guide magazine]. People don't have to actually follow all the advice and recipes from the magazine. They just enjoy reading about good cuisine."
Observation: People don't have to drive Bentleys and wear Breguet to read Esquire or GQ.
"I don't cook at home because I eat out a lot. My profession requires me to do so. Plus at my age I feel like partying and going out. Plus I follow the diet called Just For You. My daily meal comes in a box and they claim it was done personally for me."
"They probably lie about it and have only several options they combine for everybody. It is like the Barnum Effect. When we are told the horoscope was specified for us - 80% will believe it.
Opportunity: communicate the product as something customized according to personal needs.
I don't see myself falling for bliny and butter but if butter served to me as a part of a different culture - for example as a croissant with butter or dairy sauces - it seems to be healthy. You want to be a part of a different cultural experience. Beurre blance is insanely fat but you feel like its equal to olive oil.
Opportunity: communicate the product as part of a different (non-Russian) culture, different cuisine.
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