VITEBSK, 1 April (BelTA) – Vitebskkhlebprom has plans to start exporting toast bread to Russia in 2014, BelTA learnt from chief technologist of the company Olga Pavluchenko.

The Vitebsk-based company started making crunchy toasts under the Tostini trademark in the first half of 2013. A new shop floor with the total area of 696.8 square meters was built in the company to produce rusks, bakery products and toast bread. The project cost is estimated at about Br31.4 billion. The area of the shop floor allowed installing a production line to make zwiebacks and ring-shaped cracknels Bon Appetit to an Italian technology. Its capacity is 10 tonnes of products per month. The aggregate capacity of the shop floor is 2 tonnes of products per shift.

In 2013 the shop floor produced 201 tonnes of products. In 2014 the output is to increase by 74% up to 350 tonnes. There are plans to start exporting crunchy toasts to Russia. “We have already received the necessary documents confirming the compliance of these products with the technical regulations of the Customs Union. Now we are working to start exporting them to Pskov Oblast,” Olga Pavluchenko said.

In January-February Vitebskkhlebprom made Br95.1 billion worth of products or 118.5% as against January-February 2013. The company produced 7,800 tonnes of bakery products and 365 tonnes of confectionery products. The export to Russia expanded by 10.6% compared to the same period last year. The profitability of sales made up 7%. The investments reached Br40 billion in 2013.

Vitebskkhlebprom incorporates 11 companies producing a broad range of bakery and confectionery products. The company also owns a network of proprietary stores.