ROSTOV-ON-DON, June 11. /TASS/. At least six new bakeries to work with frozen bread will be opened in Russia's Arctic regions within a few coming years, President of the Russian Union of Bakers Dmitry Semenov told TASS.
"In the Nenets Autonomous Region, they are two (Arctic bakeries - TASS), the third is about to be launched, and, I believe, the plan is for another six," he said. "They have gained clients, the northerners liked this bread, though at first they were rather doubtful about it. In the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, we recently have met with the regional department of agriculture and with bakers, and they decided to try this technology. <...> I hope the first delivery will be this year, and Yamal's residents in remote settlements will be able to try the assortment that exists, for example, in Moscow bakeries." Experts have assessed logistics routes to Yamal. For example, it would be possible to take a container with frozen bread by rail to the city of Labytnangi, and are partners there have facilities to store such products, he added.
Frozen semi-finished bakery products from central Russia may be delivered to the northern regions, where the products are baked on the site. This way, residents of remote areas will enjoy fresh bread, where the product line is significantly bigger - up to 80 items instead of traditional 2-3 types - including croissants, ciabatta and others. The frozen semi-finished products' shelf life is about one year. Besides, this technology fits the North, there the personnel shortage is typical.
"This system is specifically important for remote villages where a regular bakery is not possible. We in fact are creating "virtual bakeries" in the Arctic. <...> We can see the changing culture of bread consumption in the Arctic, since people there get access to the assortment of central Russia," he explained.
The project is supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and by regional authorities.
According to the Bakers' Union, the products cost in the North is 15-20% lower than if to bake them traditionally. Therefore, the final price is not "unaffordable" for the locals, and in the future, the technology may be used in the country's hard-to-reach areas, where now logistics chains are being organized, and specialists have been working on new recipes adapted for freezing.