For many years, the “Baker-Ukraine” company represents the best producer of waffle products and packing, which is used to produce ice cream cones. We have decided to have a talk with the Director of “Baker-Ukraine” — Strylets’ Yuriy Valentynovych about the history of the company, the production secrets, the market tendencies and the nearest plans to the future.

— Yury Valentynovych, for many years the “Baker-Ukraine” company is cooperating with the “Rud” company and is one of the main strategic partners. Will You, please, tell us the way everything has started?

— 8 years ago the “Europack” company, which was known on the ice cream market, as a supplier of high-quality imported raw materials to Ukrainian ice cream producers. The major breakthrough of the company was the beginning of cooperation with the “Rud” company — the most powerful operator in the branch of milk and ice cream industry. On my opinion, the basis of mutual cooperation was at that time and remains today — the contemporary approach to carry out business and constant perfection of final product. It gives us possibility to hold the top in the highly competitive market and, as a result, in the final product. As a consequence of its activity, the “Europack” company has designed the project, named “Baker-Ukraine”, namely the production of high-quality waffle products.

— We would like to get to know more about Your company. The way it was established. When? Whose idea was to create such a peculiar manufacture?

— The idea of design of the project on waffle products manufacturing arose as a result of cooperation with the “Rud” company, because, in fact, the “Rud” company was the first that started the production of the elite product — an ice cream in waffle cone. The company was registered in the end of 2002, and throughout a year, the factory was constructed, which started the functioning in full in 2004. The essential step of manufacture’s development was an introduction of the quality standard ISO 9001:2000 and the food safety standard ISO 22000:2005.

— Yury Valentynovych, how many people do You have on the factory? What are Your criteria for staff recruitment?

— The number of workers increases yearly. At present moment, we have about 70 people on the manufacture. Regarding the fact that the company is working in peculiar branch, in staff recruitment, first of all, we are guided by not only professional level of workers, but rather such qualities as: responsibility, diligence, zeal, promotion desire.

— Do You have any problems with personnel? If You do, how do You solve such questions?

— In view of manufacture’s dependence on ice cream production seasonality, employees’ turnover exists for sure. The solution of this problem lies in the cooperation with employment centers, educational institutions, and the creation of database of potential workers as well.

— What are the main manufacturing products of the “Baker-Ukraine” company?

— The core product is a set for ice cream cone production, which is composed of sugared waffle cone and ice cream packing, produced of foil on paper base.

— We suppose that in the success of the “Empire” ice cream cone of TM “Rud”, which represents our visit card for many years, there are great services of the “Baker-Ukraine” company, because Your sugared waffle cone — is of a high quality and really delicious. What is a cone’s secret?

— Undoubtedly, it was carried out a long and laborious work, which started from the cooperation of the “Europack” company on waffle cones’ import and had led to creation of the “Baker-Ukraine” company, in order to achieve a high-quality cone. The goal of this manufacture’s creation was a waffle cones’ production, which could be highly competitive with foreign analogues’ quality.

— Aside from the cone, You produce a cone packing for the ice cream. Will You tell us about this course of Your work? What kind of equipment do You use? What is important in packing production?

— The waffle cone production has caused the need to equipment’s purchasing in order to produce the packing. This project was started in the end of 2005 and successfully implemented in the beginning of 2007. The duration of project’s implementation can be explained, regarding at the peculiarity of such branch, the difficulty with raw materials’ and materials’ selection and lack of analogous producers in Ukraine. Our manufacture works on the contemporary automated line on production of cone-pack made of foil on paper base. The significant moment in packing production lies in the close cooperation with ice cream producers, concerning development, packing design’s consistency and manufacture delivery.

— Yury Valentynovych, is there a competition in Your branch of production? What is Your attitude towards competition?

— Surely, the competition exists and is the stimulus factor for our product’s manufacturing. The competition forces us to control, support and constantly increase the production’s quality.

— What can You tell us about the tendencies on the ice cream market of Europe and Ukraine? What are the differences between European and National markets?

— The European ice cream market differs from Ukrainian one by volumes, culture and consumption seasonality, high competition, requirements, and standards. As for the tendencies of Ukrainian ice cream market, there are noted attempts to approach the European quality level, though the peculiarity of the Ukrainian market lies in consumption of low price category products. Ukrainian producers are trying to increase the consumption culture, and, owing to their attempts, it was noted the demand increase of higher price category ice cream, and the requirements’ growth, as for the ice cream quality.

— Yury Valentynovych, what are Your nearest plans to the future?

— The nearest plans of the “Baker-Ukraine” company are the new automated lines’ purchasing for waffle cones and cone-pack production, in order to expand the assortment and increase the productive capacity. One of the future plans is a project of Ukrainian “mild ice cream” market requirements’ supply with premium class waffle production.

— And, finally, what would You like to wish to everyone?

— Finally, I would like to greet all workers of the “Rud” company with the coming professional holiday — the Day of Food Industry Workers. The organized work of all national economies and people’s health depend on people, who work in food branch of the industry. It is impossible to imagine the life of people without corresponding work of food industry workers.

Honorable colleagues! On behalf of the “Baker-Ukraine” accept the sincere gratitude for your daily hard work and fidelity to professional obligations. We wish to You and Your families strong health, happiness, prosperity, inexhaustible strength and inspiration.