Authors of article tell about experience of the United States of America, Canada, Ireland and Great Britain on creation of mini-shops on processing of food production, so-called cooperative kitchens.
Because new private enterprises of food processing develop in autonomies slowly, and climatic conditions allow to make raw materials for processing industry, the detailed characteristic of cooperative kitchen for the purpose of loan of experience in the Crimea is given.
New private enterprises of food processing industry develop in the Crimea slowly, despite favorable climatic features of the region which are suitable for production of many vegetables and fruit and their further processing for the purpose of increase of the added cost. At present the share of an import in this sphere of a bycicle, and local processing is limited, generally production of tinned vegetables and ketchups.
The poor development of small-scale processing industry doesn’t favor to creation of a wide range of possible workplaces in this industry whereas this sphere could promote employment of simple peasants, after all in the rural zone there is not a lot of other possibilities of employment.
In the United States, Canada, Ireland and Great Britain there were so-called cooperative kitchens (mini-shops on processing of food production) which serve as incentive of economic development both in the rural zone, and in the cities. The majority of the foodstuff made on sale, can’t be exposed to any preselling preparation (whether it be processing, preservation, a freezing or packing) in the conditions of usual household kitchen. Foodstuff which make on sale, should be prepared in the conditions of the food shop corresponding to the Ukrainian standards of placement, existence of the equipment, sanitary standards, management and regular control. The size of a room which should be adapted for processing in similar scales isn’t less important.
The impossibility of access to cooperative kitchen small-scale producers seriously limits possibilities of creation of the added cost on products, and the majority of peasants unable to afford creation and the maintenance of own industrial kitchen. It is especially problematic for small farms as they are engaged in processing only from time to time in a crop and operate with small volumes. As a result of it only small number of agricultural producers is capable to begin the business which is connected with postharvest and preselling processing.
Emergence of cooperative kitchens in the USA, Canada and Europe allowed the new agricultural and nonagricultural enterprises to develop and become profitable. Usually the producer brings the raw materials, uses food shop for processing and takes away a finished product for sale. Thus producers become tenants of mini-shop, bringing a rent depending on duration of using, and also (sometimes) for storage, using the equipment etc. Rent of cooperative kitchens manages to the enterprises of the food industry, farmers and suppliers of food rather cheaply as tenants pay only that time during which they used this room and the equipment. In addition to it they can usually receive consultation on technical or commercial matters.
In the countries with an economy in transition isn’t present while similar mini-shops in spite of the fact that in these regions producers and pererabotchik of food production face even big difficulties during the opening and development of the enterprises of food sector and receiving the credits. Besides, access to the market is limited by requirements of supermarkets of rather minimum volume of purchase and obtaining the VAT identification number, and also, in connection with slow development of wholesale trade and cooperatives.
Use of cooperative kitchens opens to producers of the Crimea and Ukraine ample opportunities on creation of the added cost by production processing with low expenses (in comparison with what creation of own food shop would cost). Cooperative kitchens will promote also to professional growth of businessmen and to provide support to the existing enterprises of the food industry.
In short-term and medium-term prospect cooperative kitchens could promote most strongly to development of processing of fruit and vegetables. Producers have possibility to choose that they intend to make and make the decision concerning a finished product. Subsequently, as well as with other types of launch pads for business development, cooperative kitchens become a basis for formation of such food enterprises which will cease to need over time services of similar shops and will get own capacities.
Among users of cooperative kitchens there will be producers of raw materials (i.e., actually, producers of agricultural production), the enterprises, wishing to be engaged in trial processing of the bought raw materials, already existing small enterprises-pererabotchiki which want to expand capacities or to use more perfect equipment or tools which don’t possess. It is possible to rank restaurant business and the companies which are engaged in the organization of receptions for which additional capacities at some point can temporarily be necessary as perspective users. Besides, such food shop if it is located near to technical training college, could form practical educational base for a course on food technologies and hygiene.
When using of cooperative kitchen the tenant follows the own recipe – nobody influences the final product (thus there is no also an external control of quality). An exception is observance of sanitary standards. Those who uses cooperative kitchen usually pass short (2-3 hours) instructing in food hygiene where product quality check by the producer at certain production phases for observance of the main requirements of food hygiene makes a reservation. Usually clients of cooperative kitchen train free of charge.
Right at the beginning the product range of cooperative kitchens most likely will be limited by the cookings preserved by fruit, marinaded vegetables, dried fruit and vegetables, juice and traditional spices. In average and long-term prospect the diversification and production of more difficult production which, among other things, could include other seasonings, candy production, bakery products (pies, cookies, special types of bread), the cooled products and snack is expected. Nevertheless, as well as it was mentioned earlier, the producer will make the decision itself, remaining within the standards mentioned above.
For assistance to business growth, the producers using cooperative kitchen, receiving consulting services in the business sphere among which it is possible to call enterprise registration, maintaining accounts department, the address with taxes and declaring, preparation of contracts, legal advice, questions of design and advertizing, the press and other types of sales promotion is required.
Usually for such services the payment is raised, however, at the initial stage of use of kitchen the grant for received services for assistance to more commercially focused approach can be provided to users. Users also are given opportunity of purchase of the main expendables, raw materials and other goods (including banks and other container) on more favorable conditions at the suppliers connected with by "cooperative kitchen.
The new food enterprises can have difficulties with sale. Help with it the firm point of sale in the territory of cooperative kitchen or somewhere in Ukraine where production can be realized can. Besides, advertizing exit sales which are guided by the existing stationary or roadside markets where production made on is offered to "cooperative kitchen can be organized. The large enterprises of home shopping service can be involved for carrying out actions in the sphere of corporate social responsibility in the relation of cooperative kitchens and products there the made. Moreover, it is possible to stimulate sale with a way of creation of separate sectors in local supermarkets or networks of supermarkets in which production made thus will be exposed.
Nick Meddok, the international expert of the United Nations on development of the rural zone, Oleg Osaulyuk, the technical coordinator of the Meda project.