Russian retailer X5 Retail Group has unveiled what it has described as a 'smart kitchen', operated by its Perekrestok banner, to increase the range and quality of its ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook ranges.
Describing the new facility as Russia's 'largest and most advanced ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook production facility', the retailer said that it will help increase the range of items available under the Perekrestok Chef brand by two and a half times.
Once fully operational, a total of 2,000 employees will be working at the 26,000 square metre facility, up from 700 employees that current work on the Perekrestok Chef brand.
Production Lines
The new facility combines six different production lines, the group said, capable of producing hot and cold starters, salads, main courses, confectionery, pastry, drinks, Korean dishes, sushi and other related dishes.
The Perekrestok Chef brand is currently available in more than 400 stores in the Moscow and Moscow region, but plans are underway to roll it out to St Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod in the near future, as well as make the range available in Pyaterochka and Karusel stores.
'The Perekrestok smart kitchen is part of X5's response to customers' growing demand for ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products, making it possible to offer an expanded assortment in stores,' X5 said in a statement.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
