Revealing the Secret Production Process: Investigation Uncovers Details on Production of Vladimir Putin's Preferred Kefir
A Spotlight Shines on Dairy: The Rise of Putin's Favorite Kefir
The dairy scene has seen a significant shakeup, with a new contender entering the fray. All it took was an unexpected endorsement - Vladimir Putin pulling out a bottle of "Ecovakino" kefir from his fridge, captured on camera for all to see. The humble village of Vakino and its agribusiness, "Vakinskoe agro," have been irrevocably changed, segregated into a pre- and post- Putin era.
From Local Janitor to Political Cinderella: A Small Village's Big Moment
Nestled between the more famed birthplace of Sergei Esenin, Konstantinovo, Vakino is in the limelight for the time being. The region boasts vast fields and breathtaking birch trees that sweep the ground, but we won't bore you - everyone's familiar with Esenin's birches.
- Grab a liter of kefir! You'll polish it off in one go. It's that tasty! exclaims a store clerk at the milk factory, offering a bottle.
Her colleagues in Moscow need no convincing. The "Ecovakino" kefir sold out rapidly from store shelves following the broadcast of the film "Russia. Kremlin. Putin." My fellow journalists at "Komsomolskaya Pravda" attempted to purchase it yesterday - they could only find it on order! In five other stores, it had already vanished. However, in Vakino, just 200 kilometers from the Kremlin, the supply seems endless. Help yourself!
- Now, let's hold on! Putin just gave you free advertising!
"Yes, it's a quality product," I can't help but agree. Indeed, kefir is exceptional! And ryazhenka practically dissolves in your mouth. I haven't savored anything as delightful in ages.
[Photos: Dina KARPICKAYA. Source: KP Photo Bank]
"THINGS ARE GETTING INTERESTING HERE NOW"
An agroholding is a cluster of buildings separated from residential houses, and life, at first glance, remains unchanged. The atmosphere in the administrative building is relaxed, with a decorated ficus in the accounting department and certificates adorning the walls. Employees chat loudly on the phone, and a woman yells into the receiver from her office, overlooking my patient wait.
"The journalist is here, wants to speak with the director. Let me check... They're in a meeting," the dispatcher reports over the phone.
In the meantime, during her lawful lunch break, the dispatcher shares details of her grass-cutting endeavors with her friend, ignoring me.
"Always when someone visits me, they bring scythes or chainsaws - not just for vacation, but for work too! I'd love a new hairstyle and some beads... I won't even mention the Maldives..."
The president's preferences came up in the conversation.
"Of course, things have become more intriguing here now. What's wrong with that? Putin is a man, and he drinks real kefir. Now, everyone's phones are ringing off the hook - they all want this kefir. Even our warehouses are full, so we'll be shipping it out."
"WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL HOTLINE FOR THE KREMLIN"
In the director's office, I am warmly welcomed by Nikolai Alexandrovich Plastunov, chairman of the board of directors.
"We had no idea that Putin drinks our kefir," he confesses. "Honestly, I only found out about it from the TV, just like you."
- We didn't realize it ourselves either! I reply.
- Let's head to the production line - you can see for yourself. We have one line here, 5400 cows. They produce 163 tons of milk per day. Only 50 tons go into our products, like kefir. The rest is sold as raw material... We could produce more kefir, but breaking into retail networks is difficult. There are strict rules, and competition with factories using purchased milk is fierce.*
- Well, retailers will surely want to buy from you now!
- We should give the director of the milk factory a call, find out how things are going for them today.
- "We're receiving calls from everywhere in Russia right now - Samara, Khanty-Mansiysk... Everyone's interested," I hear on the line. - "Moscow is trickier, but we've been trying. I hope they'll recognize their mistake soon!" On this day, we're bottling 5.5 tons of kefir per shift. We could do 15, or even 30 in two shifts.
NEIGHBORHOOD TO ESENIN'S HOME
Apart from kefir, they produce cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese in Vakino, and they're prepared to increase production post-promotion.
- Let's discuss, Nikolai Alexandrovich, are your employees asking for a raise now that you're essentially the Kremlin's supplier? he laughs. Our wages are competitive, to be honest.
The chairman humbly checks with the accounting department while I'm present: the average salary in the holding is 75,000 rubles.
- Let's tackle the obstacles now, besides the networks refusing to let us in. What else?
- Interest rates on loans are high! Staffing issues! Unstable prices! Just recently, we were selling a liter of milk for 58 rubles, but the price dropped to 50 in just two months. Or, being neighbors with Konstantinovo: it's an honor, but it's also a burden. Because of permits...*
The employee I spoke to in Vakino praises their kefir heartily.
Director of livestock Ivan Kosorukov.
Photo: Dina KARPICKAYA. [Switch to KP Photo Bank]
- I've been drinking this kefir even before I started working here. And my son grew up on this milk, tells Ivan Kosorukov, the director of livestock.
- I tell all the journalists: visit us, observe. If you find any powdered milk or palm oil, you can criticize me for a whole year! says Plastunov, getting heated.
There are 600 employees working at the production facility, and talented young specialists are offered apartments in the neighboring village.
- We're all like one big family here! Oh, Marinochka, hi! Congratulations on your pregnancy! Take a couple of months off after the birth, and we'll find a nanny for your baby, we meet the chief zootechnician in the hallway.
GOLDEN TEARS
But the main heroines - simple Ryazan cows - I found in the most intimate phase of their lives: milking. No milkmaids - modern carousel systems instead. The cows wander into the milking stalls themselves, their udders are processed with robotic technology, and the machine is connected. White gold then flows through transparent tubes into tanks. If the Vakinsky plant operates at full capacity, there will be enough high-quality milk and kefir for everyone. Now, I can only dream of drinking nothing but this kefir. Or… ryazhenka, since it's my preferred choice over the president.
[Photos: Dina KARPICKAYA. Source: KP Photo Bank]
Of course, Putin has more pressing matters to attend to, but dear colleagues, when you're in the Kremlin or nearby, don't forget to briefly emphasize the products of ordinary Russian farms in your shots. It's a small effort from you, but a significant honor and free advertisement for them.
[Few took notice: Putin's classmate explains the president's unique behavior in a new film by Zurabin]
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The sudden popularity of Vakinskoe agro's kefir has significantly impacted the lives of its employees and the local community.
The producer's success has peaked locals' interest in food-and-drink, leading to an increased appreciation for the importance of agriculture in floodplains areas.
The post- Putin endorsement era has paved the way for a rise in lifestyle choices, with many residents now ready to make a conscious effort to support local produce and venture into dairy farming.
Politics, in an unexpected turn, plays a role in ordinary households, as people eagerly follow general-news updates to see how their favorite kefir will thrive in the retail market.
*The humble village of Vakino, once primarily known for its connections to Esenin, is now carving out a new identity as a kefir manufacturing hub, showcasing the crucial role of politics in shaping local food-and-drink dynamics.
