Coffee is the most popular drink of our time. The legend about the appearance of coffee, familiar to every barista, takes us back to ancient times, when the wonderful properties of the fruits of coffee bushes were first discovered.
This is the legend about the shepherd Kaldi, whose grazing animals took a fancy to the coffee bush and, after eating mysterious berries and leaves from an unknown wild bush, became very energetic, restless and efficient. It was after this incident, back in time immemorial, that people came up with the idea of grinding coffee beans and boiling all the substances they contained to make an invigorating drink.
Myth or reality?
Various customer reviews of “Live Coffee” confirm the unique taste of this drink, as well as the improvement in well-being and mood after its moderate consumption during the first half of the day. Some coffee experts say this product is just making a statement. Thus, “Living Coffee” itself is already a new coffee brand, representing high-quality Arabica beans. It cannot be guaranteed to retain all its valuable properties, because the minimalistically designed packaging of the products indicates an expiration date of 6 months.
The best decision would be to try this drink yourself, carefully monitoring the expiration date and production date of “Live Coffee”. Reviews are not always the only correct authority, so you should listen to yourself and your body, which will be the main critic of a new product. One of the company’s advantages is its special attention to marking the date of roasting of coffee beans, which will make it easier to track the quality of the product.
“Any devaluation is extremely sensitive for us”
— What are the difficulties of the coffee business in Russia?
— Fierce competition, only professionals survive. And one of the most serious problems is that in our field there are no Russian manufacturers of high-quality equipment for the production of food products. Packing equipment, roasting, mill, capsule production lines - we are forced to import all this, so any devaluation is extremely sensitive for us.
- This means that the current weakening of the ruble will also affect you. Will you index your prices?
— I think all food manufacturers in our tea and coffee category will index their prices by an average of 5-7 percent. The Russian economy is very dependent on imports, so any local manufacturer will be forced to index their products. And in terms of growth and development rates, any devaluation prompts us to actively engage in exports and use the effect of lower costs, because we produce everything in Russia.
— You have already talked about your immediate plans, but what are you planning in the medium term?
— We are planning a fairly large-scale media campaign for next year to strengthen loyalty to the Live Coffee brand. We are faced with the task of emphasizing our peculiarity: “Live coffee” is healthy - it uses gentle roasting technologies that allow you to preserve minerals and vitamins. “Live Coffee” is the only coffee category that is in the healthy nutrition category. This is our patent, and no one else can produce live coffee.
— What audience are you working for?
— Statistically, 70 percent of our customers are women aged 17 to 70 years.
How did coffee become Russian?
Since all the coffee plantations and coffee roasting and manufacturing centers are located quite far from Russia, the drink reaches us several times through a special processing and grinding conveyor. It is believed that the more coffee is exposed to external influences, the faster it loses valuable properties and microelements.
For such a simple reason as the territorial remoteness from the main centers of coffee production, a completely new product appeared, roasted using a patented proprietary technology right in Russia. The main concept of “Live Coffee” is that this product is packaged immediately after roasting, which prevents it from losing all the valuable nutrients and essential oils. With the growing interest of consumers in the most natural and most useful in everyday life, more and more reviews of “Live Coffee” from happy customers are appearing.
The third largest producers of ground coffee beans in the country
— Shai Vladimirovich, who owned the Live Coffee brand, came to you as a deal. Why did you, an investment banker, like this business and decide to buy it yourself?
— I led mergers and acquisitions as a senior partner at the Third Rome investment bank. And the founder - a great smart guy, an entrepreneur and a very creative person - came to me with the idea of selling it. He realized that the company had reached a level where it needed a systematic approach and a more clearly coordinated development strategy. However, the company at that time was still too small for our investment bank to manage it. And I volunteered to help him personally. I started looking for people interested in the deal and even found a couple of people within six months. Investment bankers, when managing an asset, are completely immersed in the business: they study numbers, history, production, customer base, target audience, USP of the product itself, etc. After researching, I essentially fell in love with this project. At that time, I had already been doing something for almost 15 years that is displayed in lines on the monitor - either green or red. And I am, apparently, an old-fashioned person by nature. I wanted to deal with something that I could touch with my hands and that definitely smelled good. And this project was exactly like that. I thought that I seemed to have the skills and an understanding of how to further develop this company. Then I asked the previous owner how he thought about me buying this business for myself without changing the price. To which he replied: “Of course, I will sell it to you with greater pleasure than to anyone else, because I understand that with you the company will only grow.” And 7 years later it happened.
— And what market size does your company occupy in the natural coffee segment today?
—
According to our information, we are the third largest producer of ground coffee beans in the country. Our share is about 10 percent.
— And in the instant coffee segment?
— The instant coffee market is different, it is much larger. And there are other players, there is some overlap, but only partly. I think we occupy 1-1.5 percent of the total coffee market in Russia.
I wanted to deal with something that I could touch with my hands and that definitely smelled good. And this project was just like that
How it all began?
Since 2005, he has been independently roasting beans in Russia. The author's technique is not only patented, but also recognized as unique, preserving all the beneficial properties of essential oils contained in natural coffee beans.
The company offers natural, freshly roasted (within a month) coffee, rich in more than a hundred different essential oils, vitamins and minerals. This product supports good mood, blood vessel tone and the immune system. Reviews of “Live Coffee” beans vary, including comments that the coffee itself cannot be considered truly alive, but everyone emphasizes the high quality of natural Arabica beans.
Advantages and health benefits
Nutritionists classify live coffee as a superfood. The biochemical composition of grains includes 120 useful compounds.
Magnesium and calcium strengthen vascular tissue. Periodic consumption of the drink (without fanaticism) has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. The risk of heart attacks and strokes is reduced.
Iron is involved in the process of hematopoiesis. The trace element is necessary primarily for the synthesis of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
Antihistamines prevent the occurrence of allergic reactions. At the same time, they reduce the symptoms of the allergy itself. Swelling, lacrimation and rhinitis are reduced.
Nicotinic, acetic, malic and other acids, which are part of the biochemical composition of live coffee, improve digestion. They prevent the appearance of carious formations, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, preventing the risk of heart attack or stroke.
The biochemical composition of such grains also includes antioxidants. The compounds protect skin cells from premature aging. They strengthen the cell membrane, slowing down the process of tissue destruction. Regular consumption of foods with antioxidants is an excellent prevention of cancer. Substances prevent the appearance of malignant neoplasms.
B vitamins improve the efficiency of the central nervous system. They have a positive effect on vision and immunity. Substances regulate the functioning of the thyroid gland, improving human hormonal levels.
Caffeine helps to cheer you up, gives you a boost of energy and strength. It increases performance, and in moderate quantities strengthens the heart and blood vessels.
Live coffee has a complex effect on the human body. However, you should not abuse this drink.
Positioning
Among competing companies, the company presents itself from the following angles:
- The company's products are positioned as environmentally friendly and healthy.
- “Living Coffee” takes on an educational function, instilling love and knowledge about natural coffee, its varied uses, right down to its brewing methods.
- The company strives to satisfy the tastes of even the most sophisticated consumers, constantly selecting new varieties and methods of roasting coffee beans, creating real live coffee for brewing in a cup.
- Customer feedback is very important for the company, as every positive or negative comment is used to improve products and quality of work.
- The main goal of the company is maximum customer comfort and the highest quality of products.
An innovative solution for pollution removal
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Where did the idea with the startup, the Green Ocean company, come from?
— My childhood friend Vadim Manov pulled me into this story several years ago. The company is developing, perhaps not as quickly as we would like, but it is an absolutely international business. The company's office is in Holland, the research and development part is in Israel, and the production itself is located in the Baltic states. The company produces high-tech sorbents that absorb oil and industrial oils from any surface. This is an innovative solution in the field of pollution control during emergency or small daily oil spills.
— So you invested in the company and are not developing it?
— Yes, I joined this company as a partner and am a minority shareholder. I am not involved in day-to-day development and operational issues.
— Are you 100 percent owner of the group?
- Yes.
We are faced with the task of emphasizing our peculiarity: “Live Coffee” is a gentle roasting technology that allows you to preserve minerals and vitamins
Form style
Positive reviews about “Live Coffee” confirm all components of the company’s mission, and also stimulate them to work better for the benefit of their clients. Thanks to the analysis of consumer tastes and preferences, the range is constantly expanding.
Today, the coffee company’s line includes more than 60 different varieties of coffee - from classic to exclusive. These include Blue Mountain, Copy Luvak, Maragogip and many other varieties that are distinguished by their rich taste and aroma, which retain all their beneficial qualities and are suitable for daily consumption.
Coffee consumption is on the rise
— How much revenue does the group of companies generate?
— Just under 2 billion rubles.
— What is the increase compared to the previous year?
- 15-20 percent.
— Russia, as a tea-producing country, has what potential for growth in coffee consumption? What is the level of consumption now?
— The level of consumption is growing, and we are recording this. The growth rate of consumption of ground coffee beans in Russia averages from 5 to 7 percent every year. Russia is still at the beginning of its journey in terms of consumer preferences.
The number one country in the world for coffee consumption per capita is our northwestern neighbor Finland. They drink about 15 kilograms per person per year. In Russia, you don’t drink even one and a half kilograms. The potential is huge.
— It turns out that you are growing faster than the market.
— Yes, the main driver of growth in coffee bean consumption in the country is coffee shops. We also started working in this area and launched the “Living Cafe” chain of coffee shops, which is now also growing and developing well.
— How many coffee shops are there now?
— 15, and so far everything is in Moscow, but we have ambitious plans.
