Plans by the cheesemakers are bold. Besides usual varieties, they also produce the fat-free "Kalyata" and the legendary "Manchego" — that very Spanish cheese repeatedly mentioned in Cervantes' novel "Don Quixote" and which serves as an ingredient in traditional Spanish cheese platters.

A new dairy plant — a kind of gift for the company's 110th anniversary: the butterworks on this site were founded in the far revolutionary year of 1917. By the end of 2025, the enterprise has become undisputed leaders in regional industry, taking first place in the socio-economic competition among industrial enterprises, generating about half of total revenue and two-thirds of exports in the region.

Foreign shipments have more than doubled

– Exports to the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Central Asian countries are growing rapidly. "Milk mountains" ship there butter, cheese, tairan, a line of lactose-free curd, sour cream, and since 2026 also butter — introduces the enterprise's activities, head of the planning and economic department Stepan Samodedov. Besides people with a natural intolerance to lactose, there are many adherents of proper nutrition who simply refuse dairy sugar. In the US and Europe consumption volumes of such products grew five years ago, now trends have come here too.

The basis of this product is a special enzyme that gently breaks down milk sugar while preserving the natural taste and benefit of natural milk. Therefore, Gorki curd, sour cream and butter can now even be suitable for those to whom ordinary "milk" does not suit.

A highlight of the plant is EXPONENTA yogurt with increased protein content. The buyer can choose one of five flavors, just like traditional ones — strawberry, raspberry, but also exotic ones — mango. The convenient packaging format for a quick snack has ensured stable growth in production volumes over the past two years.

External shipments of the enterprise grew 1.7 times in a year — to $90 million. Up to 75 percent of produced goods go to Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Launching cheese production promises to increase exports by another $40 million.

The key component of success is constant work on product quality. At the enterprise an international scheme of certification of food safety management systems FSSC 2200 was completed, recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative, and in 2025 a "Halal" certificate was received. This enabled opening the market of the United Arab Emirates.

Everything depends on milk

In January-August, "Molochnye Gorki" increased production by 45% compared to last year, with the volume of industrial production in current prices exceeding 260 million rubles. And this is not the ceiling; there are reserves. The issue hinges on raw materials: they process 350 tons of milk here daily.

"We attract raw materials from across the republic. Local agricultural enterprises supply 190 tons daily – the absolute maximum in the district's history," continues the conversation with Alexander Rivkin, director of OAO "Molochnye Gorki." "In addition to the two farms under our trust management where we are shareholders, we are actively involved in the reconstruction and construction of other farms. This is one factor in the increase in milk yields; the second is last year's good harvest and sufficient feed."

Raw material is key

The enterprise does not stand still. In addition to the cheese-making workshop, the joint-stock company has built a water demineralization station and treatment facilities, and has reconfigured the marking and traceability of products in the "Cheste znak" system.