There were 13 large food enterprises in Yekaterinburg on January 1, 2007. Six companies closed down last year, namely, Alvis (a tobacco factory), Vinchampagncombinat and Zvezda (two local wineries), Nord (a cold storage facility), Seafood Delicatessen, and Aquarius (a beverage maker). Apart from the operating large enterprises, there are also 70 smaller companies, which means there are 10 more of them than in January 2006, reports the press officer of the city council.

These businesses have been operating in compliance with the strategic project referred to as Production of High Quality Foods Leads to Healthier Lifestyles; this project aims to stimulate the production of processed foods with the help of high-tech equipment and use of new local facilities.

Last year, the city’s food companies produced 710,000 tons of food, which only falls short of the target figures by 1.4%. The range of foods offered increased by 169 new product varieties and 34 new kinds of foods. The share of organic stuffs came to 4%. The share of food meant for people with specific illnesses came to 5.8%.