Russia may break record for plant-based beverage exports in 2025 - Agroexport

MOSCOW. Dec 26 (Interfax) - Russia has a chance to break the record for exports of plant-based beverages in 2025, the Agroexport federal center said, citing expert estimates.

More than 4,300 tonnes of plant-based beverages were supplied to foreign markets in 9M 2025, up 12% year-on-year, Agroexport said. Export revenue increased 21% to almost $5 million.

Supplies reached a historical maximum in 2024, totaling 5,300 tonnes worth $5.3 million. "Thus, Russia has every chance to surpass last year's record in 2025. Everything necessary for further development is available: a rich raw material base and modern food technologies," the center said.

This year, the main buyers of Russian plant-based beverages were Kazakhstan, where more than $2 million worth were shipped, Belarus at almost $1.8 million, Kyrgyzstan at $240,000, Uzbekistan at $180,000 and Azerbaijan at almost $170,000.

The highest export growth rates in value terms for the comparable periods of 2025 and 2024 were recorded in Turkmenistan (3.9-fold), Azerbaijan (2.7-fold), Moldova (2.7-fold) and Georgia (2.1-fold).

Russian became a net exporter of plant-based beverages in 2023, when exports exceeded 5,300 tonnes and imports fell to 1,700 tonnes. Previously, from 2017, Russian imports of these products increased annually, reaching 19,000 tonnes worth $18.3 million in 2021.

"Companies must be prepared for a high level of competition in foreign markets. For example, Asian buyers are already well acquainted with this category of beverages and have their own special requirements for it. However, if one has a clear promotion strategy, a set of competitive advantages, fast logistics routes, proven sales channels and effective marketing promotion tools, one can expect that in the long term this will allow for a gradual increase in supplies to external markets," the general director of the industry association Soyuznapitki, Alla Andreyeva, was quoted as saying.