Media Instinct Group founder Bakhterov plans to open confectionery factory in St. Petersburg

ST. PETERSBURG. June 19 (Interfax) - Media Instinct Group founder and president Alexei Bakhterov plans to open the Chokolett confectionery factory in St. Petersburg in July, the advertising media holding's press service told Interfax.

"It was my childhood dream to open a confectionery factory in Russia. Today, it has become a reality. We've assembled a strong professional team and plan to produce chocolate and candies. After the departure of some foreign brands, the Russian market offers additional opportunities for domestic producers. The choice of Pulkovo Airport for the factory is explained by both the high qualifications of St. Petersburg employees and lower production costs," Bakhterov's press service quoted him as saying.

Investment in the project is estimated at 300-400 million rubles. The new facility will be equipped with Russian, Turkish, and Chinese equipment. The facility plans to produce chocolate and candies under the Red and Nature brands, which are currently produced on a contract basis in Russia. The company also plans to develop contract manufacturing of chocolate and confectionery products for retail chains under its private label (PL) format.

Bakhterov is the sole founder of Chokolett Confectionery Factory LLC.

Media Instinct Group is one of Russia's largest advertising media holdings, operating in the market since 2007.

The Unified State Registry of Legal Entities (USRLE) indicates that Alexei and Yulia Bakhterov are half owners of the advertising agency SBC Media LLC (Moscow). According to the company's annual financial statements, the company's revenue for 2025 was 7.93 billion rubles, with a net profit of 272 million rubles.

Additionally, Alexei Bakhterov is a co-owner and CEO of the consulting company USK LLC, and a co-founder of the IT company Odyssey Media Technologies LLC, both based in Moscow. Bakhterov's stake in these companies is 60% and 65%, respectively.