A new initiative from a Russian broiler processor will bring Russian-style chicken products to the United States. First Fresh Foods held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its facility in Gainesville, Ga., and will begin production of processed chicken products, initials for marketing and sales in the Northeastern U.S., reports the Gainesville Times.

The company is beginning with six products, ranging from sausage to cutlets. The company hopes to expand the product for sale soon throughout the eastern U.S.

“We are working to get product out for sampling and marketing as soon as possible,” Alan Habegger, CEO of First Fresh Foods, said Friday. “We are expecting the first sales to be sometime in October.”

He added the company, with a production line of more than 20 employees, hopes for the product to be available in the Southeast within six months to a year.

The idea for these new product offerings began as an extension of what is being produced in Russia by the joint U.S.-Russian broiler company venture Elinar.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday at the First Fresh facility, Vladimir Gorbechev, deputy director of Elinar Holding, said, “This is an important occurrence for the industry. We are going to be producing this product here using the same principles we use in Russia, and we hope it is as great a success as it has been in the Russian market.”

Initially the product will be marketed toward areas of the country with large Russian and Eastern European populations. The hope is to expand beyond the niche markets and into all markets, company officials noted.

Source: Gainesville Times