Tashir Group of Companies became a co-owner of the Rusagromarket holding

Proxima Capital Group (PCG) has attracted a strategic investor in the Rusagromarket food wholesale distribution centers (WDC) project. Samvel Karapetyan’s Tashir Group of Companies, which develops the Bukhta markets, received a controlling share in the holding. PCG is counting on expanding the center in Novosibirsk and does not rule out expanding to other cities, and analysts say that the format may require improvement.

Tashir Capital LLC in October became the owner of 51% of NLR LLC, the parent structure of the Rusagromarket holding company, which develops food ORCs, follows from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities. The remaining 49% of NLR, which owns 95% of Rusagromarket-Holding, is owned by SPB-Holding LLC, where PCG managing partners Vladimir Tatarchuk and Vladimir Ermoshin have 50% each. Another 5% of Rusagromarket-Holding is owned by NVI LLC, which is part of VEB.RF.

Rusagromarket is one of PCG’s portfolio investments. Now he manages the first stage of the ORC in Novosibirsk with an area of ​​103 thousand square meters. m, on the basis of which distribution centers of retail chains, a wholesale market, and a temporary storage warehouse operate. The location of the center also allows it to accept imported products from Central Asia and China, the company notes.

PCG recalled that Tashir was the general contractor for the construction of the first stage of the ORC. “The transition to a new, shareholder level of cooperation will strengthen the project and make it possible to implement the second and third stages,” says Vladimir Ermoshin. Vice President of Tashir Group of Companies Sergei Badmaev said that the purchase of a stake in Rusagromarket will allow the group to diversify its portfolio and take a step in further development in the consumer market, where Tashir is represented by the Bukhta wholesale and retail complexes. VEB.RF told Kommersant that the sale of a stake in Rusagromarket is not being discussed and further development of the network is being considered. PCG added that the opening of ORCs in other cities is being discussed, but there are no specific plans yet.

Senior analyst at Gazprombank Marat Ibragimov notes that federal networks entering Siberia or operating in the region can use such logistics centers to purchase an assortment of local suppliers, as well as perishable products. The largest food retail players are already expanding in Siberia. X5 Group (Pyaterochka and Perekrestok chains) in 2022 bought out 70% of the Siberian groups Krasny Yar and Slata with more than 590 stores. And Lenta in October acquired the Monetka chain, which includes 2.1 thousand stores mainly in the Urals and Western Siberia. In addition, Mr. Ibragimov says, ORC may be in demand among regional chains with less developed in-house logistics and, as a consequence, relatively high delivery costs per unit of goods.

Managing partner of Kasatkin Consulting Dmitry Kasatkin says that the success of an ORC depends on the demand of potential tenants in a particular region. But large chains often prefer to develop their own logistics complexes, and small and medium-sized product suppliers are not ready to give up their usual schemes, despite the possible advantages of ORC, he points out. According to Mr. Kasatkin, Tashir Group of Companies can give new impetus to the project through synergy with its facilities. It is also possible to expand the functions of the ORC by creating on-site production of products that are in demand in the region, he adds.

Anatoly Kostyrev