Sausage products remain very popular among the population of Kazakhstan. Stores offer a wide selection of sausages, frankfurters, and a variety of sausages for every taste. However, the overwhelming majority of products are imported from neighboring countries. For example, in 2023, Kazakhstan imported 45 thousand tons of sausage products and exported only 314 tons. At the same time, local enterprises, with the support of the state and second-tier banks, are strengthening their positions in this sector. Since the beginning of the current year, sausage production in the country has increased by 2.3%, reaching 32.8 thousand tons.
One of the players in the Abai and East Kazakhstan regions market is IP 'Masaeva', providing the population with delicious and quality sausages, semi-finished products, and delicacies since 2018. Recently, the company acquired new innovative equipment for its workshop, which will enhance the quality of its products and expand production scales. In an interview with our publication, the founder of the company, Asel Masaeva, shared how to build a successful business in a highly competitive environment.
— How long has your company been operating in the sausage and semi-finished products market? Why did you decide to invest specifically in the sausage business?
— I am a food production technologist by education. Before opening my own company, I worked in one of the major sausage workshops in our region as a production manager. In this position, I led a large team, monitored the smooth operation of the workshop, and controlled the quality of the products. At some point, I realized it was time to move forward and open my own business. Given my extensive experience in the meat processing industry, the decision to open a sausage workshop was justified.
In 2018, the dream of owning a business came true. We started as a small workshop with all the work done by three workers. Since then, we have not been yielding positions, expanding our production and increasing the range of products. Currently, the company employs 15 experienced specialists directly involved in producing our delicious and quality sausages, delicacies, and semi-finished products. The workshop operates 5 days a week in a single 8-hour shift.
— What is the production capacity of the workshop?
— As a young and small organization, we cannot boast significant indicators yet. Our primary focus is the quality of our products. Up to 1 ton of products is produced per shift in the workshop. We work according to the traditional GOST recipe, complying with all sanitary norms and requirements of the Customs Union (CTRK). We use only fresh meat and quality ingredients from reliable suppliers for producing our goods.
— What products do you manufacture?
— The company produces a wide range of products from different types of meat.
Talking about frozen semi-finished products, this includes meat for shashlik, dumplings, and manty. We make shuzhuk, kazy, and boiled-smoked horse meat using horse meat. The assortment also consists of poultry products: boiled-smoked chicken halves and spicy chicken rolls. We also produce delicacies from pork: boiled-smoked neck, carbonade, ham, brisket, ribs, and pressed meat. Our line includes semi-smoked ("Hunting", "Krakow", "Ukrainian Fried", "Khan", "Salami", "Rustic", etc.) and boiled-smoked sausages ("Servelat" and "Moscow"). You can buy the tastiest boiled sausages, sausages, frankfurters, and smokies from us.
It is worth noting that smokies are the most popular among our clients and account for approximately 40–50% of total production.
— Where do you purchase raw materials?
— When choosing suppliers, we primarily focus on the quality of the provided raw materials and the pricing policy. Almost all raw materials are purchased from domestic farming households in the Abai, East Kazakhstan, and North Kazakhstan regions. These are verified and reliable suppliers we have been working with for several years.
— How challenging is it to develop a business niche?
— The sausage production process is quite complex, technological, and requires strict adherence to established standards. Control is carried out at each production stage. After product release, we strictly monitor the freshness of the products to ensure they reach our consumers in the freshest state. Besides, this is a business that requires significant financial investments. Almost all the equipment on which our products are released is of European manufacture. A large share of consumables, including components, spices, casings, and packaging materials is also imported from Europe.
— Where can your products be purchased?
— Currently, our products are sold in the Abai and East Kazakhstan regions. Specific packaging equipment is required for transporting products over longer distances. In the future, we plan to purchase such packaging equipment to sell our products in the farthest regions of Kazakhstan and even export them to neighboring countries.
— How do you assess the competitive environment in your industry?
— Competition in our field is quite high. Our main competitors are companies from Russia and Belarus, whose imported sausages occupy a significant share in Kazakhstan's stores. To strengthen our positions in the domestic market, we have focused on improving our products' quality. In this regard, a Belarusian-made sausage stuffer was purchased in 2020 with financial support from JSC Nurbank. In 2024, we again approached Nurbank and took out a second loan to buy a high-speed vacuum cutter from a European manufacturer. The interest on the loan was subsidized by the "Damu" Fund. Thanks to the new cutter designed for meat grinding, the mince for our sausages becomes especially tender, airy, and tasty.
— Why did you choose Nurbank for lending?
— We approached most banks in our city to obtain the first loan for the purchase of a sausage stuffer. Other banks either refused or showed little interest in financing our project. Nurbank's managers immediately responded to our application and requested the necessary documents. The loan was processed quickly and without unnecessary bureaucracy. After repaying the first loan, we took advantage of the opportunity and got a second one for purchasing the vacuum cutter. We still have many goals to achieve for the expansion and development of the workshop, and for our future projects, we plan to continue cooperation with Nurbank.