Kazakhstan’s “Shin-Line” Rises in the Ranking of Global Ice Cream Manufacturers
According to data prepared by the international analytical company Euromonitor, the company “Shin-Line” ranked 36th in the world among global ice cream manufacturers based on the results of 2023. This is a very high position, as the ranking includes several hundred high-performing enterprises from around the world, and “Shin-Line” is the only company representing domestic manufacturers. The top ten ice cream manufacturers in the world are represented by the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the United States of America, and the Republic of Korea. Among the companies consistently leading the ranking are such global giants as Mars, Unilever, Nestlé, and others.
According to the consulting company Streda Consulting, in 2023 the company “Shin-Line” also rose from 8th to 6th place in the ranking of the top ice cream manufacturers of the Eurasian Economic Union countries. Within just a few years, “Shin-Line” has significantly improved its position compared with 2022.
The “Shin-Line” group of companies demonstrated substantial export growth over the year, remaining the main supplier of Kazakhstani ice cream to foreign markets. Today, the company exports its products to China, Russia, Belarus, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The growth of exports in 2023, compared with the same period of the previous year, increased as follows: to Russia by 123%, to China by 115%, to Kyrgyzstan by 59%, to Turkmenistan by 44%, and to Uzbekistan by 37%. In terms of export indicators to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and China, “Shin-Line” surpasses any of the leading ice cream manufacturers in Russia, who are also actively exporting their products to these countries.
Regarding the domestic ice cream market in Kazakhstan, annual consumption increased by 20,000 tonnes and today, according to the assessment of the company “Shin-Line,” amounts to 2.86 kilograms per person per year, which is 16 percent higher than last year’s result. Per capita ice cream consumption in Kazakhstan during 2015–2019 ranged between 2.0–2.4 kilograms, exceeding the global average of 0.9 kilograms per person per year, although still significantly lower than the consumption level of leading countries: in Italy more than 15 kilograms per person, in Germany 14.6 kilograms per person, and in Finland 14 kilograms per person.
The 2024 season in Kazakhstan has shown a positive dynamic in ice cream sales — over four months, sales increased by 9 percent in volume terms compared with the same period last year, and by 17 percent in monetary terms. Overall, the Kazakhstani ice cream market is estimated at approximately 72 billion tenge per year. The market capacity of ice cream in Kazakhstan today — filled by both domestic and foreign producers — is estimated by “Shin-Line” at around 56,706 tonnes, demonstrating an increase of 23.8 percent compared with the previous year. This growth is primarily driven by domestic production, whose market share reached 81.2 percent. The share of imported products in physical terms decreased over the past year and now stands at 18.8 percent.
In 2023, Kazakhstani factories produced approximately 52 thousand tonnes of ice cream, which is 25.8 percent more than the previous year (41.3 thousand tonnes). Imports of ice cream into Kazakhstan in physical terms increased by 12 percent between 2022–2023 (from 9,506 to 10,646 tonnes). According to Euromonitor, the undisputed leader of the Kazakhstani ice cream market remains the company “Shin-Line” with a market share of 49 percent. The number of Kazakhstani manufacturers remained unchanged over the past year, although several of them reduced production to minimal levels.
- “The market share of companies that have reduced production will quickly be taken over by other players,” said Dmitriy Dokin, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the “Shin-Line” group of companies. “Overall, the volume of the ice cream market in Kazakhstan is growing by 6–9 percent annually and, according to our forecasts, will reach 62,000 tonnes in 2024.”
In major cities of Kazakhstan, consumption is higher than the average due to greater purchasing power and a wide variety of consumption situations — from numerous retail outlets and cafés to parks and public festive events.
During the first four months of 2024, the leading brand of the company was “Bomba” with 1,646 tonnes sold. The highest sales growth was observed in “Bahroma” — 74 percent, followed by “Bomba” and fruit ice made from natural juices — 18 percent each. Among product formats, cups and ice cream bars remained the leaders, while “cones” demonstrated growth of 21 percent.
- “Growth in ice cream consumption will continue if the current trend of product popularity persists, driven by the introduction of new unusual and refined types of ice cream. This is exactly what we at ‘Shin-Line’ are focusing on today, actively investing in production. The launch of new product types is only possible through technological innovation and raising quality standards, which our specialists are actively working on,” noted Dmitriy Dokin. - “As examples of new products introduced to the market in recent years, one can name category leaders such as natural cream-based ‘Mishka na polyuse,’ the cream ice cream with an oriental character ‘Bahroma,’ and the ‘Golden Collection’ — desserts combining ice cream with confectionery.”
