Bread & Co

The bakeries segment in the Russian capital is still relatively small compared to other  European cities. A new bakery concept Hleb&Co(Bread & Co) was launched in 2008. Today, the chain has 9 outlets in the city centre and the company's plans call for two outlets to be opened in each quarter of 2010. One Hleb&Co outlet (70- 100 sq m) requires an investment of $200,000-250,000. The chain is owned by Eat Out, whose proprietor, Stepan Mikhalkov, is well-known for his artistic work in addition to his cooking talent. Hleb&Co combines bakery, confectionery, gastronomy shop and a small café with seating for 10 to 20 guests. The interior is simple but stylish. Fresh bread on shelves, petit sweets, colourful soufflé, pate and salads on display are key elements of the décor. About 80% of guests order food to take away - only 20% choose to eat on-site. There is a choice of 40 kinds of bread, 50 kinds of baked goods, 60 kinds of sweets and 60 items from the gastronomy shop. Croissants with almond cream, ‘eightgrain' bread, bread with prunes, yeast-free bread, baked ‘ring' with cottage cheese, curd roll and patties are best-sellers. French chefs are responsible for the bread and all baked goods. The average bill is RUB300/€7. All food is cooked in a central kitchen, which can cater for 29 outlets, and is delivered to the cafes twice a day. 
 
www.eatout.ru