Kazakhstan's Ice Cream Exports Reach All-Time High
Kazakhstan's ice cream exports saw a significant boost in 2024, with a 70% increase from January to November compared to the same period in 2023. This growth can be attributed to several factors, according to data reported by Data Hub's press service on Jan. 21, 2025.
One of the key drivers of this growth is the significant investments made in modern dairy production infrastructure, particularly in the North Kazakhstan Region. KZT17 billion (about $36 million) was invested to boost dairy capacities by 70,000 tons annually, likely enhancing ice cream production volumes and quality.
Another factor is the expansion of export markets and export volumes by leading producers such as Shin-Line, Kazakhstan’s popular ice cream producer. The company is actively negotiating to enter new markets like South Korea, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia, while maintaining strong existing sales in 10 countries including Russia, Belarus, and China. Shin-Line aims to grow exports from 10,000 to 14,000 tons in 2025, indicating rising production and export ambitions starting from 2024.
Strong demand from key regional markets, especially Russia, which receives 91% of Kazakhstani ice cream exports, also plays a significant role. Kazakhstan benefits from minimal trade barriers within the Eurasian Economic Union, facilitating these exports.
The growing domestic dairy sector and consumption trends in Kazakhstan also stimulate production capacity expansion. Rising dairy consumption per capita and demographic growth in southern regions support increased output and export availability.
Despite a 3% decrease in ice cream production to 49,400 tons and a 3% increase in imports to 12,500 tons during the same period, the record-breaking growth in Kazakhstan's ice cream exports was not affected. Uzbekistan accounted for 9% of Kazakhstan's ice cream exports, and Russian imports nearly doubled.
The decline in production and increase in imports may have been due to various factors, such as changes in demand or supply chain disruptions. However, this did not affect the availability of ice cream in Kazakhstan's domestic market, which saw a decrease of 10% compared to the previous year.
This marks the highest volume of ice cream exports for Kazakhstan since 2002, reflecting successful scaling of industrial production and strategic market expansion efforts. While Kazakhstan remains dependent on some dairy imports, the export growth in ice cream is a testament to the country's growing presence in the global ice cream market.
In the context of Kazakhstan's booming ice cream industry, the expansion of businesses like Shin-Line into international markets such as South Korea, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia has contributed to the finance sector, as these companies aim to increase their ice cream exports from 10,000 to 14,000 tons in 2025. Furthermore, the lifestyle and food-and-drink sector has also seen growth, as strong demand from key regional markets, particularly Russia, has stimulated the production and export of these products.
