Sostra said the rising popularity of its premium Paprici brand was because all the sauces were heated before being bottled. This kills off all bacteria in the sauce, which may otherwise change its taste slightly after packaging.
The company uses the technique across its whole Paprici range, now expanded to include 17 different flavours, and recently featured at the Prodexpo 2005 exhibition.
Hot bottling is already used by a number of other manufacturers around the world. For example, Singaporean juice firm Zhongguo Jilong heats its juices to 90 degrees Celsius before bottling, which it claims sterilises the bottle and cap, allows the production of quality juices with no preservatives and an estimated shelf-life of 18 months.
Sostra's adoption of the process provides another example of how Russian food producers are becoming more aware of the need to improve the quality of their products.
The company says it has used hot bottling for Paprici alongside high quality ingredients such as fresh fruit and vegetables and natural spices, giving the sauce a natural colour and attractive consistency without adding preservatives.
And Sostra's investment in quality production, which also includes a specially imported, state-of-the-art factory near Moscow capable of making up to 20 million bottles for each of its brands, is now part of a plan to sell its sauce products on international markets.
Of course, the high quality means Paprici is rather expensive for Russian consumers and this presents a domestic challenge for Sostra. In 2003 it launched a range of natural soy sauces called SanSoy, and together with Paprici, these products are aimed at families with an income of RUB 11,000 ($400) or more. A bottle of Paprici starts at RUB 30 ($1) and a bottle of SanSoy from RUB 27.
Yet, a recent report in the Russian press claimed that up to 80 per cent of citizens earned between RUB 500 ($18) and RUB 4,000 ($143) per month; well below Sostra's target market.
Accordingly, the firm has also launched a new sauce brand named Vlastelin Vkusa in the lower price range- from RUB 10 for 220 ml.
Even so, Sostra's PR manager Alexandr Reva said the company's main intention was to lead the middle price range and develop a sauce consumption culture in Russia by emphasising how its products could be used as a convenient way of making traditional Russian dishes.
"One of our most important achievements is the promotion of our Paprici and SanSoy brands on the market," said Reva.
"Our brands have become well-known to our consumers and are very popular due to a high quality, which is a result of using modern technologies and natural raw materials. A very important role is played by our permanent and continuous work to widen our assortment of Paprici and SanSoy sauces. Customers with different flavour preferences can find what they want for their daily meals within our product range."
The company said it was planning to launch another new brand- Palitra Kulinara - as part of this expansion strategy. Palitra Kulinara sauces will be packed in modern 'Doy-pack' packages, essentially a plastic pack with a cap, and will occupy the middle price range. They are expected to appear in A category shops.
Sostra currently claims about five per cent of the Russian sauce market, though it has scope for expansion through a strong distribution network.
The firm's sauces are distributed all over Russia- not only in large cities, but also in cities with less than one million inhabitants. The sauces are also exported to Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova, and actually sell better in the Ukraine than in Russia.
Sostra, which was formed in 2001, opened a Kiev branch in 2003 and has successfully used local marketing partner Vitex Invest to create a distribution network.