From June 18 to 21, St. Petersburg played host to the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), where ROST Group took part as a Partner of the Agricluster—a new specialized platform for leaders in Russia's agro-industrial sector. This partnership highlights ROST Group's leading position in the greenhouse industry.
A visual testament to the superior quality of ROST Group's produce and leader of the protected-ground vegetable market was the design of the Agricluster's exhibition area, which showcased the company's flagship brands. Eye-catching displays featured bright red Flamenco tomatoes, Medovye and Sladkaya Yagoda cherry tomatoes, and premium-grade Botanika crunchy cucumbers.
The standout attraction for guests was the Medovye cherry tomatoes in vibrant orange and red, offered as part of exclusive tasting sets. Both Russian and international SPIEF participants praised their exceptional flavor.
In addition to its presence at the exhibition, the ROST Group delegation held a series of high-level meetings. The company's management—Chairman of the Board of Directors Sergey Rukin, Board Member Dmitry Lashin, and CEO Natalia Loresh—met with regional leaders, financial institutions, and business organizations to discuss future cooperation opportunities.
One of the high points of the program was the grand opening of the Agricluster, where Sergey Rukin and Dmitry Lashin took the stage. Lashin also gave an interview to Business FM radio, where he shared the successes of Russia's greenhouse industry and the ROST Group over the past decade.
ROST Group's delegation also made a strong showing at the Forum's expert panels. At the Rosselkhozbank panel session "The Village as a Brand," Vasily Solyanik, Marketing Director of the management company ROST, took the stage to share exciting details about a major development initiative: the construction of 66 new homes for employees of the Zhurinichi greenhouse plant, along with significant investments in the social infrastructure of the village of Zhurinichi in the Bryansk Region. This initiative is part of the "Comprehensive Development of Rural Territories" state program and is supported by government agencies and financial institutions.
Another hallmark of the ROST Group's success is the official recognition of the quality of its vegetables. At a special ceremony held at the Agricluster, Maksim Protasov, Head of Roskachestvo, presented Natalia Loresh with a certificate of compliance for the Lukhovitskie Ovoshchi greenhouse plant, confirming that its produce meets GOST's rigorous standards. All other greenhouse plants within the ROST Group also successfully passed certification, earning the right to label all of the Group's vegetable products with the prestigious Zelyony Etalon (Green Standard) mark.
The final highlight of the Group's participation at SPIEF—and a key step toward a new strategic direction—was the signing of a Cooperation Agreement with the Government of the Lipetsk Region. The agreement outlines plans to build a high-tech greenhouse complex for flower cultivation in the Yelets District. The project is expected to be completed by 2027, creating around 200 new jobs and reaching an annual production capacity of seven million flowers.
