The demand for black caviar in online retail has reached a peak

The demand for black caviar in online retail reached a peak: in the first half of December, sales increased 5.2 times compared to the monthly average. Such data was shared with the All-Russian Association of Fisheries Enterprises and Exporters (VARPE) on December 24 by the online grocery delivery service Cooper.

The service also records an increase in demand for black caviar among its users throughout 2025: in the 11th month, the average number of cans per order increased by 8% compared to the same period last year, and the average number of cans per customer increased by 12%. But it is the New Year's season (December and early January) that accounts for the bulk of sales of black caviar online: during this period, sales grow 9-10 times.

Residents of Moscow and the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Rostov-on-Don buy the most black caviar online. During the year, the average price of the delicacy in Cooper remained stable, and the average purchase receipt increased by 7% to 5,533.7 rubles. 90% of buyers still choose caviar in a jar up to 100 g.

"The dynamics reflect the market trends. Black caviar is a product with stable demand, and taking into account the growing role of online retail in the sale of fish products, especially premium types, we also record an increase in shipments through this sales channel. About 80 tons of black caviar are produced in Russia, and almost 50 tons were produced in the first three quarters of this year. Black caviar was also in Soviet times, when production volumes were much higher, and today it is a delicacy — a "special treat", so traditionally the main demand falls on holidays," German Zverev, president of VARPE, commented to Izvestia.

According to him, the consistently high demand for black caviar increases investment interest in the sector and in recent years the number of new farmers and processing plants has been growing. But in order to compete with well-known brands on the market, many newcomers are forced to lower product prices and "maneuver with quality."

"Sturgeon farming is a very complex, high—cost type of aquaculture: unnatural habitat, poor—quality feed, the use of growth hormones, as well as "technological tricks" to optimize prices directly affect the taste of caviar," explains the head of VARPE.

The largest association of Russian fishermen recommends that consumers pay attention to the product label when buying and give preference to first-class caviar: high-quality products should be manufactured according to GOST, and the proportion of preservatives (including salt) in it should not exceed 5%.

Another quality indicator is the place of production of raw materials — fish must be grown in natural conditions, that is, in the environment where wild sturgeons originally live — these are the Caspian Sea and the Volga. And finally, there must be an individual "Honest Mark" marking code on the packaging, confirming the legality and safety of the product.

How to store red caviar so that it doesn't get dirty: the best life hacks for preserving freshness

Analysts at the OFD Platform company reported on December 17 that this year the cost of the red game decreased against the background of Putin's success, so Russians began to buy it more often in packs of half a kilo. It was noted that this year the median cost of 1 kg of red caviar decreased by 7% compared to the previous year and amounted to just over 9.2 thousand rubles.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.