Trade relations between Italy and Russia have been one of the most stable over the years. Italian goods are traditionally respected by the Russian consumer, so importing from this country can be a lucrative business.
Clothes and footwear
The high level of development of the fashion industry, the variety of fashion brands and manufacturers in the field of textiles, ready-to-wear, footwear and accessories - all this contributes to the fact that Italy has been a recognized "Mecca" of shopping for several decades in a row. Clothes from this country successfully combine excellent quality and interesting design, which is why imports in this area are always in demand.
However, with all the advantages, there are a number of difficulties and pitfalls to consider. Firstly, the number of fakes of Italian brands today is off the charts. Prada, Armani and D&G logos are all over the cheap items sold in the subway passage or in the marketplace. A separate stream to Russia is followed by the so-called "replicas" - fakes of famous Italian brands, which can only be distinguished from the original by an expert. Such clothes and shoes can cost an order of magnitude cheaper, and look like real ones. As a result, all this significantly undermines the market.
Secondly, taking into account duties and trade margins, branded clothing and footwear from Italy sometimes becomes prohibitively expensive in Russia.
In order not to burn out in this niche, carefully research the market, look for brands of little-known designers, since the quality of things will certainly be at the level, and their price will allow your business to be profitable.
Food
Italian cuisine is especially loved in Russia. Pasta and pizza, lasagna and tiramisu, ravioli and focaccia - these and many other delicacies have long taken root in our restaurants and even in home cooking. However, most Italian dishes are extremely difficult to prepare without authentic ingredients. Without the right savoyardi cookies and mascarpone cheese, tiramisu will turn into a miserable semblance of a real Italian dessert, and this situation applies to almost all positions. That is why the import of Italian products has been in demand for many years. The situation is facilitated by the fact that in Italy, quite decent products can be bought at low prices, especially if you find good suppliers. Limoncello, pesto sauce, pasta with all kinds of additives, sun-dried tomatoes, cheeses, Parma ham: the list of Italian delicacies can go on for a very long time.
The main buyers in the Russian market can be restaurants and supermarkets, where Italian products are traditionally in demand.
Furniture and equipment
If we are talking about a larger-scale business, then this niche is represented, first of all, by furniture and sanitary ware. There is fierce competition among the main players in this sector of the market. These goods are difficult to classify as budgetary. Wealthy clients buy Italian furniture and sanitary ware, so such a business requires a lot of investment and serious marketing analysis. Of course, the profits can be impressive, but getting in and succeeding in this niche is not easy.
Italian equipment and components are in no less demand on the Russian market. In recent years, Chinese products have been a serious competition in this sector. However, the quality and service life of equipment made in Italy and China are incomparable.
