In eastern Siberia, the 12 000-population ‘Science Town’ of Koltsovo is home to dozens of biotechnology firms.  Among them is Dia-Vesta, a maker of sugar-free, vitamin-fortified muesli bars and other health foods. Guided by the Enterprise Europe Network, it recently embarked on its first foray outside Russia.

Dia-Vesta is Russia’s only known producer of muesli bars enriched with probiotics – promoted as a remedy for stomach and digestion problems.

Through the Enterprise Europe Network, Dia-Vesta has joined forces with Slovenia’s Fructal, which sells its fruit juices and fruit-based snacks throughout Europe. Dia-Vesta and Fructal are now working together on a new probiotic-enriched fruit bar. They may also eventually sell each other’s products in their respective markets.

“Consumers in Europe are more health-conscious than consumers in Russia, so we have high expectations of this new partnership,” says Svetlana Khomicheva, managing director of Dia-Vesta. “When the Enterprise Europe embarks on a partner search, it always takes companies’ needs into consideration. That really impressed us.”

For help finding a partner abroad the entrepreneur turned to the Network, represented in Russia by the Russian Agency for Small and Medium Business Support and the Russian Technology Transfer Network.  “Language and cultural barriers make it difficult for Russian firms to do business in Europe,” explains technology transfer expert Evgeny Ostanin. “Our job is to help them overcome these obstacles.”

With close to 600 member organisations in 50 countries, the Enterprise Europe Network is uniquely qualified to help companies find partners abroad.

Meanwhile in Slovenia, Fructal learned about Dia Vesta’s request from Network expert Marjeta Trobec of the Jožef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana.

As for Fructal, export manager assistant Simon Ušaj is counting on the new partnership as a springboard to expansion in Russia. He says: “It is a coup for both parties, thanks to the Enterprise Europe Network.”