Steppe signs two Chinese distribution deals for 2,200 tonnes of confectionery
Russian agribusiness Steppe has signed two long-term agreements with major Chinese distributors covering 2,200 tonnes of confectionery through 2028. The company will sell brittle, soft caramel and nougat through national retail chains, online marketplaces and streaming platforms.
Two-year agreements open national sales channels
Russian agribusiness Steppe has signed two long-term agreements with major distributors in China for supplies of confectionery products, Vedomosti reported. The contracts run for two years and include an option for further extension. Planned deliveries will total 2,200 tonnes through 2028.
The agreed range comprises brittle, soft caramel and nougat. Steppe selected these products after studying the local market. They will be offered through major national retail chains in China, as well as online marketplaces and streaming platforms, giving the company access to both conventional stores and the country’s digital sales channels.
The announcement does not provide contract values, delivery schedules or the names of the Chinese distributors. It also does not specify how the 2,200-tonne volume will be divided among the three product categories or between physical and online channels.
Steppe plans products tailored to Chinese demand
The agreements build on Steppe’s existing work with Chinese distributors. Chief executive Andrey Neduzhko said the agribusiness has cooperated with various distributors in the country for an extended period. Two years ago, Steppe participated in the Made in Russia festival in China’s Liaoning province, where it presented about 15 confectionery products. The company has also been a member of the Russian-Chinese Business Council since 2023.
The next phase will be the development of a dedicated range for the Chinese market. Steppe said the new products would reflect its market research and offer items not currently found in competitors’ assortments. According to Neduzhko, entering new segments and adapting products to individual markets can create additional sources of business growth.
This localized approach is significant because the initial contracts cover a defined selection rather than Steppe’s full confectionery portfolio. Performance across retail chains, marketplaces and streaming platforms can provide the company with evidence about consumer preferences before it expands the China-specific range or commits additional volume.
Large market, modest Russian confectionery presence
Deep Market Insights valued China’s confectionery market at $18.07 billion in 2025 and forecast it to reach $23.63 billion by 2034. The company expects average annual growth of 3%. Chinese consumers accounted for 8.5% of the global confectionery market last year, according to the analysis cited by Steppe.
Russia’s broader exports to China increased by 44% in the first half of 2026 to $4.9 billion. Growth was particularly strong in frozen fish, with shipments up 87%; rapeseed oil, up 19%; soybeans, up 3.1 times; and crustaceans, up 20%. Pea exports rose 48%, sunflower oil 60%, and pork and offal 36%.
Confectionery shipments remain comparatively small, at approximately 1–1.5%, according to the figures cited in the announcement. Steppe’s contracts therefore represent a targeted attempt to develop a product category that has yet to match the scale of Russia’s established food and agricultural exports to China. The two-year term and extension option give the company time to test repeat demand, while the use of several sales formats reduces reliance on a single route to Chinese consumers.
