Re - zeknes Gal¸as Kombinats (RGK) is a full-cycle meat processing company that has risen to the top of its sector in Latvia and is now cracking the European market. Andy Probert caught up with Arturs Žuravl ¸ovs, Head of the Structural Unit (Meat Processing) on RGK’s future ambitions and influence on the vegan front.
Twenty years ago, R e - zeknes Ga l ¸ as Kombin ats (RGK) was a fresh-to-the-market start-up meat company, employing 25 people and producing 20 different meat products for local retail.
Today, the award-winning company has cemented its position as the number- one retail meat product supplier in Latvia. It has four factories across the country, employs more than 700 people, and complements its exhaustive portfolio with 300 different products in 13 groupings.
“The main reason for Re - zeknes claiming the top position is through our commitment to high-quality products, being a reliable partner, staying ahead of emerging trends, and adjusting rapidly to market changes,” said Arturs Žuravl¸ovs, Head of RGK’s Structural Unit (Meat Processing).
Whether its pork, ham, beef, and chicken, or dried, tinned, chilled, frozen and fresh, RGK covers every angle in the retail sector. At the heart of the operation is full control of the cycle from slaughter to warehousing , transport and logistics.
While average business growth has risen to 10%, dominating RGK’s drive is the export market potential. Now claiming a touch over 50% of its turnover, the company ships quality fresh and frozen semi-finished products, such as burgers, meatballs, kebabs, and vegan lines, to retail clients in Estonia, Russia, Lithuania, Scandinavia, and the UK.
He added: “Latvia is a country of only two million people, so export is incredibly important to us and is growing rapidly. We have opened new markets in the last two years, and we specifically tailor our products to each country. Different tastes and different regulations demand different approaches, but RGK is highly adaptable.”
New vegan range
A new vegan range has fuelled customers’ curiosity, and Mr Žurav l ¸ovs acknowledged RGK was delighted at the highly positive feedback on the ground from vegans, vegetarians, lovers of healthy food and flexitarians.
The basic ingredient of the vegan product line is pea protein. Ground peas from Latvian farms are used for their extraction as peas are a natural, high-quality plant-based protein with a high protein and lower calorie content.
The products, which include frankfurters and boiled sausage, do not contain meat, preservatives, soy, or the flavour enhancer E621, are low in sugar and high in protein. These are mainly exported frozen to Poland, Baltic States and Cyprus.
Mr Žurav l ¸ ovs added: “Our food production workflow organisation meets the requirements of EU standards, and allows us to stay up to the competitive challenges of the European markets.
“By maintaining regular contact with both Latvian and foreign partners, RGK can ensure perfectly-timed delivery of ordered products with its own transport.”
The company’s loyal Latvian-client base includes large retail networks and catering enterprises, such as Rimi, Maxima, and Elvi, as well as hospitals, schools and kindergartens.
Efficient operations
The main hub of operation is centred at the RGK Meat Factory, in Re - zeknes, northern Latvia. Here the full cycle meat processing plant accommodates the slaughtering of livestock and ends with the finished product delivery to shops. Each production step is protected by strict sanitary control and the factory has been ISO and BRC-certified.
The slaughterhouse can process up to 800 pigs per day, and RGK’s cutting and packaging unit of fresh meat operates with a daily output of up to 70 tons.
In 2017, a new fresh meat distribution workshop was opened, providing high-quality raw materials for consumption and significantly increasing monthly production. The factory also has a smoking chamber for cold smoked sausages. Here the meat is prepared using high-quality spices, as well as by smoking and drying in a natural environment in alder and beech smoke.
Its canned food production began in 2009 and presently includes more than 75 products made of beef, pork, chicken and game meat , with optimum capacity running at 1.5 tons per month.
Semi-finished and frozen food production includes dumplings with pork, beef, lamb, chicken and halal dumpling, as well as pancakes and meatballs. These and other frozen products are available in Latvia and exported to Europe.
Shashlik and barbecue meats for grilling are also offered with an assortment of diverse marinades, including greens, vinegar, onions, yogurt and spicy products.
RGK’s second factory, in Cesis, offers slaughtering capacities, mainly for cattle, sheep, goats and ostriches, and handles the
distribution of beef and lamb, as well as wild and raised-in-captivity, hunted animal carcass processing. It is the acknowledged market leader in beef processing in Latvia, with the slaughtering of 1,600 cattle per month and 100 tons of meat distribution.
Expanding export experience
As well as running the Riga Structural Unit and a unit dedicated to dried-smoked sausages and halal products, RGK operates 48 temperature-controlled vehicles that regularly deliver countrywide, and to Germany, Lithuania and Estonia.
Growing demand from clients has prompted the company to invest in the further modernisation of its facilities, including the building of a new high-tech slaughterhouse to help increase capacity.
“We are also investing in new technologies and energy effectiveness, such as solar panels, to ensure reliable power supplies,” revealed Mr Žurav l ¸ ovs
In 2022, the Re - zeknes factory’s deboning, production of chilled and frozen meat products and the production of canned meat were recognised with the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety.
Mr Žurav l ¸ovs said: “RGK’s focus for the next few years will be to expand its reach across Europe, and continue developing our high-quality, innovative product range.
“As a client-oriented and reliable partner, RGK is not simply trying to sell what is produced. We remain ever vigilant to fast changing trends and are always looking to tailor what the customer wants in their country or market segment.” n
