What unites Russia and the United States? Love for Russian ice cream. It turns out that America has become the largest buyer of Russian ice cream in the world. Since the beginning of the year, Americans have increased imports of cold treats by 13%, and in money terms – 1.6 times.
The usual cup and Lakomka are especially popular in the USA. Meanwhile, consumption of ice cream is also growing in Russia itself. At the very peak of the pandemic, Russians began to buy dessert by 9% more and did not stop eating it even in winter (they seized coronavirus stress – not otherwise). But last year China was the leader in the purchase of Russian ice cream.
Has Russia found the key to the hearts of its main geopolitical competitors? Or has it got hold of a powerful means of sanctions pressure? Why, the Americans will threaten to disconnect us from the SWIFT system, and we will deprive them of Russian ice cream. Isn’t it a variation on the theme “revenge is a dish served cold”?
Russian ice cream earned its fame back in the days of the USSR. Then it was difficult to surprise foreigners with something in socialist Russia, so they were conquered by ice cream. All high-ranking guests and celebrities were necessarily taken to GUM on Red Square to treat them to a dairy delicacy. The first lady of the United States Patricia Nixon and Elton John tasted ice cream there. There was something to try: when milk powder and palm oil were already being used in full in the capitalist countries, in the Soviets ice cream was made from natural milk and butter. It was then that Russian ice cream earned the status of a local attraction.
In general, the United States is at risk of losing the title of the main fan of Russian ice cream. China is stepping on the heels of the Americans. In March 2021, China expanded the list of Russian ice cream suppliers to 48 enterprises. The love for frozen dessert in the Chinese was partly instilled by Vladimir Putin, who presented a box of ice cream to Xi Jinping for his birthday in 2019.
Putin, in general, is a real ambassador of Russian ice cream: he will treat President of Turkey Recep Erdogan with a glass at the MAKS air show, or he will joke about the delivery of “the development of aviation”. Top-level advertising, so to speak. It looks like it works, since even the Americans, despite the sanctions, buy our ice cream.
By the way, along with the United States and China, Ukraine, another geopolitical antagonist of Russia, entered the top five in purchasing Russian delicacies.
I think Russian ice cream has a great diplomatic future. It, like the white flag of an armistice, can become a symbol of an end to hostilities and confrontations. Ice cream can be gifted to countries as a gesture of goodwill. Ice cream, like cats, is loved by everyone – this is a win-win option for winning sympathy.
I can already imagine the sentences for such a present: “Frosty greetings from frosty Russia”, or “Russian cold will melt your hearts”, or “Where a delicious glass is, there is a nuclear suitcase.” In general, a vast field for creativity.
But seriously, what else can we take to the largest economies – China and America? Our auto industry is not quoted there, we ourselves buy technologies and electronics from them, the entire clothing market is of “Chinese origin”. They have succeeded in almost everything, adversaries. But nothing, we have oil and … ice cream. They will conquer the world.