OREANDA-NEWS. DIXY Group divisions have analyzed their sales during the May holidays - from 1 to 4 and from 8 to 11 May - that the customers traditionally spend outdoors and found out how demand grows for shish kebab, soft drinks and goods to be used on a picnic. At DIXY "neighborhood" stores, demand began to grow on 29 April.

Compared to April's average daily sales of ready-to-fry shish kebab, these sales during the May First holidays demonstrated a considerable increase: the customers bought five times as much of classic shish kebab and twice as many link sausages for grilling. Notably, the rise in the sales within these categories was largely due to the popularity of newly offered meats under DIXY's private labels: the customers preferred them for their holiday picnics.

To go with the meat dishes, the customers also chose fresh vegetables and herbs: their sales rose by 10% compared to the average daily figures for April by volume. Sales of sauces rose by 13%. There was also increase in demand for beverages: sales of kvass rose by 60% and of beer, by 26%.

On the eve of the dacha season, the selection of non-food goods was expanded to include new private label items such as disposable tableware, instant ice cube molds and food wraps. At Victoria supermarkets, shish kebab-related dishes include 65 items of in-store produced treats, one-third of them novelties to mark the opening of the picnic season. The deli section offers variously marinated shish kebabs - pieces of meat steeped in honey, mustard, beer, lemon, soy sauce and other substances; there are also spare ribs, hamburger patties, and meat and poultry link sausages.

New recipes of semi-prepared meat products accounted for 60% of all May sales. The selection of dishes offered at Victoria supermarkets will be available throughout the summer season. Against the comparable period of April, average daily sales of kvass during the May First holidays doubled while by Victory Day they tripled.

Among strong alcoholic beverages, the biggest rise was demonstrated by rum: its sales increased 2.5 times over the entire holiday period; sales of whiskey and bourbon rose by 59% and of vodka, by 7%.

At Megamart compact hypermarkets, the selection of shish kebabs and link sausages cooked-in-store numbers over twenty product names - the chefs are offering marinates based on kefir, wine, sharp spices and the like. The rise in the sales of fresh vegetables - against the comparable period in April was some 60% during the May holidays. Demand for refreshing kvass rose two and a half times by volume and for beer, by 42% while for tomato sauces, by 40%. Besides, the hypermarkets are offering more than 200 items for rest and recreation outdoors - tourist mats, inflatable swimming pools, games and sporting equipment and the like.