UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Report of Foreign Issuer
February 11, 2004

 

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Commission file number:  333-14278

 

WIMM-BILL-DANN FOODS OJSC

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Russian Federation

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

 

16, Yauzsky Boulevard

Moscow 109028

Russian Federation

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

 

Form 20-F  ý  Form 40-F  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

Yes  o  No  ý

 

 

 

WIMM-BILL-DANN CONTINUES TO INVEST IN
MODERNIZATION PROGRAM IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA

 

Moscow, February 10, 2004 – Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC (NYSE: WBD) today announced the installation of a form, fill and seal line for the bottling of dietetic dairy products in plastic bottles (PAND) at Timashevsk Dairy Plant OJSC, the Company’s leading plant in Southern Russia. The total investment in the project was US$6.6 million.     

 

A bottle blow-moulder produced by Urola (Spain) and a filler made by Corniani (Italy) were installed at Timashevsk. The new line allows the bottling of dietetic dairy products in 0.9 liter and 0.475 liter bottles using ESL clean production technology. The production capacity of this bottle blow-moulding and filling line is 99.3 tons per day. This equipment can increase the shelf life of fermented milk products for up to 3 weeks.

 

The installation of this equipment allows Wimm-Bill-Dann to widen substantially the range of dairy products produced at the plant. The Company plans to use this line to produce dairy products such as kefir, ryazhenka and drinking yogurt under the Chudo, Domik v Derevne, Bio-Max and Neo brands.

 

These investments were undertaken as part of an ongoing program to modernize Wimm-Bill-Dann’s production base across its operations. The current project is aimed at maintaining the high quality of the company’s products and enhancing operating efficiencies through the introduction of high technology to dairy production.

 

-   ends   -

 

For further enquiries contact:

 

Olga Motovilova
Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC

Yauzsky Boulevard, 16, Moscow

Phone: +7 095 733 9726/9727

Fax: +7 095 733 9725

www.wbd.com
e-mail: motovilova@wbd.ru

 

Marina Kagan

Shared Value Ltd

Phone: +44 20 7321 5019

Fax: +44 20 7321 5020

 

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e-mail: mkagan@sharedvalue.net

 

Some of the information contained in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially.  We do not intend to update these statements to conform them to actual results.  We refer you to the documents Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically, the Company’s most recent Form 20-F.  These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned “Risk Factors” in our Form 20-F, that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, potential fluctuations in quarterly results, and risks associated with our competitive environment, acquisition strategy, ability to develop new products or maintain market share, brand and company image, operating in Russia, volatility of stock price, financial risk management, and future growth.

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

 

Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC is a leading manufacturer of dairy and juice products in Russia. The company was founded in 1992.

 

The Company currently owns 24 manufacturing facilities in 20 locations in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), as well as affiliates in 26 cities in Russia and the CIS.

 

Wimm-Bill-Dann has a strong and diversified branded portfolio with over 1,100 types of dairy products and over 150 types of juice, nectars and still drinks. The company currently employs over 18,000 people.

 

Wimm-Bill-Dann was rated first best out of 45 firms in terms of transparency in the S&P survey of leading Russian companies, and was rated third best in the latest Brunswick UBS Warburg survey of corporate governance in Russia. 

 

Wimm-Bill-Dann was awarded best European Equity Deal of 2002 by Euroweek and Institutional Investor magazines.   

 

Timashevsk Dairy Plant OJSC began operations in July 1990. The plant was constructed by Yugoslav contractors and outfitted with advanced equipment from Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany and Yugoslavia.  Its design capacity was 190 tons of milk per day.

 

Timashevsk Dairy Plant has been part of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC since December 2000.   

 

Today the  capacity of the plant is about 300 tons of milk per day. Once the reconstruction is completed, the design capacity is expected to reach  500 tons of milk per day by the end of the year.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

	WIMM-BILL-DANN FOODS OJSC
	By:	/s/ Vladimir V. Preobrajensky
	Name:	Vladimir V. Preobrajensky
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer
		Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods OJSC
Date: February 11, 2004

 

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