RUSSIA – Dairy and juice producer Wimm-Bill-Dann saw margins fall by 1.6% in 2004, according to the company’s latest figures.

However, it is not all bad news. For the 12 months to 31 December, sales rose 26.7% to $1.2 billion and gross profit was up 19.8%, largely due to acquisitions.

Chief executive Segei Plastinin said that he was pleased with the results, but that the company must “remain focused on improving our profitability and tightening our cost control procedures and mechanisms” Plastinin added that dairy performed well for the company, with sales up 34% in total to $886 million, and cheese sales up more than 50% on 2003.