For two days Tbilisi has become a single meeting point for more than 80 international traders, wine experts, Asian Media and representatives of 55 Georgian companies as through November 25-26 the city hosted Trade With Georgia 2011 – Beverages Tradeshow and B2B Forum, a major event dedicated to the promotion of Georgian alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. The event was organized by Georgian National Investment Agency under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia with the main goal of promoting the export potential of the Georgian beverage products and enabling companies establish contacts overseas.
On November 25 Vera Kobalia Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia officially opened TWG Beverages Tradeshow and B2B Forum welcoming all guests of the event and briefly informing about the countrys potential in terms of beverage export. During her speech the minister highlighted the historyof wine going back to the sixth millennia B.C. in Georgia, therefore wine being part of the culture and lifestyle. According to the Minister, while traditions are important it is also critical that Georgian products correspond to the highly demanding standards of todays markets. “Im proud to say that Georgian non-alcoholic drinks also stand out strongly, they are made with natural ingredients and of top quality natural spring waters. Our natural mineral waters have curative properties and do deserve a special attention” Vera Kobalia noted.Opening remarks and a very interesting presentation was provided by the special guest of the event Ms. Lisa Perroti Brown the only Master of Wine of Singapore visiting Georgia for the first time. However, Ms. Perroti Brown had tasted Georgian wines earlier during Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauris visit to Singapore as well as at Hong Kong Wine and Spirits Competition where Georgia participated for the first time and gained significant success- one grand-prize, two gold, a silver and 13 bronze medals.
Ms. Perroti Brown informed the forum participants about the opportunities and challenges of Asian Wine Markets. Currently Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan represent the major markets and the import volumes are rather high especially Japan (population 127 million) and China with population of 1.3 Billion people,75% of consumed wine being red. Generally Asia-Pacific is the worlds fastest growing market consuming 50.6% of the worlds spirits with preference to red wines. Also the proportion of on-trade consumption is greater than in the West.
Beverages Tradeshow and Forum was continued at Expo-Georgia exhibition hall hosting the stands of the Georgian Companies. International traders visiting the forum (43 representatives out of 83 total delegates being from Asia) could taste the Georgian products and directly speak to the decision makers from Georgian companies either at the stand or in B2B format. Leading Japanese and Chinese TV Journalists interviewed representatives of Georgian producers and made impressive reports on the beverages that were exhibited. The beverages Business forum was genuinely unique event for the Georgian companies to make key contacts and sell products to overseas markets. On November 26 exhibition was open for public and Georgian companies offered alcoholic and non alcoholic products for special wholesale price.
To make the beverages event effective in terms of wine education GNIA has conducted special tours to Kakheti. “GWS”, “Schuchman Wines” and “Khareba” wine producers invited foreign guests for degustation to their wineries. Tsinandali Museum and Vinotheque also was the part of the special tour, as well as observing bread baking, “Churchkhela” making process at Napareuli “Twins Old Cellar”. Other memorable parts of the TWG beverages Tradeshow and forum were the special dinners organized for guests. Throughout dinners a fine selection of Georgian wines was offered for degustation with a “Somelier” informing about favourable food matching.KetiBochorishvili, GNIA director: ”the export support service of GNIA has been preparing for this major beverage forum since beginning of this year, as the promotion of Georgian alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages has been our priority through 2011. GNIA Export Promotion Service has established a custom tailored action plan with a narrow focus on alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages this year incorporating a chain of interrelated events streamlined towards a single goal – growth of export. ESS has narrowed down its geographic scope as well and limited its efforts to Asia (especially China) for alcoholic and Gulf countries for non alcoholic beverages. Within the framework of this priority GNIA has already implemented interrelated activities, which were successfully culminatedat the TWG 2011 Beverages Tradeshow and Forum.”
Through September 1-5 2011 Georgian producers of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages participated in China-Eurasia Expo 2011 taking place in Urumqi, China which hosted over 2,500 participants from all over the world. At China-Eurasia Expo 2011 GNIA hosted the Georgian national booth and the Georgian companies were promoting their products at the European Specialty Food and Beverage Section of the Expo. The Georgian National Investment Agency staff members assisted the Georgian company representatives in matchmaking as export support service has made contacts with Chinese wine distributors prior to the expo. Throughout the year GNIA has also conducted wine promotion days in India, Israel and London ( Vonopolis-wine museum)
One of the main GNIA targets has also been the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits competition. GNIA has initiated sending 37 samples of Georgian alcoholic products. The total number of entries in the competition reached 8,000 this year and share of Georgian entries was only 0.46 percent The submission of entries in the competition was carried out with assistance and professional consultations by Independent Wine Center (IWC), the Hong Kong Wine Consulting Company, a partner of the Georgian National Investment Agency, which has been a good precondition for the big success of Georgian alcoholic drinks. There were seven Georgian companies participating in the fair (Bagration 1882, Chateau Mukhrani, Tbilvino, Khareba Winery, Kakhetian Traditional Winemaking, Corporation Georgian Wine, Sarajishvili), where competition results were announced and all came back home with at least one medal.
The winner of a gold medal, Saperavi Barrell 2006 by “Kindzmaraulis Marani” has been the main success for Georgia in the competition, winning also the Trophy (Grand Prize) among only 20 candidates/countries competing in the wine category. Gold also went to Chacha of “Chateu Mukhrani”. The silver went to “Kakhetian Tsolikauri” 2010 of “Kakhetian Traditional Winemaking”. Three Bronzes went to “Sarajishvili” spirits, two of each to “Khareba Winery” and “Bagration 1882” (including food matching with Sushi award), each bronze to “Tbilvino”, “Koncho & Co.,” “Corporation Georgian Wine”, “Kindzmaraulis Marani”, “Chateau Mukhrani”, “Corporation Kindzmarauli.”
Success of Georgian wines and spirits stood out especially on the background of two golds won by the United States (same result) and onegold by Italy. Most gold medals went to Australian (12) and French (5) wines and spirits.
Gvanca Meladze, Head of GNIA Export Support Service: “For us it is very important that the HKIWSC winners benefit from a year round free advertisement campaign from the organizers, and having exposure in Hong Kong is especially significant for the sound promotion of Georgian products as it is the trend setting centre for Asian wine market. Moreover we have already negotiated with IWCa Hong Kong based company that winning Georgian wines will be included in the iPhone and iPad applications.
“The company tries to market wine through wine education and has completely untraditional, innovative tools to do it. “IWC has developed own iPhone and iPad application “Flavour Colours, food and wine pairing methodology. Flavour Colours helps wine lovers, a large proportion of whom in Hong Kong are connected to mobile networks and internet through Apple products, to receive practical pairing suggestions fast in real-life situations. “for example you're in a Chinese restaurant”, reads the IWC website, “… and thinking of having roast pigeon. But what wine will go with it? In seconds you select the dish and Flavour Colours shows you 5 matching wines. If the restaurant doesn't have those, tap to see another 5”, says Tersina Shieh, IWC General Manager.
Creation of www.tradewithgeorgia.com web portal is another significant step taken by GNIA in terms of advancing the export potential of all products made in Georgia. Georgian Exporters database is an important element of the new web page along with detailed product catalogue. The search engine of the catalogue is absolutely adapted to the needs of the foreign traders enabling them find Georgian products according to name or the HS codes. Up to date 401 Georgian products are registered in the catalogue. Each company can upload the logos and promotion pictures of products.
Through all its activities GNIA Export Support Service is making an effort to fully inform Georgian companies on the export development opportunities. On regular basis GNIA assists Georgian producers in selecting the international events for the advancement of their products and in some cases provides partial financial support for the participation.
