Awareness of Georgia and Georgian products is growing on the international markets, and British consumers are the latest to discover the products of Georgian entrepreneurs, largely thanks to the joint efforts of the British-Georgian Trade Hub and the British-Georgian Chamber of Commerce.
The work of the two envisages the creation of an electronic trading platform madeingeorgia.co.uk, and many more projects in the future. Their connection with Georgian entrepreneurs was supported by the team of Entrepreneur magazine and Entrepreneur Shop, which is an online trading platform for Georgian products in our country. It was with their help that the products of Georgian entrepreneurs appeared in the UK for Christmas.
It is also noteworthy that the Embassy of Georgia in the UK congratulated the staff and fellow ambassadors on the New Year with a gift basket full of Georgian products.
The Ambassador of Georgia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Sophio Katsarava, spoke about the importance of strengthening trade relations between the two countries:
“I’m delighted that the UK-Georgia Trade Hub, which BGCC launched with the support of our Embassy in London this autumn, is up and running and has already delivered some promising tangible results. The idea of the newly established trade hub is to help companies, including small and medium enterprises from both countries, to export and import goods, thus intensifying more trade links between our countries. I continue to support all initiatives aimed at strengthening trade and investment opportunities, which remains one of our key priorities in the UK. The current volume of bilateral trade does not reflect the real potential that exists between our countries. I am hopeful that the Strategic Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, including the FTA, paves the way for stronger trade partnership. I look forward to seeing more projects and more success stories in the future.”
Mako Abashidze, the founder and director of the British-Georgian Chamber of Commerce, notes that as soon as the pandemic is overcome and restrictions are lifted, cooperation will include new scale and geographical areas:
“I’m very happy with this initiative, especially considering the establishment of this store and shopping hub took place in a really extreme situation, in a pandemic. Such a platform will not only exist online, but as soon as the restrictions are lifted, it is planned to open physical stores and organize fairs under the name of the Made in Georgia brand in many cities in the UK. Most importantly, Georgian small entrepreneurs are being given the opportunity to enter new markets in a period full of challenges. I hope that it will be a success for them to enter this market, and that more entrepreneurs will be added in the future. Georgian products are sure to interest British and not only British consumers.”
Bachi Gabunia, the founder of the British-Georgian trade hub, gave Georgian entrepreneurs recommendations for adapting to the British market:
“What can be said about the British market is that it is quite pampered with exotic creative products imported from different countries. And this pampering leads to certain expectations about price adequacy.
“Georgian products are currently undergoing an assimilation process. The products of our craftsmen and creative accessories manufacturers in the British market have been well received, but the wrong pricing policy of some manufacturers has frightened the buyer, and at this stage, he has limited himself to admiration and compliments. Yet, as we expected, the approval for Georgian products turned out to be enough, and this interest was reflected in certain sales. What can be emphasized at this stage is that if there is the right price, Georgian products in all directions have the prospect of establishing their place in the British market.
“Georgian entrepreneurs need a little more courage and a certain strategy to present their product on the market and to increase their participation in this market in a targeted way: a) Competitive and adequate prices, b) Ecologically clean and natural products, and c) A properly selected advertising strategy through networks and other communication channels.
“To summarize all the above, the products produced in Georgia have a real chance in a new, quite rich market, and it is time to turn this market into a key hub for our products. There are all the conditions for this in the form of our shopping hub and www.madeingeorgia.co.uk.
“Happy New Year and Merry Christmas and I wish you good health and positive thinking. Don’t forget that the time for active action has come, and a new market in the new world is waiting for Georgian natural and authentic products.”
