The FINANCIAL — Georgian Distribution and Marketing Company (GDMCO), official importer and distributor of the mayonnaise Sloboda, ended the year 2014 with 5 percent sales growth. Notably, sales of the Sloboda brand increased by 8 percent.
Despite the devaluation of Georgia’s national currency the Lari, and the current currency crisis, the company still expects to end the year 2015 with the same results. David Piranishvili, Head of the Marketing Department at Sloboda, hopes that introducing new products will save the company from a decreasing sales volume.
“Up until today the sales have been performing according to plan. There is quite a challenging period ahead because of the Lari’s devaluation. However, we will achieve the growth rate as planned because Sloboda has started offering a new assortment. These are new sauces under the Sloboda brand and a range of Mayonnaise for HORECA under EFKO Food Professional brand in 3kg and 10kg packaging for fast food chains and restaurants. These products will attract more customers so that, ultimately, the company will still experience a positive growth rate.
The new sauces that were introduced to customers for the first time a few weeks ago are flavoured with garlic and cheese. Piranishvili said that these two sauces have already become very popular with Georgian customers, and as a result they plan to add some more before the year’s end.
“We will work on diversifying Sloboda’s products in Georgia. The coverage of Sloboda products throughout Georgia is perfect, but the delivery time needs some improvements. Because of high demand, Sloboda products leave the shelves very fast and we need to supply the markets more frequently than we are doing now. We will also try to attract more loyal customers,” Piranishvili said.
Georgian customers are offered various sorts of Sloboda mayonnaise: Olivkovi made from olive oil; classic Provansal; and fasting mayonnaise. The Olivkovi one has been the bestselling product among Georgian consumers for the last ten years. However, fasting mayonnaise is most popular in Georgia compared to in the brand’s other export markets.
Sloboda received the Golden Brand Award in April 2015.
Sloboda is a brand name of the company EFKO. The group is producing specialised fats used in confectionery, baking, and other sectors of the food industry.
EFKO produces mayonnaises and mayonnaise sauces for various target audiences, under such brands as Sloboda, Piknik, and EFKO FOOD professional.
Sloboda has a very large assortment which comes in different weights: 100, 200, 400 and 800 grams. They are available in small and large-sized glass jars, doy packs and buckets.
Sloboda underwent rebranding and started offering its products in new packaging in 2013. “It is more similar to the European style of mayonnaise now. The design is more delicate and all the ingredients are shown on the package. Sloboda is the brand which competitor brands try to imitate, this pushed us to imagine a new look for Sloboda and thus move to the next level,” Piranishvili said.
The production lines are equipped with top-of-the-line European fillers, with a total daily capacity of up to 700 tonnes of mayonnaise.
Sloboda is exported to many countries in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and post-Soviet space. The Georgian market makes up about two percent of total export. Meanwhile, the brand has a 32 percent market-share in Georgia. Sloboda is the most popular mayonnaise in Georgia with the highest quality.
“Despite the small size of the territory, the Georgian market is not small for mayonnaise products, and the consumption level is relatively high. The reason for this is that Georgians use mayonnaise in many dishes nowadays, and the meals are therefore that much more delicious with the added mayonnaise flavour. About 15-20 years ago there was no mayonnaise on the Georgian market. However, Georgian meals have adjusted perfectly to this product and it is widely used today by Georgian cooks. “The advantage of mayonnaise is that it goes well with any type of dish. It has become the top sort of dressing and a formula for infinite deliciousness,” said Piranishvili.
The company’s produce has long won the recognition and trust of customers in various countries.
“The high quality and all-natural ingredients of the Sloboda mayonnaises are ensured by using the unique multi-level Organic-Control quality management system,” said Piranishvili.
“Sloboda is the only product which does not include any supplements. That is why the shelf life of Sloboda is just 1.5 months if you keep it at room temperature. But if you keep it in the fridge it will last about three months. Mayonnaise might not be a recommended product to eat when one is dieting, but at the same time, Sloboda’s mayonnaise is actually quite healthy. All of its ingredients are of the highest quality and are completely natural. They are what give the product its special taste properties. Sloboda is a safe and ecologically clean product,” said Piranishvili.
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