The FINANCIAL — JSC Nikora, the leading food processing company in Georgia, is widening its commercial-distribution chain in 2010. The company is actively engaged in creating a Nikora Supermarket chain throughout Georgia, having 8 supermarkets already.
Due to the economic crisis the company had to postpone some projects, however the company did not change the development strategy and continued to introduce new products to the market.
“We offered our customers a new product range in 2009: the sausage Kaizer with Bacon, a new sausage line in the category Nikora Anniversary, which includes 8 types of products, summer sausage Kaizeri, semi-finished pizza, a wide assortment of frozen fruit, light-drink category Shkhepi Kola, and lemonade Shkhepi Light. In addition we offered our customers new types of fish and caviar,” said Irakli Lomaia, General Manager of JSC Nikora, in his interview with The FINANCIAL.
JSC Nikora produces wide range of products under ten brand names (meat products, packaged and fresh fish, half-fabricated products, dairy products, ice cream, soft beverages, pastry and wine).
“The realization of our product reduced despite the fact that our offerings are in the necessary food category. The market volume decreased in 2009 but we managed to sustain our position of market leader.
Meat products have highest sales of all Nikora products and occupy 40% of the meat production market. The most popular are the sausage Iveria and milky sausage,” said Lomaia.
“In 2009 we introduced the new product line Nikora Anniversary in the sausage category that was dedicated to 10 years of company functioning on the market. Moreover, Nikora started producing Kaizer, a premium class summer sausage.
In parallel with Nikora brand shop we started creating a new supermarket chain throughout Georgia under the name Nikora Supermarket. And we have broadened our product assortment.”
One of the directions of Nikora is creating a supermarket chain throughout Georgia.
Together with the brand store chain, Nikora is offering its customers supermarket chain Nikora Supermarket. At present, Nikora has 70 brand shops and 8 supermarkets in Georgia.
The first such type of supermarket was opened in Kutaisi. At present, there are several supermarkets and the majority are located in Tbilisi. Lomaia says that the company will increase this number in the near future.
“Despite the economic crisis development of the company did not stop. Consequently the marketing and development strategy did not change either,” said Lomaia.
“Our main goal is to produce various high quality, ecologically clean products, as well as create comfortable service conditions.
Despite the fact that we continued development, it was quite difficult to ignore the ongoing processes in the country. As a result we have postponed several projects.”
Nikora was named a Golden Brand 2009. The company was awarded for the fourth time in the nomination of food products. Lomaia says that the secret of success is in constant development and advancement.
“Our company has been operating on the Georgian market for 11 years and provides its customers with delicious and pleasant products,” he said.
“We create high quality product, serve our customers, and act with mutual understanding and interest, so that the relationship between the company and customers is satisfactory. This is probably what will insure Nikora being named a Golden Brand again in the future.”
“As well as the local market, Nikora imports raw materials from Argentina and Brazil, where farming is highly developed. The job of our company includes transformation and production of meat.
In our country, an organized farming industry does not exist. Development of a farming economy needs time and government support. If such support exists, it is quite possible that local raw materials will replace exports.”
Lomaia says there were some changes in shareholders and that “Liberty Consumer that had 11% of JSC Nikora is not a shareholder of company anymore”. The company also transmitted 25.1% shares of Teliani Valley, one of the leading wine producers to Liberty Consumer.
In 2007, Nikora started partnership with Napareuli Old Cellar, producing the wine Tevani that is gaining popularity and has already begun to be exported.
