Solari, a frontrunner in the Georgian snack market, continues to solidify its reputation through innovation and quality. Since its establishment in 2014, the company has gained a loyal following with its popular roasted sunflower seeds.
In addition to their beloved sunflower seeds, Solari introduced salted pistachios last year, which have quickly become a hit among consumers, contributing to a 6% increase in sales compared to the previous year.
And Solari is pursuing international growth. The company is currently in negotiations with an Armenian company for the potential export of its snacks, marking a significant step toward expanding beyond the Georgian market.
Looking forward, Solari plans to restructure its material and technical resources to adapt to modern technological advancements, ensuring its competitive edge in the evolving snack industry.
We sat down with Iuri Tkebuchava, the General Director of Solari, to discuss the company’s journey, innovations, and plans.
Q. Could you please tell us about Solari’s product-testing and launch process over the past year?**
A. At Solari our primary focus has always been on innovation, product diversity, and ensuring the highest quality for our consumers. In 2024 we set out to introduce pistachios and striped sunflower seeds to the Georgian market. While the pistachios have been well embraced and are selling successfully alongside our existing range, the striped sunflower seeds unfortunately did not resonate with Georgian consumers as we had hoped.
Q. What types of products does Solari offer, and what is your bestseller?
A. Currently we have eight products under the Solari brand, including regular and salted sunflower seeds, shelled sunflower seeds, almonds, salted almonds, shelled peanuts, peanuts in their shells, and salted pistachios. Among these, our sunflower seeds continue to be the best-selling item, reflecting their popularity and demand.
Q. How did Solari’s experience at Gulfood 2024,the largest annual food show in the world, contribute to your growth?
A. Solari’s representation at Gulfood 2024 was quite fruitful for the company. We established a valuable connection with a Chinese supplier of peanuts, enabling us to access much higher quality raw materials than in previous years. We also formed partnerships with reputable suppliers of American almonds and pistachios.
Q. Have you participated in other international or local exhibitions, or do you have plans for similar events in the future?
A. In February of this year, our company representatives attended the FRUIT LOGISTICA 2025 exhibition in Berlin, which focuses more on the technical aspects of our industry. We are considering restructuring our company’s material and technical resources to align with modern technological advancements.
Q. Are there plans for exporting Solari products?
A. We are currently negotiating with an Armenian company interested in exporting Solari products to Armenia.
Q. What were your sales statistics for 2023-2024?
A. This year, we experienced a 6% increase in sales compared to last year. While it’s challenging to pinpoint the company’s exact market share due to the presence of many competitors, we estimate that our share is approximately 18-20%.
Q. Solari has maintained its position and title as the ‘favorite sunflower’ brand, winning another Golden Brand award. How does the company handle the competition, keep winning titles, and keep moving forward?
A. Solari is a sunflower production company that has been in the market for ten years. Since its inception, it has gained the trust of Georgian consumers and emerged as the leader in the market.
We have put a lot of thought, knowledge, and research into creating the product. Our partner companies have been supplying us with high-quality raw materials for a decade. These companies are known for their dedication to their work, and they always provide us with raw materials that are lab-tested according to quality, caliber, acidity, and other parameters.
The raw materials are stored in the best conditions to maintain their original taste and quality throughout the year. Our products go through several stages of production, and they are handled by true professionals who have a passion for their work.
This is the secret of our success, and it’s the reason why we have held the title of ‘favorite sunflower’ and Golden Brand winner for years.
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