The FINANCIAL — “Like Georgians the French like to eat, not in term of quantity but in term of different flavours,” so Jean Michel Charles, co-founder of Entrée, French bakery chain in Tbilisi, characterized the taste of Georgians.
“French cuisine is like painting, mixing different ingredients in the right quantities and a delicious way. Traditionally we put many ingredients and different products in to one dish. The taste characteristics of French cuisine are defined by the combination of different ingredients put together,” said Jean Michel.
Entrée is a totally French bakery chain born in Tbilisi in December 2008. The coffee bars of Entrée are an original concept having a solid image of a smoke and alcohol free establishment for the whole family to enjoy, due to its high international standards.
Entrée also has its own take out packaging for all products including hot drinks, soups and salads which allows you to taste all of Entrée’s delicious and healthy products anywhere: at home, on a picnic, in the office as well as Entree coffee bar.
Entrée will be offering many new projects in 2011 too. The first fresh offerings during the cold days of winter are five new types of French soup assortments, which are specially made by tastiest recipes of French cook.
Soon Entree will start producing a chocolate assortment and marmalade. Such products will be sold not only in boxes but can also be scaled.
The ambitious plans of Entrée include operating its shops in different cities of Europe.
Currently the company is considering about 10 large cities to enter, mainly in Europe, which also includes Georgia’s neighbour countries Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
“During the next weeks we will also offer different kinds of products, a new assortment of breads and cakes. Moreover, Entrée is soon to introduce French wine and champagne to the customer,” said Jean Michel.
Entrée is also expanding its activities in the event management direction. As Charles declared this year they will develop catering and events management direction.
The French confectioner who is working for Entrée in Tbilisi, will be offering different types of corporate and celebrity cakes with different decorations.
Entrée is one of the few places in Tbilisi which offers a breakfast menu from 8 o’clock in the morning. There are three different types of menu, ranging from 8 to 15 GEL.
“Everything here is created with taste and by a French baker, confectioner and cook, who guarantee high quality French kinds of sandwiches, salads, food and soon other delicious dishes too. Georgians like to eat, they have good taste in terms of food, so just to provide good, high quality food and a large assortment guarantees success,” Jean Michel declared.
“France is a very large country, from the north to south, from the east to west there are different traditions in cooking, there are in fact thousands of local dishes and it is difficult to define what a typical French dish is. In Entrée our clients will soon have the opportunity to taste different French dishes, which we hopefully intend to bring. Currently, we are working on 15 such kinds of dishes, mainly based on fish and meat,” Jean Michel declared.
“We have corporate clients, like the Marriott, Courtyard, Sheraton, and Holiday Inn, all these large international hotel chains are working with us, and from the early morning they receive our production – croissant, bread, different types of products. This means the quality and standard of our chain contends with the requirements of top international brand hotels.”
Entrée bread is made of natural ingredients. The company is using its own yeast, by using apple bacteria which naturally makes the dough distended and does not include substances which encourage obesity in individuals.
As Charles said, it is quite difficult to say which product is most demanded as all of them are quite well sold. “We have huge demand for ice cream in the summer, which is made by ourselves with all natural ingredients. Moreover, we have sandwiches and salads, for which there is huge demand at weekends, when people are travelling to the countryside and purchase them in large quantities. Demand on cakes is obvious we provide the best assortment of cakes in the city, you can serve your guests with Entrée cakes or visit somebody and bring the box of Entrée confectionery and for sure everybody will admire your choice.” said Jean Michel.
Entrée currently operates 4 shops in Tbilisi’s major districts. As Charles declared, the chain will expand in 2011 and 2-3 more shops will be added.
“We plan to operate smaller shops in strategic places in the city which will entail the new concept of entrée. Currently we plan to add 2-3 more shops. The expansion will depend on how much we will be able to adjust our production to follow this development,” Jean Michel said.
As well as expanding in Tbilisi, Entrée plans to open branches in big cities of Georgia.
“Currently we are accumulating more and more contacts and it is a matter of time before we start to develop Entrée in different countries. Maybe in 2011 we will embark on our first branch in a foreign country. We see huge potential in certain countries,” Charles declared.
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