Kutaisi– As part of the gastronomic exhibition Zarzeimi, the third Unique Georgian Taste agro-market was held, this time in Kutaisi. The event was supported by the European Union (EU), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

The agro-market participants exhibited and sold locally produced niche and terroir, as well as widely consumed agricultural goods such as Georgian cheese, meat products, wine, and tea, in Kutaisi’s central park.

Among the participants of the event were 36 beneficiaries of the FAO projects, supported by the EU and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The projects support agricultural development in Georgia by providing Georgian farmers with relevant knowledge, as well as opportunities for financing equipment and premises to improve their production in terms of quantity and quality, including food safety standards.

The event participants presented and shared insights about their products, which mix traditional customs of Georgian production with contemporary trends, in line with the international food safety standards.

“I am glad that FAO allowed us to learn about business management and food safety principles and present our signature product to the public. We have gained several loyal customers through the project. This is all an important push toward success for us,” says Mariam Lebanidze, the agro-market participant and Founder of Loruka – a producer of niche traditional meat products with a modern twist.  

“Unique Georgian Taste is a great demonstration of the fruitful results that FAO, in partnership with the EU and SDC, has achieved. Empowering farmers and local producers through educational opportunities and financial support has catalysed the development of uniquely local products, which are increasingly demanded in the Georgian market. Georgians should be more proud of the vast wealth of unique local products they have,” states FAO-EU Programme Coordinator, Javier Sanz Alvarez. 

“We are glad that the agro-market  Georgian Unique Taste was successfully held in Kutaisi, bringing undiscovered flavours from the country’s regions to the historic city.  The EU will continue supporting the development of the regional Georgian agricultural products with its support programs,” says Georges Dehoux, Programme Manager for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Safety at the EU Delegation to Georgia.

Organised by Stall, Zarzeimi, for the first time, united four well-established food, wine, agrarian, and crafts festivals in Kutaisi. The two-day event was supported by the EU, GIZ, and FAO under the EU4Business initiative - EU Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia, along with other sponsors.