Herbalife Wins Golden Brand Award as Georgians’ Favorite Balanced Nutrition Brand

Herbalife, a global expert in balanced nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, has won its second Golden Brand award in the category ‘balanced nutrition’ at the eighteenth edition of the Golden Brand.

Founded in 1980, Herbalife came to Georgia in 2011.

We caught up with Nina Kandelaki, Regional Vice President of Herbalife, to find out how the company will broaden Herbalife's presence in Georgia.

Q. Georgian consumers have named Herbalife their favorite brand again this year. What brought Herbalife this recognition, in your opinion?
A. It’s a big honor for our company to be chosen the best brand in the category ‘balanced nutrition’ for the second time in the Golden Brand award history. We’re glad that our products were so highly appreciated by experts and consumers in Georgia, a country where Herbalife business has been present for twelve years now.

Globally we offer more than 2,000 quality nutritional products including our flagship Formula 1 protein shake, and many of our products have received world and European awards. Herbalife is about helping people live their best lives and we are very demanding about the quality of our products. Herbalife has its own scientific team, which helped us gain knowledge and unique expertise in the market.

Q. What are some recent developments at Herbalife as a brand in Georgia? Please share the brand's progress in Georgia.
A. The important step in 2023 is that we’ve already introduced the new Herbalife logo. So, we can say that the company is changing even from the visual side, and we continue changing in different directions.

Since its founding in 1980, the company has see an evolution from nutrition company with a focus on weight loss products*. Herbalife is not just a company with quality science-backed products, it’s a unique community where people can learn principles of balanced nutrition and adopt a healthy lifestyle, and develop their leadership and financial potential.

A good example is that some Independent Members are running about 70,000 nutrition clubs around the world where their clients gather, drink protein shakes, cook recipes with Herbalife products, exercise together etc. In Georgia such clubs exist too, you can find them in eight Georgian cities.

Q. How many products does Herbalife offer in Georgia and what are some recently introduced or upcoming products?
A. We offer about 30 products in Georgia. We look at nutrition holistically, so we offer not just products but also ready-made solutions to address specific customer needs ranging from weight loss and right snacks to balanced breakfast. All in all, ten tailor-made product programs.

Moreover, we regularly monitor nutritional trends and improve the composition of products, so they are now more and more harmonious, enriched with vitamins and minerals. A good example on the Georgian market is our reformulated Herbal Tea*.

Q. What is the top selling Herbalife product in Georgia?
A. Formula 1 protein shake is our true leader. In Georgia it’s available in five flavors. Formula 1 is a complete meal replacement in a glass, which takes just two-three min to prepare, and it lays the foundation for the Herbalife balanced breakfast.

Q. Is Herbalife involved in charity or corporate social responsibility activities in Georgia?
A. To support our efforts in promoting a sustainable future, we are reducing our use of plastic, using more recycled materials, and decreasing the amount of packaging for Herbalife products. We also gather plastic for recycling in our Sales Center in Tbilisi.

As for local sustainability events, for example, last year Herbalife Independent Members took part in a tree planting event near the Tbilisi Sea territory. It was a very meaningful day that reunited people after two years of online work.

Q. Please tell us how Herbalife is going to expand its presence in Georgia.
A. In previous years we focused more on promoting balanced nutrition with Herbalife products, coupled with the role of our Independent Members as nutrition consultants. We will surely continue doing this, but in addition, we will be talking more about the benefits of doing business with Herbalife. Actually, we provide people with an opportunity to build their own business. When people join the Herbalife community, they join an established global community with a strong brand that provides support and advice, such as expert training, access to quality products, special events, mentorship from other Herbalife leaders, and much more.

We have more than 100 unique video stories on our YouTube channel featuring the success stories of Herbalife Independent Members in different markets. These are inspiring and touching stories of how one can change their life all over, realize themselves, become successful and bring more meaning and purpose to their life as well as to the lives of those around them.

Disclaimer: *All references to weight management relate to the Herbalife Nutrition Weight Management Programme which includes, among other things, a balanced diet, regular exercise, an adequate daily fluid intake, nutritional supplementation where required and appropriate rest; individual results will vary.

Disclaimer*: 102g pack

Italy’s Maretti Bruschette Becomes Favorite Crispy Snack For Georgian Customers

The baked bread circles of Maretti Bruschette in various exquisite flavor combinations have become the favorite crispy snack of Georgian customers. Over 2,000 customers and 100 experts named Maretti Bruschette as their favorite, helping the Italian brand win the Golden Brand award this year.
The tastes of Italy under the brand of Maretti are brought to Georgia by the local distribution company Orbita, which was established in 2004, but has been operating on the Georgian
market since 1998 under different names.
General Director of Orbita, Giorgi Davitadze, said that despite limited resources, the company was able to achieve success and is now one of the leading distribution companies in Georgia.
Thanks to cooperation with its partners and steady development, Orbita has become an exclusive distributor of the following popular brands ⁠— Morozova; Maretti Bruschette; My Motto; Byond; Malbi; Progum; Naturella; Viva; Olive line; Ryaba/Astoria; Tadim; and Gemo.
We are very glad to be appreciated and to have been given this award. I think it comes down to the fact that our company has contributed significantly to market development as we started importing a variety of products when there was a lack of such products on the market. Thus we developed this culture and the snacks category in Georgia,” Davitadze said of his brand winning the award.
Q. Could you tell us what the goals and core values of Orbita are?
A. Orbita has been offering the highest quality products in Georgia since the very day of its
establishment. The company’s strategy is to offer customers a new and expanding range of
Products and to
establish new relations with the world’s leading brands.
The company’s goal is professionalism and discipline in all areas, and to provide
a constant upgrade of staff qualifications. We believe that the company’s success is determined by our staff.
We try to select qualified employees who share our values, as they represent the most important capital of the company. Today the company employs more than 150 highly qualified people, recruited for different departments ⁠— everything from sales and admin to warehouse.
Our organization fully satisfies safety and environmental protection standards and norms. We
constantly work on developing our product portfolio and try to establish a better
business environment and provide more jobs.
Orbita realizes its responsibility in business relations with its partners by relying on the values of honesty, innovation, teamwork, responsibility, integrity, and professionalism.
What’s most important for us is our customers, and we truly believe that our success depends on the success of those who consume our products.
Q. Today the Georgian market is saturated with chips. How does Maretti Bruschette compete with them?
A. Maretti is the brand that brings you the taste of Italy in the form of bite-sized snacks. The secret to their irresistible Bruschette chips that are perfectly seasoned on one side lies in the original recipe ⁠— Italian traditions that have been passed down through generations with a modern twist.
Crispy and delicious oven baked bread circles made of carefully selected ingredients, offered in a variety of flavors, such as tomato, olives and oregano, sour cream and onion, Mediterranean vegetables, fine cheese selection, sweet basil pesto, mushrooms and cream, pizza, slow roasted garlic, salami pepperoni, spinach and cheese, sweet chilly, Mediterranean paprika and
royal crab.
Of these varieties we only import six flavors and among them tomatoes, oregano and olives are the most popular.
Demand for Maretti Bruschette products increases in Georgia year by year. For example, last year sales figures saw 95% increase compared to 2021. Our company also launched different promotional activities to make the brand more popular in Georgia, which resulted in increased sales volume as well as recognition from Golden Brand.
Q. How long has Maretti Bruschette been available on the Georgian market?
A. Maretti Bruschette has been available here since 2010. The first steps were quite difficult. The challenge was to convince customers how our brand differed from the types of crackers they were used to seeing, the price of which was at least twice cheaper than Maretti’s baked bread snacks.
Since 2019 the growth of sales has been doubling every year, which is due customer loyalty, the highest quality, and the right development strategy.

Closer to customers: Carrefour Expanding With Carrefour City Franchise in Georgia

Carrefour is continuing to expand in Georgia with the Carrefour City franchise, bringing more smaller-sized convenience stores closer to customers throughout the country.

The new concept caters to smaller neighborhoods across Georgia and offers quick and easy shopping options, Jerome Akel, Country Manager of Carrefour Georgia, says, adding that the company is giving opportunity to small retailers and owners of mini-markets to develop their businesses and grow together with Carrefour under the brand of Carrefour City.

“The Carrefour City brand will be extended in 2023 by franchising it. Today we are welcoming entrepreneurs to become partners of Carrefour in Georgia and to run Carrefour City stores with us with the best purchasing conditions, having the best loyalty program in Georgia which is My Club and to cope with the needs of the population. We are on board entrepreneurs with us in franchise”, Akel said.

Carrefour City stores have up to 4,000 products on the shelves and are located in an area of 150 to 300 square meters.

Carrefour City stores have already been opened in Tbilisi, Zestaponi, Zugdidi, Batumi, and Kutaisi cities of Georgia while Carrefour plans to expand the concept across the country with at least 50 new stores per year.

“The Carrefour City concept is developed to answer the daily shopping needs of the customers with a focus on fresh food, beverages, groceries and dairy products. Our purpose is to help the customers buy their immediate needs, or weekly needs in a few minutes time and at the best price next their homes at Carrefour City stores”, Akel said.

Golden Brand sat down with Akel to find out more about the future plans of Carrefour in Georgia and discuss the retail market development in the country.

Q. Could you please tell us about Carrefour’s progress in Georgia?
A. Today Carrefour is operating in ten cities of Georgia with different kinds of stores. We have hypermarkets in Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, and Rustavi. We will be opening a hypermarket in Gori.
We also have supermarkets covering about 1,000-2,000 sq.m. where we sell approximately 15,000 items. We have supermarkets in Tbilisi, Poti, Telavi, Zugdidi, and Batumi.
Carrefour City is smaller than the supermarket where you can find all basic food, beauty, and hygiene products. On top of this we have a very rewarding loyalty program and promotions, and our teams are doing their best to treat customers with smiling faces and warm attitudes. All products under the Carrefour brand which are loved in Georgia will also be available at Carrefour City stores.
Q. You said Georgia is a “unique” country and also mentioned it is a “difficult market”. Overall, how would you evaluate the environment here for retailers?
A. During the pandemic we saw very strong involvement from our teams to keep the stores operating, while during the post-pandemic period we had to mobilize our people and purchasing teams on getting products, namely during the Ukraine conflict when many sources of products were coming from Ukraine and some parts of Russia. Last year was also challenging in getting new products with different origins.
What we have learned from the pandemic period is efficiency ⁠— we know how to work and make quicker decisions. We have seen the progress of e-commerce. I cannot say that many are astonished by the progress of e-commerce in Georgia; it represents less than 2% of the retail purchases. It’s not developing as fast as in other countries so far.
Q. Georgian customers have named Carrefour their favorite brand this year. What brought Carrefour this recognition, in your opinion?
A. One of the world’s largest hypermarket and supermarket brands, Carrefour — opened in Georgia by Majid Al Futtaim — has been a player in the Georgian market since 2012. Carrefour has provided Georgians with quality, variety and value; all contribute to making the difference for customers. Carrefour continues to innovate by combining price-competitiveness, convenience and enjoyment in order to provide an offering tailored to the expectations of each and every customer. Carrefour places customer satisfaction at the core of its business model.
Carrefour’s name is among the country’s largest investors and this is mostly due to the brand’s impressive contribution to the development of the Georgian economy and modern trade. Since its establishment the brand has brought a completely new, unbeatable trading experience to the country.
Carrefour brand food and non-food products and services fulfill the same criteria ⁠— a demand for quality and responsible products at a fair price. Carrefour’s ongoing efforts to support the growth and prosperity of communities they are part of is reflected through its contribution to the Georgian economy.
Before Carrefour came to Georgia there were few stores and especially hypermarkets. Carrefour’s entrance was a kind of “wake call” for local brands because we brought international experience to the country. Our employees have grown over the past ten years and offer their experience in the industry. We employ thousands of people in the country. As of today we have 4,500 direct employees, and 10,000 indirect employees. Every new store creates more jobs in the country.
We are raising the standard on the retail market of Georgia by meeting all international quality tests and standards. We even help some Georgian farmers involved in agro business to export food and vegetables, packed products, sometimes lamb, grapes, wine to other countries where Carrefour is operating.
Q. Golden Brand is given to the brands following the successful operations of the previous year. Please summarize the year 2022.
A. In 2022 Carrefour celebrated ten years in Georgia. During those years we gave our customers what they expected ⁠— high-quality products at affordable prices and fantastic promotions. It has become a tradition in Georgia to celebrate Carrefour’s anniversary by treating customers with special surprises to express gratitude for their trust and loyalty.
We have also expanded our presence in the country by opening many new stores.
In 2022, Carrefour implemented innovative marketing strategies using complex approach and innovative communication tools to establish deeper connections with its customer base and deliver a more personalized shopping experience.
Furthermore, Carrefour Georgia has implemented various charity projects throughout the year to support single mothers, kids with special needs, socially vulnerable families etc. with the aim of giving back to the community and making a positive impact on society. We have partnered with local and international organizations to ensure long-term sustainable projects for the communities we serve.
Q. What is the main reason behind Carrefour’s success in Georgia, in your opinion?
A. Carrefour's success in Georgia can be attributed to several factors, including its extensive product range, competitive pricing, convenient store locations, and strong brand recognition. Carrefour's ability to tailor its offerings to local consumer preferences and adapt to the Georgian market has also played a role in its success. Additionally, the company's investment in modern technology and customer-centered initiatives, such as loyalty programs, self-checkouts, etc., has helped it to stay ahead of the curve and meet the evolving needs of Georgian shoppers.

Wolt Continues to Expand Area of Operation in Georgia, Enters New Cities in 2023

The residents of Georgian cities, including Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, Zugdidi and now already Gori can enjoy quick and convenient access to their favorite restaurant, retail store or grocery shop, thanks to the Finnish- app Wolt. The Finnish tech company has been operating in Georgia since 2018, and is now expanding their business even further in the Georgian Market.
In the meantime, over 7,000 courier partners continue to deliver from the over 1,500 partner restaurants and 2,000 partner stores across five cities, - all in 30 minutes or less.
The company also plans to offer a wider assortment of products to its customers by increasing the number of partner merchants in the app.
In an interview with Golden Brand, General Manager of Wolt in Georgia, Sergi Margania, gave a status on the company’s operations in Georgia.
Q. Let’s start our conversation by talking about the company’s win of the Golden Brand award. In your opinion, what led Wolt to this recognition?
A. Any recognition of the work we do is great and something that we are proud of - and receiving the Golden Brand award is just that. For us this is primarily a reward from our customers, and we are very grateful for their recognition of what we do.
We can safely say that 2022 was a year of significant growth and progress for our company, which of course made an impression on experts and consumers in Georgia. Last year the number of our customers increased, together with the number of our partner merchants, which also increased significantly, and as a result our product assortment has become much more diverse ranging far beyond take-away delivery and more into retail and groceries.
We also entered the western city of Zugdidi, and we launched the Wolt+ subscription program that our customers have been waiting for and has been received really well.
Finally, last year we undertook some important projects not only for us but also 100+ stores and businesses in Georgia. First, I have to mention the launch of Wolt Drive. This is Wolt’s B2B service, through which any online merchant can offer delivery to customers within 30 minutes without being on the Wolt platform. Wolt Drive already helps hundreds of big and small online stores provide quick and convenient delivery which can be a very deciding factor for customers in today's world. Customers want fast delivery - and now we can help with that whether you are on the Wolt platform or not.
The second major project we launched last year is the creation of a Wolt service center that provides remote customer service for Wolt's other European markets. That means that brilliant young people right here in Georgia support customers in other markets such as Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Greece, with Germany soon to be added.
A final new addition in 2022 that I would also highlight is cooperation with Mastercard and the Bank of Georgia, which is important for us as well as for our customers. This cooperation allows us to offer our customers extraordinary incentive promotions throughout the year.
Wolt continues to grow and develop different business lines in our country. Everything is available on Wolt ⁠— take-away, delivery of groceries, personal care, auto services, pharmacy and much more. As the range grows, so does the number of our customers and their orders. We’ve seen this already as customers and orders almost doubled from 2021 to 2022. This is also thanks to the exclusive partnerships we have with popular restaurants and stores such as KFC, Paul, Ronny’s Pizza, Picasso, Gastronome, MetroMart, Zghapari, Tursa and many more which you can only get delivered through Wolt.
Q. How many orders are delivered in a day and at what time of day does Wolt get the most orders?
A. Thousands of orders are delivered every day, and this number is constantly increasing. Though previously it was mostly restaurant orders, today they order everything - pharmacy, groceries, auto parts, toys, and much more.
Now that you can order goods, we see high demand practically throughout the whole day. But the number of orders increases dramatically during lunch time and weekends and holidays are also quite busy, because Wolt always has promotions.

Q. Wolt faced a difficult challenge this year when hundreds of courier partners went on strike to demand a pay increase. Tell us about the company's attitude and response to this request and, in general, what is the company's policy towards its couriers?
A. First, let me clarify that this was a protest by a small group of partner couriers. We have more than 7000 couriers in Georgia, so while we listen to the criticism from this group, we also have to consider the feedback we get from the thousands of other couriers who have different views than this group. We've always expressed our willingness to engage in constructive talks if any of our partners are dissatisfied with the partnership, and our approach remains unchanged.
Q. The Georgia office was one of the first among Wolt’s 25 country offices to add delivery service from supermarkets. The Georgia office also occupies a top spot in the international office roster.
A. As I mentioned above, Wolt created a service center for other countries in Georgia. The company made this decision because our support service is one of the best and fastest in the world. Many of the young people who work with us are fluent in several foreign languages, among other skills, so the company saw a great potential for development in this direction. We can safely say that Georgia has become a talent pool for Wolt - and we’re quite proud of that.