Borzhomi year

Russian companies want to buy the mineral water spring
While Borzhomi mineral water is a national treasure for Georgians, Russia has played a decisive role in creating the brand. It will soon be 120 years since the discovery of the spring in a village of the same name. Nowadays, the Soviet Union's favorite mineral water is going through hard times. In 2005, Georgia exported 200 mln bottles of Borzhomi, while in 2006 the figure dropped 65% after a Russian embargo. While exports to other CIS countries and the Baltic states has increased, the company only managed to sell 115 mln bottles on these markets last year.

Borzhomi was sold in 20 countries before the Russian embargo, and is now sold in 30 countries. The mineral water has even reached America, where producers say it is being bought by immigrants from the former USSR. A brand is a brand. To make it recognizable in the West one needs years of hard work. Only in this case will Borzhomi be able to conquer at least a small segment of the market from such giants as Evian, which is sold all over the world from Tokyo to New York.

In spite of this, the general director of the company, Zaza Kikvadze, is optimistic. He says that the year 2010 will be announced as Borzhomi year in Georgia and a list of special events has already been agreed on with the government. Besides this, the company has planned a "storm" of new perspective markets, including Turkey and Poland.

The company currently produces Borzhomi and Likani, as well as Borzhomi springs and Bakuriani. 12 Russian and Ukrainian brands belong to the international corporation headed by Borzhomi. Reports on about Russian interest in buying the company appear in the press from time to time. According to these sources, as a result of such a deal, the mineral water could return to its main market. But the head of the biggest Russian producer of mineral water, Wimm-Bill-Dann foods, David
Yakobashvili, said that the company would not take part in the contest to buy the mineral water if the Georgian side does not agree to sell the spring itself and only the right to bottle the water. "They do not want to sell the source, so the proposals are not attractive for us," Yakobashvili said.

Georgy Kalatozishvili. Exclusively for VK.