Geostar, one of Georgia’s leading distribution companies, has plans to boost the presence of Avedov sunflower oil on the Georgian market and reach 95% of the country’s trade facilities and markets.

“We intend to enter traditional trade facilities with which we have not been cooperating so far as well,” Levan Qorqashvili, head of food direction in Geostar told Golden Brand.

He says that the goal will be achieved through consistent campaigning and special offers for consumers.

“We will further activate TV and digital activities to expand our market share. We also have plans to organize a charity campaign by New Year,” Qorqashvili said.

Avedov sunflower oil has been imported from Russia since 2005 and its share ranges between 40-50 per cent in the premium segment of the Georgian market.

The product is present in up to 4,000 trade facilities around the country.

Qorqashvili says that the market is ‘very competitive’ because sunflower oil is a fast-moving consumer good (FMCG).

What are your advantages compared with competitors?

Avedov belongs to the category of top oils which holds a major market share. The advantage of Avedov is its quality. Avedov oil is filtered seven times, is 100% refined, does not contain cholesterol, contains vitamin E, does not have an odor and taste and products retain their original taste while served in the oil. Avedov belongs to ‘first-class’ oils. It does not contain water and is very economic.

What is your strategy for attracting consumers?

 We have loyal consumers. None of our competitors have as many loyal consumers as we have. Along with retaining loyal consumers, we are always trying to expand our market share. We are planning various campaigns to attract consumers which include discounts, attractive sorting of products (island-style, promo shelves, etc), we are active on TV. Avedov is present in almost all leading retail shops which also attract consumers.

Is the price affordable?

Avedov is a premium quality oil. Considering the quality, the price is quite affordable. The Avedov segment is mainly middle and high income consumers who focus on quality. However, we can confidently say that even low-income consumers are quite big fans of Avedov. Avedov is almost always slightly more expensive than its main competitors, though affordable. We offer discounts every month in various networks, as well as for wholesale and traditional facilities.

Has the Avedov price increased during the pandemic?

Compared to 2019, the price of oil has doubled. The pandemic has had a direct and indirect impact. The major reason for the rise in price is the shortage of sunflowers all over the world. However, we’re happy to say that despite challenges Avedov sales increased in 2020 which clearly indicates the high potential of the brand. We even set a number of records in 2020.

Have you introduced any new items during the pandemic to boost sales?

For some period we decreased the price, taking the consumers’ condition into account during the pandemic. We preferred to worry more about our consumers than about our incomes.

What do you think, why has Avedov deserved the Golden Brand 2020 award?

I believe that the major reason for this were the special offers and discounts we have made last year.