Georgian brand RERA, offering semi-finished frozen foods and smoked fish, and a member of G&A GROUP, is planning to expand in the country due to meet increased demand.

Commercial Director of the company Nick Lomidze said that an expansion of the RERA factory to up production is planned. But, as Lomidze said, the brand has “celebrated success” in exporting as well.

“In 2022 the RERA brand entered the markets of Bahrain and Azerbaijan for the first time and became quite popular there. We continue to work on exporting, we have specific plans and negotiations, but for now we will refrain from specifics,” he said.

In the meantime, RERA continues to expand in Georgia to fill every nook & cranny of the country.

“Currently we are developing full coverage of eastern Georgia. In 2022 we added two retail chains that have full coverage of the territory of Georgia. We have plans for 2023 in this direction as well,” Lomidze said.

Established in 2012, G&A GROUP is a central importer of frozen meat and fish in Georgia. With 7,000 ton-capacity A+ warehouses, it holds a significant share in the premium storage market. As for RERA, it launched operations in 2016 with co-financing from the Produce in Georgia state program. 

“The company’s mission is to save time for home cooking.  Of greatest importance is the quality of food and delicious meals. The company hopes to have a place in the freezer of every family in Georgia,” Lomidze said.

Q. RERA won in the category “production of semi-finished products” and thus snagged the Golden Brand award. Why do you think experts and customers named Rera their favorite brand?

A. To produce in Georgia is to give your word on quality to the local market. Quality is a priority for us. RERA semi-finished products are produced only with natural raw materials. The customers choose quality, so they choose Rera.

It is the customers’ unanimity that has guaranteed our success for eight years on the Georgian market, and I thank them for this appreciation.

Meanwhile, we have managed to develop production efficiency and expand the brand portfolio over the years without losing quality! In our opinion, this is the reason for winning the Golden Brand award this year again.

Q. As the Golden Brand award is given to companies following successful activities in the previous year, could you please summarize 2022?

A. Last year RERA enjoyed 40% growth compared to 2021 despite the post-pandemic market situation and a serious shortage of raw materials. Moreover, we were able to send our products outside the country.

We introduce at least one new product every year. Last year we brought Ukrainian pelmeni to the market, which really took off with customers. Ukrainian pelmeni are now on the list of three best-selling products.

Q. How many products are being produced by RERA currently?

A. As of today RERA offers nineteen varieties of different semi-finished products, of which the top-sellers are Siberian and Ukrainian pelmeni, layered dough, vareniki with sulguni, khinkali kalakuri and chicken nuggets.

Q. Now let’s talk about G&A GROUP, which is involved in producing and distributing semi-finished meat and fish products in the country through three brands ⁠— RERA, Khinda and Nobati. Please tell us about the other brands.

A. RERA is a premium-segment brand which occupies more than 25% of sales in the market. Based on the price segment of the brand, we decided to create products that would also be made from natural raw materials and be more affordable. This is how Khinda came to be, which has been on the market since 2020. Khinda includes about twenty products both in packages as well as in bulk. Khinda is no less successful.

Meanwhile, Nobati also offers frozen meat and fish products. Its advantage is also determined by quality and safety, because before packaging the product undergoes laboratory testing, and so the customer can be sure of the product’s quality and reliability.

Q. Considering all three brands, what is the market-share of G&A Group in Georgia currently?

A. Today the Group holds approximately 25% of the market and has growth potential.

Q. From which countries do you import goods?

A. Imports come from anywhere we can find quality raw materials. For example Brazil, Argentina, America, Canada, Germany, Belgium and others. We use imported as well as locally-produced goods in production. Locally we purchase sulguni and Imeruli cheese, onions, herbs and so on.

Q. You brought in a special refrigerator from Germany that does “shock” freezing. Tell us what role it has played in the company’s production?

A.  Yep, our business proceeds with the latest equipment, and one of them is a spiral shock freezer, which only a few manufacturers in Georgia have. The shock chamber freezes products at 40℃, preserving taste and nutritional value of the product. It is important to note that when freezing at -40℃, all kinds of bacteria and fungi are preserved in the product, if any, and most importantly, the shelf life is determined by the temperature at which the product is frozen.

Our Group and all daughter brands will continue development on the local market with innovative solutions and guarantees of quality and taste!