Carrefour, owned by Majid al Futtaim and operated in Georgia, is known for its support of local farmers, suppliers and producers. It will be offering another exciting promotion. This time, they will have the opportunity to showcase their products at the “Potato festival.”
The festival will begin at three different Carrefour shops from 26 to 28 Novembre where 12 varieties Georgian potatoes are available in a traditional setting with the most affordable price. The 12 farmers who will be attending the event are going to share their stories live as well as through cardboard cutouts that have been designed to provide information and decorate.
In 2019, the potato occupied 16.4 thousand hectares, making it Georgia’s fourth largest crop. The potato is mainly grown by family farms, with 98.4% of the total output in 2019 coming from Samstkhe-Javakheti (59% in 2019) and Kvemo Kartli (20%) respectively. Georgia has ideal conditions for producing both early maturing types on warm plains and late maturing variety in colder areas. Customers will be pleased to learn that, despite the fact that potatoes are a staple food in Georgian cuisine and are mass-produced, they can choose from 12 different varieties that are used in 12 different traditional Georgian dishes.
The Potato Festival will be held as part of the FinExCoop Project, a four-year EU funded project managed by French Development Agency. The project is implemented in partnership by Mercy Corps, Rural Development for Future Georgia, and the French Chambre d’Agriculture du Loiret.
FinExCoop, a technical assistance project, has been providing support to farmers, information consultation centres (ICCs) as well as cooperatives for the past two-years. In the potato sector the project works with seven partner pilots, one cooperative pilot and four municipalities, Tslaka Akhalkalaki Akhaltsikhe Adigeni, to promote better access equipment, finance, and the market. One of the main goals of the project is increasing demand and sales of locally produced high-quality potatoes.
These municipalities were selected because they are the best geographically suited areas to produce potatoes.
This project aims to connect farmers with new markets by introducing new potato varieties to customers. The international marketing expert and the local team developed relationships with leading players on the market such as Carrefour, Entre and others to promote better taste and quality.
Jerome Akel is the Country Manager for Carrefour Georgia. He said: “We’re delighted to host this Potato Festival and invite long-standing local suppliers. This event will not only give our farmers more exposure and support, but also allow our customers to interact with them. We are proud to introduce our customers to the hardworking farmers who supply the fresh produce.
Carrefour’s contribution to the Georgian Economy reflects its ongoing efforts to support growth and prosperity in the communities it is part of. It was named as one of the top ten investors in Georgia due to its rapid physical and digital services, which made it easy for shoppers to make purchases, no matter where they were. Carrefour also created jobs for local citizens, supported local suppliers and producers, and conducted a number of charitable and environment initiatives.
Geostat states that foreign investors such as Majid al Futtaim are essential to the progress and development of the economy.
Carrefour is one of the largest investors in the country, and this is due to its impressive contribution to the modernization of Georgian trade and the economy. Since its founding, the brand has introduced a completely unique and unbeatable shopping experience to the country.
Carrefour continues its active support of Georgian farmers by providing customers with fresh and healthy local products every day, directly from the farms.
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