Geoplant Ltd owns tea plantations as well as processing and packing facilities and is therefore a ‘one-stop shop’ for the entire tea production process.
Each day, the company strives towards its mission: To provide the healthiest drink of the millennium to the world from the finest, environmentally-friendly, best tea plantations of rural Georgia. Geoplant Ltd sees itself as partner with valued customers, employees and community, promoting healthier lifestyle and helping to lead happier lives.
History of success
Geoplant Ltd was founded in 1996 is currently the largest Georgian tea-producing company, under the brand name Gurieli. Geoplant Ltd has close relationships with both private and state-owned tea-producing, packaging, trading companies, as well as companies producing tea processing and packaging equipment, tea packaging materials around the world, including Sri Lanka, India, Japan, Indonesia, Kenya, China, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, USA, Ukraine, Great Brittan and others. These liaisons are constantly nurtured by sharing scientific, technological, and practical experiences, and are the key elements for endless innovation, quality control, and expertise in the industry. Geoplant has been actively cooperating with the Georgian Tea and Subtropical Cultures Research Institute, the only scientific institution of such expertise within all Eastern Europe. Cooperation with scientific centers allows the company to rapidly implement and develop innovations in production, ensuring both improvement of quality and ever-growing assortment of products. With its rich resources of raw materials, processing/packing facilities, scientific potential and brand development, Geoplant is a leading company in tea production both in Georgia and the South Caucasus. The company started as bulk tea processing and trading company. In 2008, Geoplant started the new project – the creation of Georgian Tea Brand – GURIELI. The company bagan its activities in fully renovated Ozurgeti primary processing factory, installed state of art primary processing equipment (TI Global – India) and tea packaging machinery (IMA – Italy) in Zugdidi factory. In cooperation with Ogilvy and Mother (Great Britain) the company started brand creation project, developed product creation process and in 2010 successfully implemented first sub-brand Gurieli. In the same year it launched second tea brand RCHEULI on the local market for the budgetary segment. In 2011, Geoplant launched second sub-brand under the GURIELI umbrella brand Gurieli Fruit Tea. In 2013, the company launched premium sub-brand under the GURIELI – Prince Gurieli and Gurieli Herbal Tea. In 2015, Geoplant took part in government’s special project “Produced in Georgia” and built new packaging factory in Ozurgeti, installing new generation tea packaging machinery from IMA and introducing pyramid packaging for tea in Georgia using FUSO Nasa (Japan) machinery. In 2016, the company successfully introduced packaging designe upgrade, made by Ogilvy and Mother.
Ecological product
Geographic location, climatic conditions, temperatures that vary drastically between summer and winter determine the unique character of Georgian tea. Due to natural factors, it is not necessary to use of pesticides and herbicides therefore our tea is ecologically pure and the environment is less polluted. The number of sunny days in Georgia, optimal average annual temperature (+12.5 - +14.7 C) and subtropical climate contribute to the quality of tea leaves. Strong contrast between day and nighttime temperatures during the period when the tea shoots start to appear, produces aromatic substances in the delicate sprouts of the plant creating a complex bouquet of aroma unique to Georgian tea. The company owes its reputation and customers trust thanks to rich assortment of ecological teas: black tea - very special aroma and taste (because of climate conditions), high grown tea; green tea - special, unique taste, very light; fruit and herbal tea - local product, mostly wild, own, unique recipes.
International cooperation
For the past 5 years, market in Georgia is „booming”. It is a rapidly growing market, where both national and foreign companies try to flourish. Georgian market is slowly becoming a „red sea” for companies, where each and every one of them tries to win the best postion on shelf and customers hearts as well. Such kind of changes motivaties every company to do its best and give all the best to consumers, which by itself helps them to be better in their field of work. Geoplant Ltd is operating on both local and foreign market. The countries were packed is exported include: Ukraine (Gurieli, Georgian baikhi #36) where the company has its strategic partner Fozzy Group, the owner of retailer chains: LeSilpo, Silpo, For a, Fozzy Cash&Carry; Germany (Gergian Baikhi #36) where Geoplant’s partner is Monolith Gruppe company, the owner of retail chain all over the EU oriented on ethnic markets; Russia (Gurieli, Rcheuli, Georgian Baikhi #36) trade company “G ruzI mpE x”. And in case of bulk tea, Company sell almost all bulk tea on export market. Main partners are Martin Bauer (Germany), Van Rees (Netherland) and Plantextrakt (Germany).
Rewards and achievements
Geoplant and its brand Gurieli has been awarded with numerous awards and certificates for the revival and development of the tea industry, for our corporate social responsibility and for various charity activities. For four consecutive years 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014,2015, 2016, 2017 brand Gurieli received the title of Golden Brand on the annual award ceremony organized by The Global Idea. The title is awarded based on various factors including brand awareness, popularity, advertising, PR activities and surveys. In 2012, the company received the Mercury Award – Company of the Year for Revival of Traditional Industry granted by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. Same year the company was nominated and selected in the Leader category on the annual Georgian Brand Day award ceremony organized by the PR Agency Profile. In 2013, company’s newest brand Prince Gurieli received the Golden Award. In 2013, Geoplant was selected by Media Holding Georgian Times and Marketing research association Gorbi and received the National Business Award for the Revival of Traditional Industry and High Ecological Standards. In October 2014, the company recieved the second National Business Award for Successful penetration of New Export Markets and implementation of New Technologies. The Georgian Quality Foundation has awarded Geoplant with the Quality Mark, which was based on thorough examination and research conducted in company’s factories, including technical equipment, analysis of work processes, organizational structure, quality of products and hygiene norms. International certifications are also an important part of quality management system. In 2014, Geoplant received the Hazard analysis and critical control points or HACCP certification, which is a systematic preventive approach to food safety from biological, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes that can cause the finished product to be unsafe, and designs measurements to reduce these risks to a safe level. Geoplant Limited plans to get the ISO 22000-2005 - international standard that specifies the requirements for a food safety management system that involves the following elements: interactive communication, system management, prerequisite programs and HACCP principles.
New investments
The company has made huge investments towards modernizing its production line and overall tea processing and packaging. It is proud to have so many suppliers from all over the world. Company’s main goal is to produce the best, high quality Georgian Tea, which easily grasped consumers hearts and made them loyal customers. In the next 3 years, Geoplant is planning to invest into tea plantation and primary processing to achieve full rehabilitation of existing tea plantations; to expand the raw material based on financial expediency - purchase, leasing of existing plantations and to invest into long-term contracts with farmers for leaf supply; production of high quality premium mono tea (not blended) and bio certification for one of the estate according to the conditions. On the local market the company plans to create a new mono tea line Gurieli Estate; to expand the existing premium line Prince Gurieli with herbal and fruit tea products and to expand new packages in the direction of HoReCa. When it comes to the export, Geoplant plans to encourage its performance in Ukraine, EU and Russia; enter the Baltic countries and Belarusian market and the European Union “Mein Stream” market. The Company plans to create new products for the soft drinks, naturally-made and natural drinks market and cooperate with other Georgian companies.
