From the trade centre in Ridderkerk, the Netherlands, Nana Chachava focuses on the import of hazelnuts and dried fruit from Georgia and Azerbaijan with Heics Silkway – after having worked in the fresh produce sector for several years. Additionally, she exports fruit and vegetables back to these countries from the Netherlands. By introducing dried persimmons, she has a real first on the Dutch market. “Everything we offer dried is pure fruit, without preservatives.”
“Especially dried persimmons are still unknown on the market. Fresh persimmons are known by now, but the supply of dried fruit is limited,” Nana says. “It therefore needs a bit of time for people to become familiar with the product, but I’m confident this’ll work. The persimmons have been dried in such a way that they don’t lose their vitamins. This is in comparison to most of the dried fruit with added sugars, causing the loss of most vitamins. Furthermore, dried persimmons can be stored for a year, on the condition they’re cooled at the right temperature, between 0 and 5 degrees.”
Heics Silkway mostly consists of wholesalers of nuts and dried semi-tropical fruit and chocolate factories. “It was a fickle year for hazelnuts. Fewer hazelnuts were imported form Georgia because of quality problems,” Nana says.
According to the importer, the agrarian sector is very much in development in Georgia. “The government encourages people by means of subsidies, among other things, to fully devote themselves to production and attracting investors. I have a large network in both Georgia and Azerbaijan, so I'm glad to point those interested in the right direction. I work with permanent suppliers who guarantee the quality of their product, and who also have the necessary certificates.”
“I’d like to expand the dried assortment with product from Georgia and Azerbaijan in coming months, but it should be with products that are not or barely available on the market, in order to stay exclusive. Besides, we have plenty of volume available, we receive one to two lorries with about 20 tonnes of product every month. And last but not least, I’m also working on promoting Georgian wine.”
For more information:
Nana Chachava
Heics Silkway
Handelsweg 35b
2988 DB Ridderkerk
Tel: +31 (0)180 439 090
info@heicssw.nl