Georgia ranks among the top countries worldwide when it comes to walnut consumption per capita. You'll be hard-pressed to find a Georgian village without at least one walnut tree, or a restaurant in Tbilisi without a dish that features walnuts. Ever tried Pkhali, a cold vegetable purée blended with walnut paste? Or Satsivi, a rich, creamy walnut sauce flavored with garlic and herbs, traditionally served with poultry? If not, and you get the chance, don't think twice.
So it's no surprise that demand for high-quality walnuts runs high in Georgia. In recent years, a growing number of professional growers have stepped up to meet that demand — and are now turning their sights to international markets. With Georgia's ideal conditions for walnut cultivation, production is ramping up fast. In fact, it's beginning to outpace domestic demand.
A basket of walnuts in Walnuts.ge's orchard, Kakheti, Georgia
A small player with big ambitions
Given Georgia's small size — and more than half of its land is mountainous — it's no match for global giants in walnut production like China (1.4 million tons), the U.S. (748,000 tons), Iran (381,000 tons), Turkey (360,000 tons), or Chile (192,000 tons). According to FAO data from 2023, Georgia harvested 7,200 tons of walnuts that year.
That's not even enough to satisfy the appetite of its 3.7 million citizens. Georgia imports additional walnuts — mostly shelled — from countries like China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. In 2023, imports totaled 14,500 tons, according to the national statistics agency Geostat.
Imported walnuts may be cheaper, but quality often falls short. That's why Georgia's orchard area has been steadily expanding, particularly since 2014. The Georgian Association of Almond and Walnut Growers estimates over 4,500 hectares were under cultivation in 2023, much of it still maturing. Once fully productive, Georgia could see total yields approaching 15,000 tons, assuming an average yield of 3.1 tons per hectare, the global average in 2023 (source: Georgia Today).
That means local production is set to outstrip domestic demand in the near future, making export not just an opportunity, but a necessity. Georgia is already present on the international market, albeit on a modest scale. In 2023, over 1,000 tons of shelled walnuts were exported, mainly to Russia (69%), followed by Armenia, Qatar, Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Italy. Nearly another 1,000 tons of in-shell walnuts went to countries like Italy (35%), Iran (19%), Albania (14%), Armenia, Azerbaijan, the UAE, Cyprus, Greece, and Lebanon (source: Geostat).
Walnuts.ge: Scaling up Georgia's walnut game
One company playing a key role in Georgia's commercial walnut boom is Walnuts.ge, founded by Germans Ivo Siewert and Christoph Heuermann and Georgian David Bukhnikashvili. "We started small and grew step by step," says David, the company's cofounder and director of operations. "Our first planting covered 39 hectares. Today, we manage 150 hectares in total."
David Bukhnikashvili, co-founder and director of operations of Walnuts.ge, showing a 10-kilo bag of GlobalGAP-certified walnuts from the Kakheti region, Georgia
Walnut trees are in no rush; they take seven to eight years to reach full productivity. "Next year, we'll be there," David says proudly. "We're aiming for an average of 5 to 6 tons per hectare in-shell." That's nearly double the global average.
Their orchards are in Kakheti, eastern Georgia, a deliberate choice. "We needed a dry climate with reliable irrigation," David explains. "Too much moisture leads to disease and pests. Here, in Udabno, what's often called the 'desert of Georgia,' we found perfect conditions."
And while their acreage is significant, David believes Georgia's potential is still largely untapped. "If more growers go professional and we work together, we'll unlock better market access and stronger pricing."
Walnuts.ge's orchard in Udabno, Georgia, covers 150 ha
Chandler reigns
At Walnuts.ge, the Chandler variety dominates, making up 80% of their plantings. "It's the most commercially viable," David says. The other 20% is Howard, a slightly earlier bloomer. The company doesn't bleach its walnuts. "Bleaching is banned in the EU anyway, but Chandler naturally has a light shell — that works in our favor."
They've partnered with a top-ranked Spanish agronomic consultancy that visits monthly to inspect the orchards and share knowledge and expertise with Walnuts.ge's team. "But you can't copy and paste from Spain," David notes. "They get 45°C heatwaves — we don't. California is bone-dry; we get some rain. Every climate calls for its own approach." Diseases like powdery mildew and anthracnose can be an issue, especially after rain. "We prune and thin out trees to let in more light. That's crucial for keeping the orchard healthy."
People, tech, and sustainability
Walnuts.ge employs 25 full-time staff, with seasonal workers brought in during harvest. Yet automation is a priority. "Stupid labor is cheap, experience is not," David says. Satellite imagery, drones, soil sensors, and smart orchard management software help drive efficiency.
Sustainability is baked into their operations. A sister company produces compost from grape waste and seaweed as part of a broader waste management initiative. "We wanted to go fully organic at first, but settled on being sustainably managed," says David. They add around 2,000 tons of compost annually to improve soil life, boosting beneficial microbes and worms and increasing the soil's water retention. The land once grew Soviet-era grains like wheat, barley, and corn. "The pH used to be way too high. We've brought it down to 7.5 — perfect for walnuts."
Part of Walnuts.ge's orchard in Udabno, Georgia
The farm uses its own water reservoirs, fed by river and government canals, with filtration and pH monitoring in place. Solar panels — generating 600 kW — help reduce their carbon footprint.
Processing and export
Processing is key. "We're building a facility to wash, dry, sort, and soon crack and vacuum-pack our walnuts," David explains. Once completed, the dryer will handle 100 tons per day and support over 400 hectares, allowing them to help other growers as well.
Properly dried walnuts can be stored for a year at 6°C, or up to two years at 3°C. Walnuts.ge only crack them on demand to extend shelf life. Automation and digitization in their sorting and packing lines will reduce labor needs while boosting consistency. "The future lies in packaging for retail, and we're getting ready."
Qatar and beyond
While most sales are still local, Walnuts.ge has already sent its first pallets to Italy and Germany. "We're GlobalGAP certified now and soon to hold a BRC certificate for the processing facility, which opens doors practically to all markets globally," says David.
In the Gulf region, for example, in Qatar, customers are willing to pay a premium for hand-cracked walnuts. "The price difference? One euro. But it's worth it." Europe, too, is demanding more quality. "Our walnuts sell for 25% higher price point than the ones of the world's leading suppliers, their industrial cracking leads to broken pieces and sandy flavors. Ours are treated with gentle care, and you can taste the difference."
For more information:
David Bukhnikashvili (Director)
Walnuts.ge
I. Tarkhnishvili St 16
Tbilisi (Georgia)
Tel.: +995 595 01 70 89
[email protected]
www.walnuts.ge