The Arabia Times: Explain your background and your Company’s in detail.
Ekaterina Vepkhvadze is the director and main shareholder of Agritouch, a company established in 2018. AGRITOUCH offers a range of services, such as trading fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, agricultural consulting, and investment. Moreover, the company possesses a 600 sqm. cold storage facility located in the Guria region of Georgia, outfitted with pre-cooling and IQF freezing modern technology. Finally, Agritouch exports fresh and frozen produce to countries including the UAE, Qatar, EU, several Asian countries, and CIS.
AGRITOUCH provides export market development and trade intermediary services to help local producers increase their sales and boost revenues. The company is a pioneering leader in the development of berry farms in Georgia, while also cultivating premium quality berries. Furthermore, Agritouch is known for their production of other fruits and vegetables such as citrus fruits, as well as supplying agricultural resources such as seedlings, agricultural textile and more to local farmers, including the beneficiaries of the “Plant the Future” project.
Agritouch has partnered exclusively with the world’s top seedling manufacturers, Fall Creek – USA, Plant 365 – UK, and Polska Borowka – Poland. As well as this, Agritouch also has exclusive partnerships with Naksan – a Turkish agricultural textile supplier, Sansan – a Spanish pots supplier, and Greentera – a Latvian peat supplier. Follow the links to discover their websites:
Naksan ( https://www.naksan.com/ )
Sansan ( https://www.sansan.es/ )
Greentera ( https://www.greenterra.lv/ )
Agritouch has partnered with JSC Georgian Bank and helped facilitate the Blueberry Garden Cultivation Project. We support the bank and its beneficiaries with loan monitoring, the preparation of different blueberry garden projects such as budgeting and aftercare, and provide agricultural consultancy for those involved. Agritouch has even been directly involved in the cultivation of more than 100 hectares of blueberry gardens. We additionally provide garden care management services to the bank’s beneficiaries.
In addition to Agritouch, Ekaterina Vepkhvadze is a shareholder of Blueberry Farm. This 50-hectare plantation produces and sells fresh blueberries to various countries around the world. In 2022, she also became the president of the Georgian Blueberry Association which unites the leading exporter and producer companies in the country.
Additionally, Ekaterina Vepkhvadze has a USDA fellowship of Cochran for agricultural professionals with a focus on developing and marketing fruit value chain, as well as an MBA degree from Grenoble Ecole de Management in France. She is also an investor in Winner Trading for Food Stuff W.L.L., which is the exclusive importer of Georgian still and carbonated water “NABEGLAVI” in Qatar.
The Arabia Times:What are your goals?
My ambition is to play a leading role in the development of the Georgian agriculture sector, to elevate it to a higher standard in agricultural technology and success. My aim is to augment the performance of Georgian farmers and generate new export markets. By integrating professional practice and modern agricultural approaches, I plan to implement considerable advances in the industry.
As a means of accomplishing this, I have been participating in conversations with key individuals, for instance, farmers, agricultural providers and government offices. I make it my mission to propel collaboration and circulated understanding in order to find creative resolutions to the obstacle’s farmers face. I attach importance on providing them with access to the newest technologies, advanced farming processes and vital training programs that will help maximize their efficiency and quality.
Moreover, I commit myself to finding and unlocking unexplored export potential. By studying market demands, I am paving the way for more customers and a bigger international recognition of Georgian agricultural products. I am actively engaging with organizations related to foreign trading, constituting relationships with global purchasers and pushing for the promotion of Georgian goods on an international level.
The Arabia Times:What do you feel is the biggest strength of AGRITOUCH right now?
Agritouch LLC has achieved a great degree of success in agriculture product production and trading due to our long-standing history and expertise. We are renowned for our expertise in establishing and managing fruit and vegetable gardens, as well as for our highly esteemed agriculture goods trading. Our team of highly-skilled and knowledgeable professionals are always informed on the latest developments in agriculture science and technology. We ensure quality by adhering to best practices, employing sustainable farming techniques, and prioritizing our quality control standards. We take pride in our commitment to excellence.
The Arabia Times:Why did you start AGRITOUCH?
Ever since I was a child, I have had a deep enthusiasm for agriculture. This led me to found Agritouch, an advisory business with the primary objective of propelling Georgian farm production and boosting involvement in different export markets. Using professionalism as a compass, I have strived to bring state-of-the-art approaches and knowledge to the farming sector.
The Arabia Times:What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome during the journey of your leadership?
I experienced a major challenge attempting to gain access to the agricultural field without any prior experience. Furthermore, initial proposals to influential individuals who had a lack of interest in my services caused an additional obstacle. In the highly competitive market, it was hard to attract international buyers. Nevertheless, with tireless effort, dedication, and a history of successfully managing agricultural ventures, my credibility and worth grew amongst professionals, thereby gaining their trust and respect.
The Arabia Times:Give us one word that describes you the best.
Your Answer: Dedication
The Arabia Times:What do you value the most about AGRITOUCH vision?
At the core of AGRITOUCH’s success is its most vital asset: a team of highly skilled and devoted individuals. This team brings together a shared vision and embody it to provide exceptional services; thus, acting as a crucial feature in the organization that drives success and encourages continual growth and advancement. What strategies does AGRITOUCH have and what sets it apart from other competitors?
The Arabia Times:What are the key values which helped you to overcome the challenges in your path? Tell us something about your memorable incident in your leadership?
Embracing the journey rather than just focusing on the end result is at the core of our values. We prioritize the process and aim for excellent performance in all we do. Though we have encountered adversity in the past, we understand that failure is just one step closer to success. Instead of deeming failure as something to avoid, we look at it as an opportunity to grow and gain experience. Our professional and determined approach is enabled by our changed perception of failure, and we take advantage of this opportunity to learn and refine our skills.
The Arabia Times:How do you see the company changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change?
Within the next two years, I see Agritouch expanding and strengthening our presence in the agricultural industry, both locally in Georgia and throughout the world. Our plan is to strategically add to our global presence by implementing offices in selected target areas where we have already begun this process. This will help us to solidify our international standing.
The Arabia Times:What benefits are your clients getting from AGRITOUCH in this competitive world?
Agritouch provides a wide selection of agricultural goods from Georgia and different countries, as well as our specialized and professional consulting services, to benefit our international customers. With a dedication to providing the highest quality, we have developed bespoke consultation options designed for the specific requirements of our global customers.
The Arabia Times:What is your future plans?
I became founder and GM of Fruittera , uae based company
our vision is to revolutionize the way the world sources and enjoys agricultural products. We strive to create a sustainable, ethical, and direct supply chain that connects farmers with consumers worldwide. By utilizing innovative technologies and a comprehensive approach to farming and distribution, we aim to provide the freshest, highest-quality products to our customers while promoting environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic growth in the farming communities we serve. Our ultimate goal is to foster a world where everyone has access to nutritious and delicious food that is sourced directly from the farm.
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