"Chrela"

Cooperative “Chrela”

Everything began from St. Maximus the Confessor Monastery. The monastery's elder, Father Tsotne, had a connection with Mr. Zurab Papuashvili - a leading specialist in dairy production. Mr. Zurab visited Lechkhumi and noted the absence of any dairy processing facilities in the area. He offered assistance if there was interest in establishing such a facility on their own village territory. The village, primarily engaged in agriculture, had all the prerequisites, and several residents decided to start cheese production. In 2017, the women of the village united around this idea and formed the cooperative "Chrela 2017."

The "Chrela 2017" cooperative is located in the village of Lasuriani, Tsageri municipality. It owns an agricultural farm with 242 cattle, a dairy processing plant with a capacity of 2-3 tons, and 412 hectares of pasture land on a 25-year lease. The cooperative processes pastures and hay with its own agricultural machinery. The facility is equipped with the HACCP standard, has its own laboratory, and continuously focuses on diversifying its product range.

Alongside traditional Imeretian cheese and sulguni, the cooperative produces artisanal cheese. These artisanal cheeses are made with a unique, proprietary technology and enjoy popularity among gourmets in Georgia as well as visitors from abroad - cheese lovers. The secret of "Chrela's" artisanal cheese lies in the nuances of Lechkhumi's pastures, giving it a distinctive flavor.

Initially, the cooperative operated under household conditions and couldn't meet the regional demand for cheese. Later, within the ENPARD project's framework, "Chrela 2017" was provided with a dairy processing line. The construction of the factory was financed with their own resources, meeting all standards for cleanliness. In addition to its own livestock, the cooperative has the right to process 30% of the milk from the local population, which is a significant relief for local residents and also facilitates increased production.

Nunu Akhvlediani is the heart and soul of the cooperative. Every program or project in which the cooperative participates is initiated by Ms. Nunu. She writes the projects and leads others by example. Through hard work, all members contribute tirelessly, though Ms. Nunu is responsible for quality and standards in production and livestock. Sometimes she says it's a challenging and laborious task, but she is also delighted that everyone works together, inspiring others to join the cooperative. She is most pleased that the women of her village have found their own enterprise.

The cooperative prepares products based on advance orders. During the winter season, it's possible to process an average of 500 liters of milk per day. Customers should contact the cooperative to place orders, and distribution is done through distributors.