Zaza Tsintsadze

“Honey of Gurian Bee”

Following Georgia's declaration of independence, the difficult 90s led to the shutdown of tea factories, which were primary employment sources in Guria. Zaza's father, Nukri, who held a managerial position in one of these tea factories, was left jobless. Nukri tried to start his own business several times, including a mini-factory for processing "Nabeghlavi" mineral water and tea, but nothing was stable. Eventually, he decided to turn to beekeeping, despite having no experience in the field. However, since he was determined, he thoroughly researched this new direction. He consulted with professors and lecturers from the Faculty of Beekeeping-Apiculture at the Agricultural University, acquired extensive literature, and bought two families of bees. This marked the beginning of beekeeping in the Tsintsadze’s family. With enthusiastic labor, they acquired eight families in the first year, and by the third year, they had a hundred.

During this time, Zaza was a student. He tirelessly helped his father, studied, and gradually, this activity transformed into a family business. Despite producing high-quality and ecologically clean products, they struggled with sales. Honey stored in barrels sometimes remained unsold for 2-3 years. Zaza thought it over and decided to commercialize the honey, needing a food safety standard to ensure their products could reach store shelves. Zaza had to undergo many procedures. Finally, the family decided to take charge, with Zaza leading the family business. After successfully participating in the "Enterprise Georgia" grant program, they acquired additional bee families, necessary equipment for honey production, and started working on implementing the HACCP standard. Zaza also tirelessly worked towards the permanent certification of the enterprise and now produces honey that meets all national standards. The product is branded, priced, and labeled, opening the path to realization.

Despite being involved in this business for over 15 years, Zaza constantly seeks development, keeps up with new trends, and strives to make his products more appealing and tailored to consumer demands.

Zaza Cincadze's beekeeping produces three types of honey: acacia, chestnut, and polyfloral, priced at 100ml – 150g, 200ml – 300g, and 720ml – 1000g in jars. The honey is available throughout the season and can be purchased at about 35 locations of the "Deli" market chain in Batumi and Kutaisi, with the option for online orders and delivery to customers. During visits, Zaza offers tastings in a specially arranged degustation space, actively participating in festivals and exhibitions.