IDS Borjomi Eyes Return to Russian Market in 2012

“IDS Borjomi International continues its talks with the Russian side over Borjomi mineral water export resumption to the Russian maker next year,” the company’s management said on December 20.

According to the company’s statement published on its website, the general Director Vladimir Ashurov held meetings with Russia’s Chief Sanitary doctor and Head of RosPotrebNadzor Gennady Onishchenko to discuss the possibility of a resumption of exports of Borjomi mineral water to the Russian market in 2012.

“RosPotrebNadzor is ready to consider IDS Borjomi International's proposals regarding Borjomi Georgian mineral water supply renewal if all the existing Russian and international legislation is observed. The company was invited to perform a number of formal requirements for entering the Russian market at this stage of negotiations,” IDS Borjomi International said, adding that it was ready to take all the necessary steps and actions to meet all the requirements.

Onishchenko stated in his recent interviews that the negotiation process should move to the technical stage, namely the lab specialists of the RospotrebNadzor should start to examine the quality of Bojomi waters.

In support of the companies’ management efforts, the Leader of Free Democrats Kakha Kukava also held several meetings with Onishchenko dedicated to the resumption of Georgian product export to the Russian market. Recently, however, Kukava told The Messenger that the government is not interested in a return to the Russian market, and it puts pressure on businessmen to avoid exporting their goods to Russia.

IDS Borjomi International is a company owned by a private equity and investment management firm, headquartered in Kiev. It represents a group of enterprises producing bottled mineral waters in Russia, Ukraine and Georgia. IDS Borjomi Georgia, formerly Georgian Glass & Mineral Waters Company, is the group’s Georgian subsidiary, which owns the ‘Borjomi’ trademark and which holds exclusive rights for the extraction and production of Borjomi mineral waters.

IDS Borjomi International has been holding talks with the RosPotrebNadzor since September, 2011. The negotiations, however, have not brought any results so far, and perhaps after the Russian-Georgian WTO agreement the Russian side will abolish its politically motivated embargo on Georgian mineral waters and wine which has been imposed since 2006 in order to undermine Georgia’s economy.