Georgian small and medium-sized enterprises expand to global markets with EU and UNDP support

Ahead of Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day on 27 June, Nicholas Cendrowicz, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Georgia, and Douglas Webb, UNDP Resident Representative in Georgia, visited several Georgian businesses benefiting from this assistance.

Together, they visited:

• Cosmo LLC (Tbilisi), a fast-growing producer of bags and accessories employing 80 people, almost 90 per cent of whom are women. The company exports its products to the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Italy, and the United States.
• Georgian Packaging LLC (Tbilisi), a manufacturer of environmentally friendly paper cups, takeaway boxes, bags, wrapping paper, and self-adhesive products. The company has upgraded its production and logistics infrastructure to comply with European environmental protection and food safety standards and increase export readiness.
• OX-GEN LLC (Mtskheta), a biotechnology company harnessing EU support in its first exports of molecular biology reagents and diagnostic kits to Germany and Hungary.
• Champy LLC (Ditsi, Gori Municipality), an innovative producer of healthy apple chips located in a conflict-affected village, where it creates employment and economic opportunity for the local community. The company employs 13 people, including 12 women, exports to the United States and Canada, and is preparing to enter the German market.

With support from the European Union and UNDP, these enterprises are upgrading production processes, improving logistics, strengthening value chains, and working towards compliance with EU standards.

“What we see through these businesses is what the European Union is really about: helping small and medium-sized enterprises in Georgia turn ambition into success. We are enabling businesses to innovate, meet European standards, access new markets, and become more competitive,” said Nicholas Cendrowicz, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Georgia. “The success stories we have helped create over the past 30 years demonstrate the real impact of the EU-Georgia partnership and the vital role SMEs play in shaping the country’s economic development.”

Over the next two years, the European Union and UNDP will continue expanding support for Georgian SMEs, helping them unlock export opportunities, strengthen competitiveness, and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy, including through the Inclusive Access to Markets project.

Since 2023, 306 small and medium-sized enterprises across Georgia (73 per cent of them women-led) have strengthened their competitiveness and export readiness through tailored training, consultancy, technical assistance, and business development support. The achieved results include 960 new jobs created, 25 businesses entering EU markets for the first time, and participating enterprises reporting an average five percent growth in export revenues.