Georgian dried fruit producer Frutera sharply increased prices in 2025, with products becoming around 80% more expensive on average, according to founder Davit Gelutashvili. The main reason was severe weather in Shida Kartli, particularly April frost, which nearly destroyed stone fruit harvests and drove raw material costs up as much as fivefold.
The price hikes negatively affected demand, leading to fewer orders and forcing the company to cut production by about 50%. Output dropped significantly from previous levels of around 6 tons of dried fruit and fruit leather.
Despite the challenges, Frutera introduced new products, including tomato pesto, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, and natural juices, testing them with small-scale, low-investment production. If demand grows, the company plans to invest up to 20,000–30,000 GEL in proper production lines.
Currently, about 10% of output is exported to Russia in bulk form. Looking ahead to 2026, the company expects a better harvest, which could help reduce costs, stabilize prices, and restore production levels, with a potential 10% increase in output.
