Tea Country’s founder on why Georgian tea is looking to the GCC ahead of Gulfood 2026

Mr. Basarion Zalikiani, Founder of Tea Country shared his insights with T Hospitality in anticipation of the company’s participation in Gulfood 2026.

T Hospitality: How strategically important is the GCC market for your business today, and how do you see its potential evolving in the coming years?

Basarion Zalikiani: When we look at a new partner country, we start with the statistics—but we never stop there. We consider the country’s culture, the political and economic situation, the relationship between our countries, and the logistical component: whether we can deliver quickly, safely, and at a reasonable cost.

From that perspective, the Gulf is a very interesting opportunity for Georgia. The key question is why Georgian tea could be attractive and mutually beneficial in a region where the tea market is already shaped by much bigger and more famous origins such as China, India, and Japan.

It’s also important to recognise that Georgian tea culture was almost destroyed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and only since 2015 has the country begun a large-scale rehabilitation effort. For us, the GCC is part of a forward-looking strategy aligned with this broader revival.

TH: What makes Georgia Teas unique among the global suppliers of Tea?

BZ: I believe Georgia’s niche lies in a unique combination of high-quality tea and tea tourism. This is what makes Georgian tea different in a global landscape.

Rather than competing only on scale or international fame, we focus on offering a product with identity—where guests can connect the tea they drink to its origin and culture. For hospitality, that connection matters, because tea can become more than a beverage: it can be part of a story and part of an experience.

TH: What new products or innovations are you introducing for the HORECA sector—and what hospitality needs are they designed to meet?

BZ: Our focus in hospitality is to create a partnership model that works commercially and helps venues differentiate. We can offer a diverse, high-quality product with supply that is quick, easy, and affordable.

At the same time, we don’t want to sell only tea—we want to support our partners with visibility and storytelling. If someone enjoys the tea or becomes curious about its origin, they can find the producer through our platforms and even plan a visit to experience Georgian tea culture in person.

In hospitality, that “product-to-experience” link can be powerful: it helps venues create a more distinctive offer and gives guests a deeper reason to engage.