{"id":43986,"date":"2026-01-22T12:36:31","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T09:36:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visionest.institute\/?p=43986"},"modified":"2026-01-22T14:04:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T11:04:38","slug":"armenian-cheese-in-the-uae-and-europe-visionests-program-participant-sets-new-export-benchmark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visionest.institute\/en\/2026\/01\/22\/armenian-cheese-in-the-uae-and-europe-visionests-program-participant-sets-new-export-benchmark\/","title":{"rendered":"Armenian cheese in the UAE and Europe: Visionest’s program participant sets new export benchmark"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It all started in 1996 in the city of Tashir, Lori region of Armenia. \u201cAlashkert Group\u201d<\/a> LLC was founded here <\/span>as a family enterprise by the Ruben Harutyunyan\u2019s family.<\/span>The company, specializing in the production of cheeses, today produces about fifteen different types of cheese: Lori, Alashkert, Chanakh, Chanakh in brine, Chechil, Suluguni, Khasturi, Lalvar, Dutch, Maasdam, Gouda with spices, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the Visionest Export Training program, there is a desire to expand both the volume of production and the scope of export markets.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>About 80% of Alashkert\u2019s total trade turnover is sold in Armenia.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, they joined Visionest\u2019s \u201cExport Training\u201d program. Before joining the program, the company was already regularly exporting to the Russian Federation and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSince 2001, we have been exporting our products to the Russian Federation and the United States of America. I would like to add that the company has had a food safety HACCP system in place since 2012, and has also been certified with ISO 22000-2018,\u201d Karen emphasizes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was time to discover new markets. During the program, the Alashkert team created and developed a new export business plan. A new export market was also selected – the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n

New opportunities are also being created to organize exports to the United Arab Emirates.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlashkert plans to export to the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, the target markets remain Russia and the USA, and there is also a desire to export to European countries,\u201d says Karen Mkrtchyan.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Today, the Alashkert team is already implementing the export business plan created and developed during the program.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe program has increased our confidence in the export process. New knowledge has been gained in organizing the export process correctly,\u201d says Karen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The upcoming plans include the release of new products. They plan to add 3 more cheese varieties to the production in 2026. In parallel, the company aims to expand export volumes, increase product quality and safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program was implemented by the Visionest Institute with funding from the Estonian Centre for International Development<\/a> (ESTDEV).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With over two decades of cheese production, Armenia-based Alashkert Group is soon to enter a new era of exporting its products internationally. As a result of participation in Visionest’s Export Training, Alashkert Group has created an entirely new strategy on exporting, focusing on the UAE markets as well as the European ones, while at the same time broadening product output.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9394,"featured_media":44004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6424],"tags":[6425,6518,6767,6769],"class_list":["post-43986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-armenia","tag-armenia","tag-export-training-program-2","tag-cheese","tag-alashkert"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nArmenian cheese in the UAE and Europe: Visionest's program participant sets new export benchmark • Visionest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With over two decades of cheese production, Armenia-based Alashkert Group is soon to enter a new era of exporting its products internationally. 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