Spotlight: Giesen Georgia Distributor

You can find our Giesen distributors across the world. One of them is the Giesen Georgia Distributor Giorgi. He is the finder of Coffee LAB and tells us all about having your own business and being a roaster.

Name:	Giorgi
Surname:	Aivazyan
Company name:	Coffee LAB
Giesen Coffee roaster type:	W15A
Country:	Georgia

Giesen Georgia Distributor spotlight

Why did you decide to start your own business? ‘I was in banking for 10 years. Then I decided to follow a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA). I went to London for 1 year and after getting back I didn’t want to go back to the corporate world, so I decided that entrepreneurship was the right direction for me to follow.’

How did you get brand awareness? ‘Step-by-step, organically. I didn’t spend much on marketing, we were the first who started roasting specialty, and this draws lots of interest and curiosity: looking at the roaster standing in the middle of the café.’

How do you become a successful roaster: As many experiments, tracking and cupping as much as possible. Besides that, books are important, but just by reading a book you can not become a good roaster.

Coffee is very personal and you can roast coffee technically correctly in many ways. However, some people will love one roast over another. It’s about what you like. There will always be people loving your style or someone else’s style better. You have to figure out what’s your style and nail it by buying the right coffee and be better at roasting.

How many hours of roasting and studying does it take to become a roasting expert? There is always something to learn. However, 1 year would be “average” to be really good. You can do it quicker or slower though. Depends on many factors, mostly stated above.

Sources you have learned a lot from when it comes to roasting coffee:

1. I had a consultant visiting me in Georgia before we launched. They showed me the basics and the principles.

2. I read and watched all the materials I got my hands on.

3. After getting some experience, I went to the campus of William Boot for a week to explore more.

4. I attend the roast camp every year.

The best thing about coffee roasting: Be proud of the coffee you “produce”. What your coffee is recognized and benchmarked against.

How do customers react when they see your coffee roaster? Very impressed, especially if they see the roasting process.

Want to know more about Coffee LAB? Take a look at their website: www. coffeelab.ge