How to Plant Vines Online? - Insights of Georgian platform VVINE

"VVINE" online platform, through which people can plant endemic grape varieties in different regions of Georgia, has been operating on the market for three years and covers the regions of Kakheti, Samegrelo, Imereti and Samtskhe-Javakheti.

According to the company's co-founder Ilia Datunashvili, the platform's main purpose is to restore Georgian endemic grape varieties that have been extinct for years, and the goal has been achieved to a large extent since both Georgians and citizens of 22 European and Asian countries are actively involved in this process.

"The user of our platform chooses the desired grape variety and region online, then we plant the vine, take care of it, press the wine in the name of the grower, he is given a passport with a unique QR code and follows the development process of his own vine.

We have a large amount of customers, Georgians as well as foreigners express interest in VVINE. People from 22 countries across Asia and Europe partake in this process, which simplifies the ways of fulfilling our aims."

Currently, 11,000 vines have been planted and the company has 4,000 customers in total. Planting one endemic variety of vines through the platform costs 60 GEL, which fully includes the care and growing of the vines.

"We are looking for reliable employees in the regions, the vine is not an ordinary tree, it needs special selection and care, and when our customer trusts us, we are obliged to serve them in compliance with all the rules, and this process is connected with certain difficulties."

The company's future plan is to involve every region in this process, which was partially hindered by pandemic. As Ilia Datunashvili further noted, the platform will include the regions of Guria and Lechkhumi in 2023. 

"VVINE" was created in collaboration with Leavingstone, with an investment of $120,000. The company currently employs 12 people.