Jacobs and Carte Noire are among the most popular coffee brands in Georgia. A large part of the population consumes them on a daily basis, and they are widely represented in grocery markets as well. In October 2025, law enforcement agencies revealed a case of counterfeiting precisely involving these products.
Specifically, as a result of the conducted investigation, it was established that Jacobs Monarch 1.8 g and Carte Noire 1.8 g packages were being produced in an arbitrarily arranged warehouse and were distributed as official JDE Peet’s brand products, despite the fact that they had no connection whatsoever either to the company’s quality standards or to its production processes.
This fact naturally raised questions among consumers regarding the authenticity of the coffee currently presented on store shelves. That is why JDE Peet’s provides a detailed explanation of what consumers should take into account when purchasing Jacobs and Carte Noire coffee and how they should act in the event that they discover a suspicious product.
At the same time, the company’s director, Kakhaber Murachashvili, speaks about the risks of consuming counterfeit products and about the damage caused to both the company and the state:
• Mr. Kakha, first of all, please explain how a consumer can be sure of a product’s authenticity?
The most reliable distinguishing feature is the Georgian labeling required by legislation. As a rule, distributors of counterfeit products do not comply with these regulations, and their labels often contain orthographic (spelling) errors, incorrect information, for example regarding storage conditions, as well as inaccurate or illogical expiration dates, and other issues. By visually inspecting the product, one can notice whether it is authentic or not.
It should also be noted that, as a rule, counterfeit products are relatively lower in price, because low-quality, inexpensive raw materials are used for their production, and the main expenses are directed toward packaging in order to mislead consumers specifically through visual appearance. In addition, counterfeiters avoid taxes, expenses related to employees, and compliance with established quality standards, and as a result of this they manage to sell counterfeit coffee at a lower price.
If, despite visual inspection, doubts still remain, you can report the issue via the hotline at 0800 100 122, and our operator will immediately provide you with information based on the product’s production date and batch number. By protecting yourself in this way, the health of you and your family members will be safeguarded, and you will be assured that you are consuming a truly high-quality and certified product.
• As you mentioned, counterfeit coffee may create health risks. What dangers are we talking about?
When counterfeit products are manufactured, even basic hygienic standards may not be observed, and, naturally, the composition may include substances that pose a danger to health. By consuming such products, we take risks because, in reality, we do not know what we are supplying to our bodies, and these risks increase especially when counterfeit products are consumed several times a day on a regular basis.
Let us also talk about financial damage the consumer pays money for a branded product but does not receive the corresponding quality and safety, the guarantee of which our company has provided since the day it was founded.
• What damage does the counterfeiting of products cause both to the company and to the state?
Unfortunately, such cases harm strong companies that genuinely strive to offer consumers products of the highest quality and safety.
On the one hand, counterfeit products cause financial damage, reputational risks, and unfair competition for businesses. That is why our goal is to provide consumers with detailed information on how to protect themselves from purchasing counterfeit products. On the other hand, illegal trade also harms the state, as it leads to budget losses. Not to mention the fact that precedents of counterfeiting on such a scale are created, which may further encourage criminal activity. That is precisely why timely response and the prevention of the sale of counterfeit products are important.
• As a company that has been operating in Georgia for several decades, how do you think the spread of counterfeit products can be reduced?
In the fight against the production and distribution of counterfeit products, coordination between the state, businesses, and consumers plays a decisive role. It is precisely this chain that creates a protected market, in which the chance of counterfeit products entering is very low.
At the same time, the fight against the shadow economy is primarily the responsibility of the state. In order to avoid major financial losses and to prevent criminal activity, it is important for state institutions to take care of strengthening an organized market and ensuring fair competition.
As for the business side, for our part we are always ready for active cooperation with the relevant authorities. In addition, through various channels we actively carry out consumer awareness efforts in order to protect their health and the reputation of our brand as one that bears a high level of responsibility.
