General Manager Burç Kurtoğlu reflects on the company’s 2025 achievements, future strategy and a commitment to long-term impact.
EFES Georgia’s General Manager Burç Kurtoğlu
EFES Georgia marks an exceptional year in 2025 as it celebrates 20 years of its flagship brands Natakhtari Beer and Lemonade while maintaining its position as the country’s beer and lemonade market leader. In a special interview with Georgia Today, General Manager Burç Kurtoğlu discusses the company’s anniversary campaigns, corporate sustainability initiatives, and ambitious export strategy that now spans 23 countries worldwide.
2025 has been a special year for you and the company. How would you summarize the year?
2025 has been a truly defining year for both EFES Georgia and me. Taking on the responsibility of leading EFES Georgia at such an important milestone has been both an honor and a strong motivation. From the very beginning, I was deeply impressed by the strength of our people, our brands, and our connection with Georgian consumers.
2025 has been a defining year for EFES Georgia – a year in which we strengthened our leadership position while reinforcing our long-term vision. We celebrated two iconic Georgian brands reaching their 20-year milestone, and deepened our impact in sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility.
One of the main highlights of 2025 is Natakhtari Beer’s 20th anniversary. How does the brand celebrate this date?
Natakhtari Beer’s 20th anniversary is not just a celebration of time – it is a celebration of leadership, consistency, and consumer trust. For two decades, Natakhtari has represented Georgian quality, pride, and authenticity.
Our anniversary strategy was built around three pillars: heritage, innovation, and emotional connection. Limited-edition packaging, rugby-themed designs, and the launch of Natakhtari Katkha allowed us to honor our past while shaping the future. Katkha, in particular, reflects our ambition to continuously refresh the category with new experiences. Natakhtari Katkha is now available at draft beer retail outlets.
Alongside Natakhtari Beer, our brand Karva beer, which is mostly focused on youth, was especially active last year. The brand intensively supports young Georgian artists. Worth mentioning also is Karva’s limited edition release, featuring summer packaging design inspired by travel and discovery themes.
Natakhtari Lemonade also had an anniversary year. How did the brand meet this date?
Natakhtari Lemonade’s 20th anniversary symbolizes how a Georgian brand can become both a national icon and an international success story. Successfully represented in international markets, the product has been exported since 2006 and is currently sold in 23 countries worldwide. On the 20th anniversary we decided to renew the visual identity of the brand guided by deep consumer insights.
Environmental protection is one of the most important components of responsible business. 2025 has been even more distinguished in this regard. EFES Georgia, together with the National Forestry Agency, started caring for a new territory within the framework of the “Forest Friend” project in the direction of environmental protection and signed a corresponding memorandum.
Supporting this project is very important to us. EFES Georgia was the first company to join Georgia’s voluntary forest care program Forest Friend in 2023. Within the framework of corporate responsibility, the EFES Special brand began to care for the renewal of 12 hectares of forest located in Simoniantkhevi quarter of Tianeti forest district and forest natural renewal promotion measures this year.
In 2025, another memorandum of cooperation was signed between EFES Georgia and the National Forestry Agency. Within the framework of the memorandum, EFES Special beer, in cooperation with the agency, continues to care for Georgia’s forests and will undertake the restoration and development of up to 3,000 square meters of slope area neighboring to Jvari Monastery in Mtskheta forest district. Within the framework of the project, the existing ecosystem will be restored and a new green, recreational space will be created near the capital, which includes 25,306 planted trees that will produce 1,226.4 tons of oxygen. Additionally, EFES Special’s communication is based on an environmental protection campaign.
By scanning the QR code on beer packaging, consumers have the opportunity to learn about the voluntary forest care platform “Forest Friend,” and if desired, they also have the opportunity to make a donation and become a “Forest Friend.” It’s important that EFES Georgia also takes care of long-term maintenance of the restored area within the framework of the program.
This same philosophy guides our social responsibility approach. Since 2011, the Natakhtari Fund, with the professional support of the Association Our Home – Georgia, has supported over 750 young people without parental care with up to 1,200,000 GEL. Built on three core priorities – higher and vocational education, employment, and psychological support – the Fund has enabled hundreds of young people to live independently and build successful careers.
Over the past 14 years, the Natakhtari Fund has allocated its resources based on the individual needs of each beneficiary. As of today, 90% of the young people involved in the project are employed, with over 70% holding stable jobs.
Through the joint initiative of the Natakhtari Fund and the Association Our Home – Georgia, a social advocacy campaign was conducted in Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Rustavi, and Tbilisi. As a result, support for young people who have left the state care system has been strengthened within the framework of local social programs. We believe true sustainability is about creating measurable, visible, and lasting impact for future generations.
I would like to discuss your success in 2025. The UN Global Compact Network Georgia held its CS Award Ceremony, where EFES Georgia received awards in 3 nominations in the large business category.
Corporate sustainability is a declared priority for EFES Georgia. For more than 17 years, we have been implementing various projects in the direction of corporate responsibility. Accordingly, the awards received within the framework of the UN Global Compact Network Georgia program are precisely an appreciation of our efforts in this direction, which shows us that we are moving in the right direction.
EFES Georgia received awards in the large business category in 2 nominations: “Decent Work and Economic Growth” and “Sustainable Consumption and Production.” Also, at the awards ceremony, the UN Global Compact Network Georgia’s 2024 SDG Pioneer Award in the large business category was presented to EFES Georgia’s Public Relations and Digital Communications Manager, Keti Zhvania.
Recently EFES Georgia received another significant award – we have been honored by the UN Global Compact Network Georgia with the “Business for SDGs – Special Recognition Award 2025.” This award acknowledges our long-standing commitment to sustainability, our active participation in the Corporate Sustainability Awards, and the numerous awards we have received throughout the years.
In the future, we will definitely continue and expand our activities to strengthen the decent work environment, for the economic growth of the company and the country, and also for the development of sustainable consumption and production.
What can you tell us about the competition in Georgia and how do you assess the Georgian beer market in general?
The Georgian beer market is dynamic and highly competitive, which we see as a positive driver for innovation, quality, and responsibility. Strong competition pushes us to understand consumers better, execute faster, and think more strategically – while never losing sight of our commitment to society and the environment.
EFES Georgia’s strength lies in its balanced portfolio, strong brands, operational excellence, and deep market knowledge. This combination allows us not only to adapt quickly and maintain leadership in changing market conditions, but also to create sustainable value for our communities, our consumers, and future generations.
What is the export potential of the industry and what is the country doing in this regard?
The export direction in our company has been developing steadily over the years, both in terms of market volume and quantity, and remains one of our key priorities and growth perspectives. Today, we proudly export to 23 countries, and our ambition is to further strengthen our exports.
Natakhtari Lemonade leads our export growth today, but beer exports represent a strong future opportunity. Every bottle exported is not only business value, but also national value for Georgia.
It’s important that the non-alcoholic beverage industry in the country has great potential. How is EFES Georgia developing in this regard?
Natakhtari Lemonade has created a “Made in Georgia” perception in international markets. This opens doors not only for us, but for Georgian industry as a whole.
Our 16% export growth confirms that Georgian non-alcoholic beverages have strong global potential when quality, branding, and consistency come together.
Many important and valuable innovations have accumulated for you this year…
By the end of September, Oktoberfest had traditionally begun in Georgia with our licensed brand, Löwenbräu. The festival was larger in scale and more popular than last year’s event. Löwenbräu is one of the six breweries authorized to participate in Oktoberfest in Munich. It is noteworthy that Löwenbräu has been served at every Oktoberfest since 1810. On September 20–21, we gathered at Dedaena Park in Tbilisi and celebrated a true German festival with real German beer – Löwenbräu! The main highlight of the day was the competition among the finalists of Löwenbräu’s Facebook contest, followed by the awarding of the winner, who won a trip to attend Oktoberfest in Munich.
What are your key expectations for the year 2026?
As we step into 2026, our focus remains firmly on the consumer – their needs, preferences, and expectations. Understanding what truly matters to them is at the heart of our strategy. To achieve this, we plan to invest in deeper research and data-driven solutions that will help us respond effectively to market dynamics and evolving consumer trends.
Our goal is not only to stay relevant but to build meaningful connections with our audience. Strengthening our brand portfolio will be a key priority, enabling us to continue delivering value in a competitive landscape.
Looking at the broader market, we anticipate growth in both the beer and lemonade segments. Expanding into new export markets will be a major focus, as we see significant potential in this area. Natakhtari Lemonade, already a global brand with a presence in multiple countries, continues to offer exciting opportunities for further international expansion. Beer exports will also play an important role in our strategy, and we are committed to leveraging our capabilities to strengthen our position globally.
Our ambition is simple but powerful: to grow responsibly, lead confidently, and represent Georgia proudly on global markets.
