A family business in the border town of Jermuk
Family business in border town of Jermuk
Armenia is going through hard times, but there are still many among young people who prefer to get on their feet and overcome difficulties in their homeland, rather than leave somewhere for a “better” life. This is the story of a couple who started a family two years ago and set up a business in Jermuk immediately after the 2020 Karabakh war . The family did not leave the border town even during the September military escalation, when Jermuk was under fire from the Azerbaijani Armed Forces .
They have stayed in their city to raise a child and develop their business.
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From Philology to Business
Tatevik, who studied philology, didn’t think she’d ever get interested in business and even open one in her border town.
It all started when she moved from her native Vanadzor to the capital and began working at a newspaper. When preparing economic analysis she realized that she did not have enough knowledge, and decided to go for a degree in economics.
“At the suggestion of a coworker, I visited the Agribusiness Learning Center, a collaboration between the local Agricultural and Texas A&M University.
“Statistics, business analysis and forecasts were a whole new world for me. The first open lesson was decisive. I had been looking for such a school in Armenia for so long,” Tatevik says.
Thus in 2017 Tatevik found herself in an unusual situation, studying math in English.
“At first it was very difficult. Many of the fellow students couldn’t handle the workload and dropped out. It helped me that I worked on a free schedule, it allowed me to combine work with classes,” she recalls.
In search of an interesting topic for her thesis, Tatevik met Vazgen Galstyan from Jermuk.
“At that time Vazgen’s family was engaged in the production of canned pine cones. And he suggested studying the topic of preparing these canned food for factory production. He said that he would share his experience of home production,” Tatevik says.
Business relations grew into a personal one, and the pine cone jam became a joint business plan for the new couple.
“The war forced us to act faster”
They decided to establish a small production in Jermuk.
While thinking about a business plan, the Karabakh war of 2020 erupted, and they had to postpone their business plans voluntarily and instead took up volunteer work.
“The war forced us to act faster. As soon as the hostilities stopped, we organized a small production in Jermuk,” Vazgen Galstyan says.
He says that it was important for them not only to offer people a useful and high-quality product, but also to add to the economic life of Jermuk.
The company started production with jam and doshaba ( boiled, concentrated juice) from pine cones, then expanded their range with rosehip jam and multi-flower honey.
“Jermuk is unique in its nature and rich vegetation. Our product also had to be exceptional,” Tatevik says with a smile.
She shares with her husband the concerns of promoting the business, and using the knowledge gained during her studies.
Along with the founding of the company’s business the couple has had a daughter, who became a new motive for the parents to work hard and strive for success.
Tatevik has not abandoned the family business; she takes care of the child and at the same time oversees the company’s marketing strategy, while Vazgen establishes stable business ties.
“Both the child and the business require daily care and attention. The buyer sees an attractive product on the shelves, but behind it is the hard work of dozens of people,” Tatevik says.
“The key to success is uniqueness”
Since 2021 the company has switched to factory production, providing the necessary laboratory tests and obtaining a certificate of conformity to sell in the EAEU, an economic union of which Armenia is a member.
The couple are proud that their company is a leader in the production of cone jam and unique in the preparation of rosehip jam.
“Jam and doshab from cones help strengthen the immune system, overcome cough. Rosehip jam and preserves are also among our exclusive products. Thanks to the special technology that we employ in our production, it is possible to preserve the beneficial properties of fruits and obtain the healthiest products,” Tatevik explains.
Another achievement is that the company’s products in gift boxes are now presented in branded stores Yerevan and on Armenian online platforms. Foreign buyers buy their products on the platform buyarmenian.com.
“Our products are in demand not only because they are good for health, but also because of their visual appeal and design solutions. Many people buy our preserves and jams in order to give them as a gift,” Vazgen says proudly.
“Border enterprises need state support”
It became extremely difficult to ensure the normal, uninterrupted operation of business in Jermuk after the September hostilities.
“After the change in the location of our positions on the border, and due to the loss of territory, the collection process became more complicated, which involved not only residents of Jermuk but also neighboring settlements. Risks arose both in terms of maintaining production volumes and providing seasonal work for residents of neighboring settlements,” Vazgen says.
He explains that all entrepreneurs in border settlements have problems and they all need support from the state.
But the Galstyan family is not sitting idly by waiting for help, but have begun repairing and improving the production area. The couple plans to start next season with more purchases.
Young entrepreneurs continue to look for new ways to grow their business despite challenges. They say that they will not abandon their plans. Overcoming obstacles becomes a motivation to carry on, to strive for more. Tatevik and Vazgen set themselves the ambitious goal of becoming a well-known company, “bringing the taste of Armenian nature to people living everywhere in the world.”
“Jermuk for us is not just the name of a city, it is our home,” Tatevik says.
In order to make their city more famous, they and other residents created a civil initiative “Welcome to Jermuk” . Here they publish information that may interest tourists, attract their attention, and increase the number of visitors to the city. They hope that in this way they will be able to restore the interest Jermuk enjoyed before the war, and thus help the city and its inhabitants.
Business in border Jermuk
