How Georgian businessman George Svanidze develops olive culture in the world
He plans to plant 100 million olive trees in the world, with plantations in Kazakhstan as well
George Svanidze, a well-known entrepreneur in Georgia, has been engaged in the olive business for more than 15 years. He pioneered the business in his native country. Together with his partners, Svanidze owns Global Olive Corporation. The Company owns its own olive plantations, produces oil and grows 1 million olive seedlings in its nursery, with the potential to increase that number to 5 million in the next two to three years.
Svanidze has ambitious plans to plant 100 million olive seedlings in the world and do business globally. George sees his mission as follows: to green the planet, improve people’s health and create a favorable and healthy atmosphere for the future generation.
Global Olive Corporation currently operates in Georgia, Uzbekistan, India, Spain and Kazakhstan. The Company entered Kazakhstan two years ago: experimental olive orchards have already been planted here, and there are plans to expand the business. George Svanidze told Forbes Kazakhstan about this and his business in general.
How two olives turned into a mission
Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II blessed George Svanidze to engage in the olive business. One day, holding an olive branch with only two fruits on it, the patriarch said: «George, get into the olives business, you’ll do a great thing for the country with it.»
Svanidze planted his first olive trees in 2009 — several thousand on eight hectares in Georgia, his native land. Ten years later, through his efforts, the country became a member of the International Olive Council (IOC) under the auspices of the United Nations. It is the main «olive» organization in the world, it regulates the market, sets quality standards for producers, and does research.
George became IOC president in 2019 and then in 2020 with a term through 2021. «No one has ever been elected to this position twice before me,” he says. During his presidency, Svanidze «brought» Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan there and made Kazakhstan a candidate to join the organization. Georgе also introduced a new day to the global holiday calendar — World Olive Tree Day, November 26.
Business for millions
Svanidze is engaged in the olive business together with his partners — Kazakh businessman Dinmuhamed Idrissov (No. 17 of the «75 Richest Businessmen» rating and No. 26 of the «50 Most Influential Businessmen Forbes Kazakhstan» rating) and businessman Mark Haynes Daniel. Global Olive Corporation’s assets are valued at more than $300 million, with investments totaling US$50 million over 16 years.
The Company has 2,500 hectares of land in eastern Georgia, in the historical region of Kakheti. Olive plantations cover 1,500 hectares, and there are 1 million of trees. «Our gardens are the most beautiful, the best well-tended, ” says George with love and pride.
Global Olive Corporation has olive oil production and the company, according to Svanidze, has already taken 30% of the domestic market for olives. Products are sent to the Netherlands, Russia and even — from 2024 — to Kazakhstan (although not so much yet — about 5% of production). Olive oil will be supplied to all countries where the retail chain operates by the end of 2026 under the contract with Carrefour.
A large olive processing plant is now under construction. It will utilize modern Italian, Spanish and Turkish technologies. When it launches in September 2025, the Company will be able to process 160 tons of olives every day — from its own orchards and from the harvest it accepts from the public (Global Olive Corporation distributes and sells seedlings from its nursery to people with a commitment to buy back the harvest). The plant will be able to produce approximately 3.2 million liters of olive oil and 500 tons of pickled olives per month at 60% capacity.
Besides, Global Olive Corporation owns 80-90% of the domestic olive seedling market in Georgia. Before imports were 100%. The company exports seedlings to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, UAE (Dubai), India and is negotiating supplies to Greece.
Experiments and promotion
It is now in Svanidze’s interest to develop olive culture in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, India, and Saudi Arabia. He attributes the choice of these particular countries to global climate change.
Traditionally, olives are grown in Greece, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Turkey and other countries. But because of the heat, the harvest there is declining, and prices for the product are rising: they have increased from 2.8-2.9 Euro to 8 Euro per kilogram for six or seven years, according to the businessman.
Expanding the geography of olive cultivation, Svanidze believes that it will help increase yields and growers’ profits, as well as stabilize prices in the world market.
Global Olive Corporation is ready to invest US$10-15 million in each country of its presence.
«When we enter a country as investors, we come to an agreement with the state and the local ministry of agriculture — we sign a memorandum. IOC, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the World Bank, the Development Fund of Georgia come with us, and we cooperate with Olam, one of the world’s largest agro-firms. In each country where we come, we study the climate, water and land, import technology, invite agronomists from the University of Cordoba that is considered number one in olives, train farmers and plant seedlings in pilot plantations,” says the interviewee.
The olive experiment has already begun in Kazakhstan. In 2023, Svanidze, Idrissov and a third partner, Zhakyp Marabayev, planted the first batch of 10,000 seedling in three regions — Mangistau, Turkestan and Zhetysu.
In May 2024, mature five-year-old seedlings were brought to Kazakhstan. «In the Mangistau and Turkestan regions, the trees have taken root and have already yielded their first fruits, though not yet a harvest,” says George.
The plans for Kazakhstan are to plant 1 million olive seedlings, create a nursery, and build an olive processing plant using the latest technology (if all goes well, it will appear in 2029). Svanidze also plans to make Kazakhstan a member of the International Olive Council in 2026.
Dividends for millenia
Svanidze incorporates the latest technologies at Global Olive Corporation. Each tree here has an electronic certificate with a QR code.
«We offer everyone to earn with us by investing in the olive business,” says the businessman. "Living in any country in the world, a person can buy one or more olive trees from us. We will plant them, grow them, provide care, and the owner of these trees will profit from the harvest.»
This is what electronic certificates are for: every investor will be able to know exactly where his/her tree grows — in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, India or some other country. He will know the variety, age and volume of the crop.
The businessman says that there are cameras in the plantations — you can watch the growth of the tree. It is possible to come and harvest on your own.
«Imagine, you invested in a tree once, and in the next thousand years you, your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren get a return. Olive trees grow and bear fruit for a thousand, if not a thousand and a half years. We give people the opportunity to make money from it, and that’s our big thing,” Svanidze says and adds in conclusion: — Olive culture is not just about business but about greening the planet and enabling everyone to become healthier and happier.»
