Cooperative “Alaznistavi” was established in 2015 within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development (ENPARD) and with the financial support of the EU-funded project “Supporting Agricultural Co-operation in Georgia” as a traditional Tushuri Guda cheese-making co-operative; the same year the co-operative was granted the status of an agricultural co-operative by the Agricultural Co-operatives Development Agency.

 The production farm of “Alaznistavi” is located at 2100 m above sea level, while the summer pastures of the co-op are situated at 2000-3210 m.a.s.l. within the alpine and sub-alpine areas, which, together with the traditional cheese-making technology, conditions the unique property and quality of the co-op’s produce.  

 “Alaznistavi” produces the genuine Guda cheese on the basis of century-old traditions and experience in a cheese-making plant equipped in full compliance with food safety standards, where all the requirements stipulated by these standards are met (production standard #22801924-001-2016). 

 Currently, the co-op produces four types of traditional Guda cheese: Svilobi – Tushuri sheep-milk Guda cheese, Lartusho – cow-milk Guda cheese, Dovna – sheep- and cow-milk mixed Guda cheese, and Chogi – processed Guda cheese. Each type of Guda cheese differs from one another by its composition and gustatory qualities.

 The co-op’s branded Guda cheeses gradually penetrate local supermarkets and concurrently a part of products is exported abroad (the product is marketed in 100-300 gram vacuum packages). 

     Today, 6-8 tons of cheese is annually produced in the plant with the perspective of increasing the output up to 15 tons in the near future. “Alaznistavi” also intends to introduce bio-standards in the cheese production process.