“The taste of Artsakh” was a force that made us all stand up. Nelli Poghosyan

During the 44-day war, Nelly and Raffi, like many others, helped our compatriots temporarily displaced from Artsakh by providing them with shelter, food, clothes, and everything they needed.

After two weeks, they realized that the disaster was going on, something had to be thought out to ensure the employment of the people of Artsakh. They turned a part of their summer house in Dzoraghbyur into a small workshop.

The production of canned jams got the name “The Taste of Artsakh”, was recognized and loved so much that it left the area of the summer house. Now they have a separate workshop, where 5 women from Artsakh work. Their number doubles during the season. The founders hope that their social initiative will gradually become a growing business.

WomenNet.am spoke with Nelli Poghosyan, the author of the “Taste of Artsakh” initiative, who spares no effort and energy to convey the taste of Artsakh to us.

As a start

Like many others, my friends and I formed a group during the war and began to help all those in need. We had accommodated about 250 people. 10, 20, 30 days ․․․ We realized that the war did not stop. It was no longer possible to help constantly! There comes a time when you realize that your budget is running out. We decided to make an investment that will benefit those people continuously.

My husband and I had heard a lot that the people of Artsakh they make delicious food, but there was no occasion to try anything other than “bread with zhengyal”. We tried to find Artsakh women who will make Artsakh canned food and will have interesting recipes.

At first we worked with women we had already met. Then we started spreading announcements – working with food is difficult, only good cooking at home is not enough. We gave preference to women from Hadrut. The priority was to have good people, then only agile workers.

One of the employees was so upset at first that she was crying more during the day than working, but we continued to work with her. If we had considered the work at that moment, our initiative would not have served its purpose. Now some problems have been solved, she is standing on solid feet. Together we managed to get out of that difficult situation. We even turn anger and crying into love, and inject that love into our jams and canned food.

The first 150 containers

For the first time we prepared only 150 containers. At that moment it seemed to me that we had produced such a quantity that no one had seen, but it was consumed within a few days. We understood that there is a demand. We started to produce more, to increase the range.

We received an offer from one of the supermarkets to sell the assortment. The cans have passed all the required examinations. We registered a private enterprise, signed contracts with employees, and started working. It has been several months since the production has stabilized, the employees have a stable salary, regardless of whether it will be sold or not.

The whole team of Anna Salome worked for free on our marketing plan. They invented our colors, logo, everything. There was a girl from Hadrut in the team, who was writing and sending the versions of our motto.

And the name is “The Taste of Artsakh” ․․․ To tell the truth, nothing else came to my mind, I thought, we have to do something to represent Artsakh, we have to present the taste of Artsakh. What we eat is very good, but it is typical Armenian, everything is written in the recipe. It is not so in “Taste of Artsakh”.

For me, however, it was the best motivation. My husband and I spent the whole war period “with the taste of Artsakh” and realized that even now we can stand on our feet, be strong and create. If we did not do this, we would definitely be the first to be broken.

You can find the “Taste of Artsakh” in almost all supermarkets and kiosks in Armenia. They welcomed us with open arms. It is true that the local market is very small, we are not able to cover all our expenses only by consuming here, but we are trying to export it.

We sent a very small quantity to Sochi. Negotiations with our partners Russia and the United States are underway.

The most important thing that Artsakh women have taught me is to be strong. When problems arise in our homes, our mothers get upset and broken. The people of Artsakh left all their property, came, but settled down, the children go to school, university. What they went through is a reason not to find yourself for at least a year.

Of course they have problems, but they stand firmly on their feet. They are strong in any situation, they do not break, they understand that life goes on, we will live.

Full text in Armenian