Restaurant Ar Areni

According to the archaeological data of Areni-1 cave in Vayots Dzor, winemaking in Armenia started as far back as 4000 BC. By visiting here and participating in any stage of grape cultivation, the guests can get acquainted with the ancient traditions of gardening and winemaking. After that, there is an option to take part in one of the two culinary master classes offered at the Ar Aren family restaurant, too.

Tolma master class. Grape leaves are used in many national dishes and are an integral part of traditional tolma. In case the guests visit the place during the period of collecting fresh leaves, they can collect the leaves from the garden and wrap tolma in them.

Fish cooking master class. The river flowing through the village of Areni is famous for the most delicious fishes (koghak) of the region, which is often caught and used by the locals in the kitchen. The guests, who have chosen to attend this masterclass, will be introduced to the local method and recipe of cooking fish. They will be involved in the cooking process and will be able to apply the new skills in their own kitchen in the future.

Marketing approach

The organization has Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ArAreniRestaurant/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ar.areni/) pages, is registered with TripAdvisor, and has a Google Maps location. It organizes study visits.

Financial situation

Financial stability is ensured at the expense of revenues from the sale of own products and services. Borrowing in the form of business loans is also used.

Key success factors and challenges

The key to success are purposefulness, diligence, creativity, striving for a prosperous life for the generation, having a teamwork spirit, being a business family. Possession of professional winemaking skills (production, tasting) are also guarantees of success. The creation and establishment of the business was also facilitated by the partner-clients (tour operators, tour guides), who expressed a wish to have a more organized environment of rest and food during their visit. The main challenge for the activity is the large number of similar services (winemaking, food organization) in the village, as a result of which it is very difficult to ensure originality.

Plans for future development

Future development plans are related to strengthening the enterprise's marketing policy (production of souvenirs in the form of wine bottles, appropriate packaging and design), acquisition of new winemaking equipment and improvement of relevant infrastructure.

Sources of the images:
https://www.facebook.com/ArAreniRestaurant/
https://www.instagram.com/ar.areni/