Aline Masrelian vividly remembers when her family first moved to Yerevan, Armenia, from Aleppo, Syria in 1998. She struggled to find her favorite spices in Yerevan’s markets and wondered how other mothers managed to cook without the aromatic flavors they had back home. “We saw a market opportunity here and decided to produce the spices ourselves,” says Aline, now a co-founder of Haleb1999 alongside her husband, Gevork Sarian.

The vibrant flavours that the Sarian family once brought to Yerevan will soon reach European markets, thanks to the EU4Digital eCommerce Accelerator initiative called the National Pavilion Account. This pilot service offers small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Armenia and other participating countries a chance to test their products in the EU market, boost cross-border sales, and lay the groundwork for further expansion.

Banks.am spoke with representatives of the EU4Digital accelerator and some participating SMEs to learn more about the programme and its benefits.

Overcoming the obstacles together

It is challenging for Armenian entrepreneurs to access European markets due to significant differences in standards, complex legal procedures and logistical barriers. To address these challenges, the EU4Digital eCommerce accelerator has introduced the National Pavilion Account pilot initiative. This initiative supports the creation of single, national account on the Amazon EU platform, enabling multiple SMEs from the participating countries to use their national account without additional registration, documentation, or other marketplace-specific requirements.

“The National Pavilion Account pilot is an innovative initiative addressing entry barriers for businesses from Eastern partner countries, including Armenia, into European markets. There are many unknown processes, regulations and challenges. For a small business with quality products but limited scale, navigating these can be expensive and requires extensive expertise. Our goal is to bridge that gap by leveraging expert knowledge in eCommerce and providing guidance,” explains Michael Erixon, Senior Consultant with EY, who works on the EU4Digital eCommerce accelerator.

For this pilot project, the national account owner is Buy Armenian, a well-established eCommerce platform. Buy Armenian manages the National Pavilion Account on Amazon EU, handling product listings, transactions, and customer support. The products of participating SMEs are sold through the one national account. Both the account owner and product owners receive expert guidance on navigating the EU eCommerce landscape.

 “Throughout the project, we provide training to ensure that while the pilot achieves short-term success, the participating companies gain the knowledge and skills to sustain their success in the future. The broader aim is to promote cross-border commerce between the European Union and Eastern partner countries,” adds Erixon.

Pillows embroidered with Armenian rug ornaments on EU markets

The National Pavilion Account pilot was first introduced in Armenia in May 2023. Following the selection of Buy Armenian as the national account owner, the selection of 5 participating SMEs began. After months of collaboration and expert guidance, Armenian producers are now ready to move forward.

One of the participants, Tsovinar Miskaryan, is thrilled to present her Miskaryan Heritage brand to European customers. She produces pillows, tablecloths, bags and souvenirs embroidered with Armenian rug ornamentation. After establishing Miskaryan Heritage 5 years ago, Tsovinar has managed to build a well-recognised brand in Armenia and beyond.

“Armenia has a rich culture, and Armenian rugs and carpets with their unique ornaments are an important part of it. Since they are mainly displayed in museums, their art and beauty are solely accessible to museum visitors. I wanted to bring that art into people’s homes by embroidering Armenian rug patterns onto pillowcases,” explains Tsovinar.

Although she has exhibited her brand at several European events and received positive feedback from buyers, organising export processes on her own would have been a major challenge.

“We have been working with the experts for 8–9 months, taking it step by step. There was so much we did not know about international trade, large-scale markets and the strict EU regulations. Thanks to the project’s team, we have learned and grown, and now we are ready to sell,” says Tsovinar.

5 types of pillows will initially be listed on Amazon EU, and Tsovinar is hopeful about expanding her product range in the future.

The taste of Armenia in Europe with Haleb1999 spices

Another SME selected for the pilot is Sharoyan-Sarian LLC, the company behind the above-mentioned Haleb1999 spice brand.

Artak Sarian, the son of the founding family and Deputy Director of the company, shares the secret to their success in Armenia.

“We work with farmers across Armenia, teaching them the know-how to produce the best raw materials for our products. We have a strict rule to use only Armenian ingredients, and we proudly say that what we produce truly represents the taste of Armenia – the land, the water, and the hard work of Armenian people,” says Sarian.

After building a successful business in Armenia and expanding their product range to include sweets, nuts and groceries, the family began exploring export opportunities. While they have made small sales abroad, these efforts were more experimental than large-scale.

“The work we have accomplished through this project in just a few months would have taken me years to do alone. Since the food industry is sensitive, we decided to start with what we do best - spices, a field where we have 25 years of experience,” Sarian explains.

Five types of Haleb1999 spices, including ‘Za'atar’ and ‘7 Spices’, will be listed on Amazon EU, bringing the authentic taste of Armenia to European kitchens.

In addition to pillows and spices, other Armenian products, such as honey (Honey.am), teas (Antaram) and scarves (Hasis), will also be presented through the National Pavilion Account. All products are expected to be available on Amazon EU by early next year.

Building brands that tell the story of Armenia

The pilot programme focuses on six main EU countries with Amazon platforms: Germany, Poland, France, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic. These serve as key entry points, but products can be purchased from almost any country in the EU through platforms like Amazon.de or Amazon.it. Which specific markets are targeted depends on each product and company.

In later stages, the programme will monitor and assess the pilot’s success, providing recommendations for expanding National Pavilion Accounts to other Eastern partner countries.

“Selling on online markets is not that simple. There are many small details that can make a product stand out and become more visible. That is why EU4Digital relies on a strong network of eCommerce experts to give these products a competitive edge,” says Michael Erixon.

Žygintas Songaila, a Consultant at EY and an expert in the EU4Digital eCommerce accelerator, emphasises the importance of transparency when selling in the EU.

“Transparency is key. Consumers want to know exactly what they are getting - whether it is ingredients or product details. Ultimately, it is about focusing on the customer. If you create a product that is useful, high-quality and customer-focused, it will naturally align with EU standards,” explains Songaila.

Building a strong brand is also critical. According to Songaila, products like Armenian honey, tea, spices and designer pillowcases are unique and hold great potential to attract European customers if the stories behind them are well presented.

The EU4Digital programme also includes other initiatives to support eCommerce, such as the free eCommerce in EU Marketplaces' online course for Armenian citizens and SMEs, which is offered in the Armenian language.

Drawing from his own experience, Artak Sarian encourages other producers not to be afraid of logistical challenges and to take part in such programmes to gain essential skills.

“All obstacles are surmountable. Let's try to tell the world about Armenia through our products,” he concludes.

Gaiane Yenokian
Photos by Agape Grigoryan