The Washington Inquirer EditorRoniko, a leading optical company in Georgia, has been the recipient of several prestigious awards and recognitions over the years, including the Golden Brand award in the favorite optical company category. In an exclusive interview, Roland Javakhia, General Director of Roniko, talks about the company’s market leadership, expansion plans, and the latest brands and models in their collection.
Q. In the category “favorite optical company” Roniko has again won the Golden Brand award. What factors led to this second victory, in your opinion?
A. Roniko has been a leader for 30 years. Throughout this time, our approach to work has remained constant and we have continued to evolve. We are grateful to have received the prestigious Golden Brand award this year again, which is a great honor. Thank you very much for this recognition!
Q. Last year Roniko was awarded the title of “Leading Optical Company of the Year” by the Business Ratings Union and the Swiss Rating Association. This recognition speaks to Roniko’s market leadership. Can you please explain how Roniko became the market leader?
A. To the best of my knowledge, the data we have obtained come from the Department of Statistics and are based on several criteria. These criteria include not only the turnover or the number of employees but also their pay. I am proud to say that our company has the highest paid team and employees. We value our people greatly and invest heavily in their training, development and skills improvement, whether they are new or have been with us for a long time. We understand that leadership is not something that can be achieved overnight, but rather a process. Therefore, we are constantly striving to improve ourselves and our team. We are very grateful for this objective recognition of our efforts.
Q. How many brands do you offer and which new brands or models did you add last year?
A. We are consistently expanding and updating our collection of brands. It was crucial for us to have the Porsche Design brand available at our stores as it is a reputable brand with high quality products, particularly for men. We also have exciting news regarding other well-known and sophisticated brands such as Maybach, Masunaga, Furla, Philip Plein, Nina Ricci, Saint Laurent, and Kaleos.
One of our strengths at Roniko is that our partners provide us with collections promptly. We are one of the firsts in Europe, along with leading salons in Milan, London, and Paris, to source the latest innovations in the optical industry. This is appreciated by our customers and sets us apart from other networks in Georgia.
Q. With summer almost in full swing, sunglasses have become a must-have accessory. Do sales typically increase during this season and what factors should we keep in mind when selecting a pair?
A. As usual, we have prepared for the summer season. Roniko branches have already received the products and are stocked daily. We offer a wide variety of sunglasses from famous brands like Ray-Ban, Prada, Dolce&Gabbana, and Versace. We also welcome the summer season with the latest collections of these and many other famous brands. We have updated models in luxury category brands like Chopard and Cartier.
When it comes to fashion, we believe that it’s shaped by our customers and their tastes. The design is very multi-faceted and diverse, with various shapes, colors, and materials that are relevant to both extravagant and modernist styles, as well as classic and minimalist styles.
In addition to a wide range of glasses, Roniko specializes in contact lenses and spectacle lenses. We have 18 ophthalmologists working in Roniko with 15 ophthalmology offices, fully equipped with the best equipment. We are constantly updating our diagnostic equipment, and our doctors undergo training regularly by leading European specialists.
Let’s not forget that glasses are a means of vision correction. They are designed to help people live comfortably and enjoy life, so at Roniko we have a wide variety of glasses for myopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, and progressive lenses. For children, we have a unique Stellest lens that stops the growth of myopia in adults. A properly adjusted eyeglass lens and a beautiful frame can have a positive effect on vision and mood, leading to a happier life.
Q. In addition to glasses, Roniko offers a wide selection of contact lenses.
A. Regarding contact lenses, I would like to mention that through Roniko, Georgia has become one of the leading European countries where it is possible to order toric or astigmatic contact lenses. We order individual contact lenses and have them sent to us.
It is also worth noting that the number of tourists who purchase contact lenses from us is increasing year by year. Georgia is a popular tourist destination, and Roniko has gained a positive reputation among tourists. They know that we offer quality glasses and frames at very competitive prices. I would like to highlight that we have a large number of customers from Israel and Western Europe.
Q. You are an official representative of the world’s leading brands. From which country do you import products?
A. Our primary partners are Italian companies that are globally recognized for manufacturing eyeglasses, such as Luxottica, Marcolin, and De Rigo. We also have partnerships with the world’s leading eyeglass lens manufacturers – Japanese Hoya and French Essilor. For contact lenses, we work with American CooperVision and Swiss Alcon. Most of our partners are based in Europe.
Recently, we received an award for our outstanding services. Our brand manager in Budapest was honored with the Hoya award.
Q. Do Roniko stores offer sunglasses made by Georgian designers?
A. There is a design studio at Roniko that has been successfully producing quality designs. One of the studio’s accomplishments is the creation of the George Piralli brand, which is led by Sopo Maisuradze. The brand has been improving in both design and quality every year, and it has gained popularity among Georgians. Additionally, the studio has plans for another Georgian brand called Roli, which features a sophisticated and unique style of titanium line glasses. Although the brand is not yet well-known, it has great potential.
Q. What are the company’s future plans?
A. In terms of our plans, I am pleased to inform you that we are expanding our reach beyond Georgia. We have also started distributing in Azerbaijan and Armenia, and have found excellent partners in these countries, so we are achieving success there as well.
Our primary objective is to strengthen our team, whose determined attitude has been the key to our 30 years of leadership and the trust of our many loyal customers.
