ABAD to expand geography of sales

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan’s Center for Simplified Support to Family Businesses (ABAD) will increase the list of retail outlets selling products under the ABAD label, the Center’s director Rufat Elchiyev told Trend on April 4.

“To date, we have six sales centers and three regional centers. ABAD regional centers are located in the Masalli, Balakan and Guba regions of Azerbaijan,” he said.

Four sales centers are located in Baku, namely in the Icheri Sheher State Historical and Architectural Complex, Baku Railway Station, Heydar Aliyev International Airport and National Gymnastics Arena, during international sports competitions. ABAD shops operate in the Demirchi village of Shamakhi region and Tufandag ski resort in Gabala, Elchiyev noted.

He added that the new sales centers will open in the near future in one of the five-star hotels in Baku and at the Center of Ceramics and Applied Arts in Shaki.

“This center will open its doors soon, both for visitors and for those who want to learn crafts. Apart from ceramics, other kinds of applied art will be represented there,” ABAD director said.

He further noted that such a center is also being built in the Nardaran village of Absheron region. The opening of two more regional centers is expected in Shaki and Imishli regions.

ABAD was created by the presidential decree dated September 23, 2016. The Center carries out socially oriented projects aimed at ensuring the active participation of the citizens in the social-economic life of Azerbaijan, developing small and medium entrepreneurship, raising the employment rate of the population and supporting the establishment of competitive family businesses in the country. Presently, the main areas for ABAD are agriculture and arts and crafts.

The Center provides business planning, marketing, branding and design, financial accounting and legal assistance services to family households. Furthermore, ABAD manages certification of products based on the single window principle, and arranges transportation and sales of products.