The story of Susanna Hakobyan began in the orchards of Armenia’s Armavir region, where her family had long been growing fruit. Over the years, as the harvests grew larger, the family noticed that a considerable share of good fruit was going to waste.
Rather than letting it spoil, they saw an opportunity.
The idea was simple but transformative: turn fresh fruit into high-quality dried products. Combining traditional methods with modern technology, the family decided to launch their own production of dried fruits – opening a new chapter for the business.
Small steps towards a sustainable business
The company was officially established in 2019 under the Sun Cheers brand.
“We started with very small steps,” Susanna recalls. “At the beginning, only members of our family worked in the company, and we put our full effort into every stage of the process.”
Government support programmes helped the business take its first steps. However, a major milestone came when the company joined the EU-funded project “Building Sustainable Agribusiness and Apparel Value Chains in Armenia”, implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the EU4Business Initiative.
Participation in the project became a turning point for the company’s development.
Through the project, the company received specialised capacity-building training, branding support and advisory services. Susanna also took part in an experience exchange programme, which helped introduce new technologies into production.
One of the most important improvements was the adoption of modern processing technologies for dried peaches. With support from the project, the company upgraded its smoke-drying system and improved production infrastructure – significantly increasing both production capacity and product quality.
“Thanks to the experience exchange and advisory support, we introduced new technologies and almost tripled – even quadrupled – our production capacity,” says Susanna.
“These achievements gave us the confidence to start entering new international markets.”
First steps on the international stage
A major opportunity came with participation in Gulfood 2025, one of the world’s largest food industry exhibitions.
Through the project’s support, the company took part in B2B meetings with international buyers. As a result, the business has already established a partnership with a company from the United Arab Emirates, while several additional agreements are currently under discussion and show strong potential for successful cooperation.
“The trainings and advisory services helped me develop essential skills – especially in negotiation and presenting our company to international partners,” Susanna explains.
Before joining the project, the company mainly sold its products through local resellers. Today, the situation has changed dramatically.
“Through hard work, persistence and the project’s support, we managed to enter new markets. Now we are proud to export our products internationally.”
Growing stronger: new products, new brand, new opportunities
The company’s growth has also brought new developments.
With support from the project, the business launched a new product line of chocolate-covered dried fruit dragees and successfully carried out a rebranding. Today the company’s products are presented under the Mixella brand.
The expansion has also created new employment opportunities, particularly for seasonal workers from the local community.
At the same time, the company continues to participate in the project’s trainings and advisory activities aimed at improving compliance with food safety regulations, EU export standards and other key international requirements.
Looking ahead
What began as a small family initiative to reduce food waste has grown into a dynamic and forward-looking agribusiness.
Thanks to EU support, modern production technologies and growing international partnerships, Susanna Hakobyan’s company is steadily expanding its presence in global markets.
With strong foundations in Armenia’s rich agricultural traditions and a clear vision for the future, the company is well positioned to continue its journey from local orchards to international shelves.
