In November 2023, the average cost of preparing a standard portion of Imeretian Khachapuri continued its upward climb, reaching 6.47 GEL. This represents a 5.5% increase from the previous month (October 2023) and a 6.9% decrease compared to the same period last year (November 2022).

During this season, it is typical for the index to show an ascending pattern, primarily driven by the increasing prices of milk and dairy products. This trend is a consequence of the seasonal reduction in fresh milk availability, leading to heightened demand for imported milk powder as a substitute.

In November, there was a monthly increase in the prices of all khachapuri ingredients. Particularly noteworthy was the significant rise in the price of cheese, increasing by 8.3%. Subsequently, there were additional increases in the prices of yeast (+5.9%), butter (+3.5%), milk (+2.6%), flour (+0.4%), and eggs (+0.3%).

It's worth noting that the cost of preparing one standard Imeretian khachapuri is the highest in Kutaisi (6.66 GEL) and the lowest in Batumi (6.39 GEL). Furthermore, a significant increase in cheese prices was observed in Kutaisi (+14.3%) and Telavi (+12.7%) during November 2023, which is expected to lead to a gradual rise in cheese prices across the entire country in the near future.

The expectation is that prices for essential food items will continue to rise, driven by increased demand during the holiday season, and likely to persist as winter brings shortages in supply.