Irish butter, cheese, whiskey and seafood already turn up on menus and supermarket shelves in Baku, and every year more producers ask us about the market. We asked members who export there what they wish they had known at the start.

Start with a distributor, not a shop

Most Irish producers sell through a local importer or distributor who looks after customs, storage and the relationships with retailers and hotels. Take your time choosing one. Meet them in person, visit their warehouse and ask who else they work with.

Get the paperwork right first time

Every shipment needs the right certificates, and labels are normally expected in Azerbaijani. The rules change, so check the current requirements with your distributor and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine before the first order goes out. A delayed container of chilled goods is an expensive lesson.

Think about the route

Goods usually travel by sea to a Black Sea port such as Poti in Georgia and on to Baku by road or rail, or overland through Türkiye. Ask your freight forwarder to compare the timing as well as the price.

Hotels and restaurants open doors

Baku’s hotels and restaurants are often the first customers for a new Irish brand. A dish on a good menu builds your name long before you reach a supermarket.

Use the help that’s out there

Enterprise Ireland can help with market research and trade events, and AZPROMO, Azerbaijan’s export and investment agency, can point you towards buyers. Our members are always happy to share what worked for them, too.

Getting ready to ship your first order? Get in touch and we’ll introduce you to a member who has done it.

Every month someone asks us the same question: where do I start? There’s no single answer, but after many conversations with members who have done it, the same pieces of advice keep coming up.

Go and visit

Relationships matter a great deal in Azerbaijani business, and they’re built face to face. Plan at least one trip before you expect anything to happen, and try to go back more than once.

Find a good local partner

A trusted partner, adviser or distributor on the ground can save you months. Ask other members for introductions. That’s exactly what we’re here for.

Be patient

Things can move slowly at the start, then very quickly once trust is in place. Build that into your plans and your budget.

Mind the clock and the calendar

Baku is three hours ahead of Dublin in summer and four hours ahead in winter. Novruz, the spring holiday in March, is a big occasion, so don’t plan your launch for that week.

Think about language

Azerbaijani is the official language, and Russian is still widely used in business. English is more and more common, especially among younger professionals, but a good interpreter for important meetings and documents is money well spent.

Get proper advice

For anything involving tax, contracts or regulations, talk to a qualified adviser and check the latest official guidance. Rules change, and what was true for a member five years ago may not be true today.

If you’re thinking about the market and would like to talk to someone who has been there, get in touch. We’ll happily put you in contact with the right member.

Ireland is small, English-speaking and part of the European Union, and that’s exactly why a growing number of Azerbaijani companies use it as their base in Europe. If you’re thinking of joining them, here’s where to begin.

Why Ireland

Companies tell us the same things: English is the language of business, Dublin is only a few hours behind Baku, and from Ireland you can reach customers right across the EU. There’s also a large pool of skilled people, especially in technology, finance and engineering.

Registering your company

New companies register with the Companies Registration Office, and then with the Revenue Commissioners for tax. Most people ask an Irish accountant or solicitor to handle this, and it can usually be done within a few weeks.

A bank account and an address

Opening a business bank account can take longer than registering the company, so start early. You’ll need an Irish address, and many new arrivals begin in a shared office or business centre.

Hiring people

If you plan to bring staff over from Azerbaijan, look into employment permits well in advance. Hiring locally is often quicker, and recruitment agencies and university careers services are good places to start.

Who can help

IDA Ireland supports overseas companies setting up in Ireland, and the Local Enterprise Offices help smaller businesses. We can also introduce you to members who have already made the move, including several on our Cross Border Entities page.

Rules on tax, company law and permits change, so always take proper advice and check the latest official guidance. Questions in the meantime? Get in touch.

Azerbaijan is best known for oil and gas, but it’s also investing in wind and solar. The government has set a goal for renewables to make up around 30% of the country’s electricity capacity by 2030. The first large solar plant is already running, and more projects are on the way.

Where Ireland comes in

Ireland has spent more than twenty years building wind farms, first on land and now at sea, often in tough Atlantic conditions. That experience in planning, grid connections, engineering and maintenance is exactly what a new market needs.

Opportunities our members are talking about

Look beyond Azerbaijan

Projects in Georgia and across the wider region often involve the same developers, banks and advisers. A foothold in Baku can open doors right across the South Caucasus.

Getting started

Large projects are usually led by international developers, so many Irish firms start out as subcontractors or specialist advisers. Our Energy and Renewables working group meets regularly to share leads and experience, and new faces are always welcome.

Find out about the working group, or get in touch for an introduction.