SYMBEEOSIS: A New Food Brand

magazine

WITH HIPPOCRATIC DNA

Nikos and Niki Koutsiana, the founders of “Apivita”, introduce their new venture, Symbeeosis, a food brand with organic, biofunctional herbs & beekeeping products, based on the Hippocratic philosophy: ‘food is our medicine’.

Let’s start with the brand’s name: Symbeeosis comes from the Greek word Symbiosis (Syn+biosis, which means living together) and the bee, the most important pollinator of nature and a model inspirer of harmonious coexistence. “Symbiosis is everywhere in nature”, says Nikos Koutsianas, former BoD president of the famous beauty brand Apivita, which he founded, along with his wife, Niki, in 1979. According to Mr Koutsianas, nature is the perfect example of the harmonious coexistence of different organizations building mutually beneficial relationships. Inspired by this unique example, Symbeeosis grows, harvests and offers mountain tea, herbs and organic honey, products deriving from vital examples of symbiosis that exist

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Impressive works of art by sculptor Nikos-Giorgos Papoutsidis adorn the brand's headquarters in Attica, Greece.

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Symbeeosis products are based on brand owned cultivations of indiginous plants and bee products.

in nature. “Our functional products, born of our creative symbiosis with nature, improve nutrition, support good health, and add authentic Greek flavors to our every day. Niki, myself and everybody involved in the Symbeeosis project firmly believe in good living, and we embrace sustainability, creativity and innovation, not as a mere motto, but as a way of living. Cooperation and interdependence is the future”, stresses Mr Koutsianas.

Food is the key to good health

The statistics reveal what most people ignore -or choose to ingore: one in five adults globally die due to bad eating habits, making diet the leading cause of premature death. Furthermore, there is something really broken in our food system: we deforest around 10 million hectares of forest globally every year, 75% of the world’s crop varieties have been lost over the last century (there are 442 million acres of monocropping in the US alone), while more than 75% of Earth’s land areas are substantially degraded, undermining the well-being of 3.2 billion people. The phrase “our future lies in our food” was never more true than today. The solution, according to the brand, is purpose driven businesses which turn agriculture from a problem into a solution. People have the power to do good through regenerative business, agriculture, and beekeeping.

SYMBEEOSIS IN NUMBERS

313.000m 2

OF BRAND-OWNED CULTIVATIONS - Mount Olympus 85.000m2. - Arkadia 36.000m2, - Euboea 170.000m2, - Domokos 22.000m2

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BRAND-OWNED BEE FLOCKS AND HIVES visiting over 30 billion flowers per day enhancing local plant diversity. 9 TONS

OF HONEY PER YEAR - up to 5 tones of organic thyme honey, 2 tones of organic pine honey and 2 tones of organic heather honey.

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Sybeeosis products: Greek Mountain Tea, Greek Herbs, Greek Honey, Food Supplements The Practices

From genomics to key collaborations, the brand watches every step of its way: ■ smart agricultural and beekeeping practices (the latest trends in technology and big data platforms to upscale production and conserve recourses). ■ development of genomic protocols (specific origin of the genetic material, from populations with the best desired characteristics to ensure quality). ■ collaboration with leading research institutes and the Greek and international academic community. ■ minimum footprint from farm to fork. ■ biodiversity strategy & holistic cultivation (organic and regenerative cultivations emphasizing on soil health and healthy bee populations). ■ ethical business (transparency throughout the supply chain, under the thought that everyone is a stakeholder). ■ ongoing certification plan (Regenerative Organic Certification, B-corp & BREEAM).

The Products

Symbeeosis brand offers Greek, certified organic functional food & beverage products, fortified with natural active extracts from medicinal herbs and propolis, in 4 categories: Greek Mountain Tea, Greek Herbs, Greek Honey, Food Supplements. All products, based solely on medicinal herbs and beekeeping ingredients, are equally beneficial for people’s health and wellbeing, and for the planet.

All products are fortified with natural active extracts from medicinal Herbs & propolis

The Packaging

The brand has carefully chosen the packaging of the products, in accordance with its core values and philosophy. ■ Metal, plastic-free packaging for tea & herbs, made of tinplate, certified plastic-free & Metal Recycles ForeverTM (can be reused or recycled continuously) ■ Compostable pyramids for tea & herbs (made from PLA -Polylactic acid-, a fiber derived from maize starch, naturally biodegradable in soil or water, without emitting pollutants and leaving zero footprint). ■ Glass jars for honey, with a metal lid that can be reused or recycled. ■ Cardboard boxes (recyclable FSC certified paper, which ensures that it comes from responsibly managed forests, controlled sources, recycled materials or a combination of these.)