Ambrosia Magazine # 3

4

Cover Story m a g a z i ne

8

Contents m a g a z i ne

Editor’s Note

Contents 10 - 11

Business Insider

12 - 13

Cretan Food: Ιncredible Flavors

14 - 33

Early Harvest Olive Oil: Unique & Healthy

34 - 39

Say Greek PDO Cheese!

40 - 49

Gyros: The Greek Answer to Street Food

50 - 55

Dips & Spreads: A Taste of Tradition

56 - 61

Frozen Fish & Seafood

62 - 69

Greek Gourmet Food

70 - 75

Fava Santorinis: Naturally Greek

76 - 79

Mastiha Liqueur: The Mastic Factor

80 - 83

Pure, Delicious Jams

84 - 89

Food Expo Greece 2017

90 - 97

Corinthian Raisins: The Greek Black Gold

98 - 101

SIAL Paris 2016: Impressive Greek Presence

102 - 105

Food Habits Around the World

106 - 107

What’s New

108 - 114

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18 - 20 March 2017 athens • greece

96

10

Editorial m a g a z i ne

Editor’s

id

note

T

Publisher Nikos Choudalakis nx@forumsa.gr Publishing Director Thanassis Gialouris gialouris@forumsa.gr

he August moon shone, the cruel sun had already grown a little less harsh.

It tenderly stroked its dear Crete,which had again given birth to wheat and barley, maize and grapes, and was now longing for the fresh rain, writes Nikos Kazantzakis in “Freedom and Death.” And it is true: Crete is an almost magical place, an island rich in produce, blessed with rare flora and fauna and

inhabited by people with a particular way of life and of thought. Not least because of its unique geographical position; Crete is at a crossroads, in the midst of three continents: Europe, Africa, and Asia. And as a result, the island was deeply influenced by all these cultures, like no other area in the world.

That’s why in this third issue of AMBROSIA MAGAZINE, we take a closer look at this magnificent Greek isle, its unique products, its export potential, its culture,

Crete is an island rich in produce, blessed with rare flora and fauna, and has a unique geographical position

its dietary patterns which form the basis of the much-lauded Mediterranean diet and cuisine, and all those things that make it so different from other places in the Mediterranean region, and the world for that matter.

Crete, of course, is only a small but integral part of Greece. Therefore we could not leave out other Greek products that make the Greek F&B industry such a strong competitor in world markets: gyros, frozen fish and seafood, Mastiha liqueur, fava Santorinis, and a number of excellent cheeses (in fact, Greece ranks fourth in the E.U. with regards to its production of PDO cheeses) that have wooed the palate of European food aficionados for centuries –no wonder Greece is considered by many the culinary heart of the continent. But if Greece is the heart of Europe, Crete is its soul.

A soul that continues to inspire great cuisine to this day, almost 4,000 years from Minoan times...

Sales Director Thanassis Panagoulias sales@forumsa.gr Creative Art Director Niki Galanopoulou ng@forumsa.gr Editor-in-Chief Vana Antonopoulou va@forumsa.gr Contributing Editors Eva Touna, Nikos Dellatolas, Alexandra Papadimitriou, Eva Antonopoulou Photographer Christos Kalaitzis Stylist Mary Deligiorgis Senior Art Director Dimitris Deligiannis Art Director Evgenios Kalofolias Graphic Designer Lenia Chalkea Photo Retoucher Gogo Trikerioti Sales Department T. Belekoukias, A. Kaliantzi, I. Margelis D. Michalochristas, K. Molfeta, A. Mourati, P. Skiadas Advertising Coordinators M. Spichopoulou, A. Soulioti Marketing Dpt Plato Rizopoulos

Nikos Choudalakis Publisher

ambrosiamagazine.com

FORUM SA: 328 Vouliagmenis Ave., 17342 Agios Dimitrios, Greece Tel.: +30 210 5242100 - Fax: +30 210 5246581

Int’l Relations Irene Kouriantaki Ben Pateras Printed by Baxas SA Published by FORUM SA

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18 - 20 March 2017 athens • greece

SIAL PARIS 2016 16-20 October 2016

Kalitsounia with wild greens Ingredients: For the dough 1 kg all purpose flour ½ tsp salt 2 tbsp olive oil Water (as much needed) ½ small coffee cup Tsikoudia For the filling

Directions: For the dough Combine all the ingredients so that you get a dough that does not stick to your hands.

When you have finished kneading, set the dough aside and allow it to rise for 1 to 2 hours. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a large sheet, 1/2 cm thick, and cut out round pieces in the size of a saucer.

2 kg wild greens Salt Pepper Mint ½ glass olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped

For the filling Remove the wild green roots. Wash the wild greens thoroughly, chop them into small pieces and cook them in a pan for 5 minutes until wilted. Squeeze out any excess water with your hands and place it in a bowl. Add the finely chopped onion, salt, pepper, mint and olive oil and stir.

Place a spoonful of filling on each round piece of dough. Fold over the pastry and seal the edges firmly. Fry both sides in very hot olive oil or bake in the oven at 180ο C for 3040 minutes.

Before you bake the pies in the oven, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. n

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18 - 20 March 2017 athens • greece

19 - 21

18-20 March 2017

Mαρτίου 2016

ΜETROPOLITAN EXPO

ΜETROPOLITAN EXPO

ATHENS • GREECE

4th INTERNATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE EXHIBITION

Yo u r M e d i t e r r a n e a n Fo o d E x p e r i e n c e !

The Ultimate Mediterranean FOOD & DRINK

Tr a d e S h o w

Held in conjuction with

1,200 Exhibitors

50,000 Food Traders

45,000 m 2 Exhibiting Area

ORGANIZED BY: FORUM SA, 328 Vouliagmenis Ave., 173 42 Agios Dimitirios, Greece | Τ: +30 210 5242100, 210 5240922 | W: www.foοdexpo.gr | E: foodexpo@forumsa.gr

From avocado chocolate to spicy pepper marmalade, Greek companies have leveraged the competitive advantages of gourmet offerings to establish their brand in global markets.

W

ith the possible exceptions of Feta and olive oil, Greek products are rarely evident in supermarkets , much less responsible for introducing a new market category. This may be partly due to the fact that most Greek food companies are focusing on the domestic market. Things, however, are changing. The economic crisis, now on its sixth consecutive year, has proved a great incentive for businesses of the F&B sector to enter the global marketplace.

Within the last 10 years, many Greek enterprises have been upgrading and certifying their facilities to reach international standards. On the other hand, they are heavily investing on R&D in order to create a series of innovative, exciting products that could cater to a specialized clientele, with specific needs

and a strong desire to follow a more “foodie� approach to their eating habits. According to recent surveys conducted in a wide consumer base, the newest food trends include a desire to combine health with indulgence by cooking more exotic but healthier meals at home, convenience foods that contain fortified and functional ingredients, such as calcium, and an internationalization of eating habits as emerging market consumers become more exposed to Western products and mature market consumers develop a greater taste for more exotic ingredients and meal types.

As a result, Greek companies are looking for new ways to offer customers this sense of the exotic they’re looking for. Diverse flavor combinations, innovative products, ingredients used in original recipes, are only some of the means Greeks are translating foodie trends to their advantage.

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Insiders m a g a z i ne

Greek food sector

A new, gourmet age The food sector in Greece is changing, and gourmet products are taking advantage of the latest food trends.

G Greek food companies can differentiate and create added value, especially in the gourmet products category

reek food and agriculture has traditionally been one of the major export sectors for Greece, with a strong presence in the European and a growing presence in the world food markets.

Greek companies have long leveraged the competitive advantages offered by the Greek primary sector in order to competitively enter and remain in global markets, making food one of the most dynamic and high-growth industries in Greek manufacturing. It is also an area where Greek companies have managed to innovate and differentiate themselves, both in terms of the product but also in terms of packaging. Over the past 10 years, there are several examples of companies in the food sector who have achieved significant market share by leveraging the combination of traditional Greek ingredients treated in innovative ways with a fresh approach in marketing and packaging.

Given the above environment, Greek food manufacturers can take advantage of their

smaller scale, access to high-quality inputs as well as their traditional Mediterranean positioning to differentiate from the global food manufacturers and create added value product segments and higher price points, especially in the gourmet products category.

There is abundant opportunity to create added value in many product categories, especially as the global interest in healthful foods, snacks, and original foods continues to expand. Honey and nut based snacks, pasta products, marmalades and pickled goods, as well as novel seafood and meat products demonstrate a significant potential in numerous markets. Greek gourmet products, such as red pepper jam, avocado and chocolate spread, olive marmalade, truffle pasta, olive oil flavored with rose or chocolate, bottarga, pomegranate sauce, escargots with peculiar seasonings, stuffed figs, as well as exciting herb combinations, are not only quality-oriented and have a higher price tag, but also enjoy the preference of an international, dilettante clientele.

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Insiders m a g a z i ne

A competitive

landscape

As the gourmet food sector is evolving so will the competition on an international scale.

C

ompeting head-to-head with other gourmet products can be cutthroat, especially when markets are flat or growing slowly. Companies caught in this kind of competition almost universally say they dislike it and wish they could find a better alternative. They often know instinctively that innovation is the only way they can break free from the pack. In the gourmet foods sector, however, everything relies heavily on innovation, so this particular competitive advantage is generally lost.

Creating new market space requires a different pattern of strategic thinking. Instead of looking within the accepted boundaries that define how one competes, companies can and should look systematically across them. By doing so, they can find unoccupied territory that represents a real breakthrough in value.

Few products and services are used in a vacuum; In most cases, other products and services affect their value and define their evolution. But in most industries, rivals converge within the bounds of their industry’s product and service offerings. This also holds true for gourmet foods. And as the quest for more in-

Functional and emotional appeal: What’s the deal Some industries compete on price and function –their appeal is rational. Other industries compete on feelings –their appeal is emotional. Yet companies often find new market space when they challenge their orientation. Emotionally oriented industries, for example, offer many extras that add price without enhancing functionality. Stripping those extras away may create a simpler business model that customers would welcome. Conversely, functionally oriented industries can often infuse commodity products with new life by adding a dose of emotion.

novative and original flavors (cretaed, more often than not, just for novelty’s sake) will continue to rise, so will an ever-expanding range of exotic-sounding, inventive-looking and – in many cases– outlandish-tasting products.

The secret to standing out in this highly competitive international environment?

Quality ingredients (Greek companies already invest on the uniqueness of their raw materials) and an exciting package will definitely help companies and products attract consumer attention all across the globe. n

Quality ingredients and an exciting package will definitely help attract consumer attention

at e!

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18 - 20 March 2017 athens • greece

INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR FOR THE BAKERY & PATISSERIE SECTORS

15th

Artoza 3 6 2017 -

MARCH

ATHENS, GREECE • METROPOLITAN EXPO

Bake the future of bakery & pastry!

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE HELLENIC BAKERS & PASTRY CHEFS FEDERATIONS ORGANIZED BY: FORUM SA 328 Vouliagmenis Ave., 173 42 Agios Dimitirios, Greece Τ: +30 210 5242100, 210 5240922 | W: www.forumsa.gr | E: info@forumsa.gr

www.artoza.com

4th INTERNATIONAL FOOD & BEVERAGE EXHIBITION

18 - 20 Μarch 2017 ATHENS • GREECE

Your Mediterranean food Experience!

1,200 Exhibitors

2,500 International Food Traders

45,000 m2

stars

Sugar shapes decor for cakes...

buuerries

leaves

hearts

From 1966...

...........................................................................................................

40g*12u

Sugar paper 16g 16Φ *12u

16g 16Φ *12u

4,5g 4,5Φ *12u

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creating cakes...

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250g*12u

Sofouli Them.30, Agios Dimitrios 17342, Athens, Greece.Tel:(+30)-210-9960139, 2109935754 Fax:(+30) 210-9923685 www.kardasis.com

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Report m a g a z i ne

Food habits A new survey sheds light on the eating patterns of consumers in all four corners of the globe, proving that food is a language that unites us all.

W

89% of food lovers

is against food waste

hich products make the Chinese salivate?

What do Qataris, Malaysians or Spaniards buy? Which is important to American or French consumers? A survey carried out for SIAL by TNS Sofres, provides a clear picture of the tastes and desires of consumers in 9 European countries, in North America, in the Middle East, and in Asia. It also debunks certain perceived ideas while it shows new development opportunities for food companies.

Homemade produce: a marginal trend? FALSE The success of the “I grew this myself” movement is official. In South-east Asia (84%) and the Middle East (55%), over half of consumers eat self-produced food. And the trend is developing all over the world. Europe is slightly behind, but France stands out with 1 in 2 consumers cultivating their own fruit and vegetables.

Sustainable development, an important purchase criterion FALSE A vast majority of consumers would like to fight against food waste (89%), and animal welfare is seen as necessary (77%). But there’s a difference between what is said and what is done: of the criteria involved in choosing products, environmental impact is the least important in the Middle East. In France, China and Britain, it’s only a little more significant, in 14th place. Concern for “sustainable development” is considered an additional guarantee –which undoubtedly explains why the supply of these products is still limited.

New products, yes –but within reason: TRUE Germany aside, a vast majority of consumers are hungry for new products. The most curious are Middle Eastern populations (71%), followed closely by the French (64%) and the Spanish (63%). Most food lovers are looking for original flavors, new textures or unexpected