Meet our Beneficiaries :

Meet Savvina and Nikolleta Stroumpa beneficiaries of the “Agroanelixis-Cottage Industry” accelerator

Savvina and Nikoletta were selected to be among the 15 beneficiaries of the agri-food acceleration program of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization, presenting their outside the box business idea. Their goal is to introduce alternative chickpea products to the Greek market, which they will produce and process themselves in their own model cottage industry.

The two sisters come from the town of Komotini, Greece, where they live and work. Savvina, the youngest of the two sisters, having graduated from the school of “Agricultural Technology” at the Technological University of Crete, is working in the field of agricultural production and has taken over the cultivation of about 100 acres of the family, with the help of her father. Nicoletta on the other hand, a graduate of the School of Marketing and Advertising in Thessaloniki, now lives and works abroad as a Visual merchandiser.

Komotini is an area where the main crops one can found are cotton, barley or wheat. But Savvina and Nicoletta had a different idea of the culture they wanted to develop. As a child, Savvina wanted to become an agronomist, as she and in fact, it was and remains her “dream” to be able to create her own cottage industry.

So, Nicoletta, now living and working in Germany, saw that chickpeas are a legume that is widely used, especially by people who choose a more vegetarian or healthy diet. “I saw a huge momentum in the market but also a lot of possibilities for processing the product,” says Nicoletta. So, knowing that her sister always had a desire to create her own home-made business, she suggested that they start with chickpeas.

Making ideas happen:

The prospects of chickpea cultivation and processing

Savvina does not want to use chickpeas in the traditional way. Instead, she wants to create and launch in the Greek market various alternative chickpea products, such as hummus or ready-made mixture for chickpea meatballs, chickpea flour and much more.

“My business idea is to highlight and put on the market different products made from chickpeas, which are a rich natural source of nutrients,” says Savvina. Also, in each package of their products, there will be interesting recipes, tips, and ideas for side dishes, as well as the nutrients of chickpea and the benefits that its consumption offers to our health, so that people can begin to see the reasons why they should include this simple but miraculous product in their everyday diet.

«Agroanelixis-Cottage industry»:

What’s the agri-food accelerator’s contribution?

Savvina, planning to start her own chickpea production and processing industry, decided to apply for participation in the program “Agroanelixis-Cottage industry” and after qualifying for the top 30 successful contestants, she then managed to be among the 15 beneficiaries of the program.

Both sisters take courses with great interest in the agrifood acceleration program implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization, each in her own field, Savvina in the field of agricultural production and Nicoletta in marketing and sales.

“The program was beyond our expectations,” says Nicoletta, while also saying that “in addition to theoretical knowledge, we spoke with renowned professionals from the agri-food sector, who shared with us experiences and business tips. We probably could never have acquired this kind of knowledge, even in 10 years of work “.

Designing together with the “New Agriculture New Generation”’s team their own cottage industry

Savvina and Nicoletta have already started, with the help of the “New Agriculture New Generation”’s team, to set up their laboratory, while with the funding they will receive through the agri-food acceleration program, they will be able to buy some of the necessary equipment for organizing their own chickpea cottage industry.

In a first stage, their products will be addressed to the Greek market and their goal is to be sold either in small delicatessen stores, or online. Also, all the packaging of their products has been designed with the aim of being either recyclable or reusable. For them the use of environmentally friendly products is imperative and thus, they want to create a cottage industry with “environmental awareness”.

It is obvious by discussing with them that both Savvina and Nicoletta are determined to work hard and purposefully, to create their own cottage industry. From August they will have the first harvest of chickpeas and thus, the processing and marketing of the products is expected to take effect in the last months of 2021. “We work methodically, this was the most important lesson I believe we took from our participation in the program “Agroanelixis – Cottage Industry””, says Savvina, adding that, “as our mentors keep saying, one step at a time, always with attention and respect for the product and for the consumer “.

Meet our Beneficiaries:

 

Who is Triantafyllos Pitsiorlas, beneficiary of the “Agroanelixis-Cottage Industry” accelerator?

Triantafyllos is among the 15 beneficiaries of the agri-food acceleration program implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization and is active in the livestock sector, producing his own organic animal feed. His goal is to create a cottage industry that will manage, among other things, to introduce to the Greek market an authentic organic Greek product with a designation of origin, called “goat non-pasteurized cheese”.

Originating from Paleochora, Halkidiki, right at the foot of Mount Holomontas, Triantafyllos family has a deep tradition in stock farming for 4 generations. Having studied at the American School of Agriculture in the Department of Dairy and Cheese and having attended numerous seminars on agriculture and farming, his goal is now the development of traditional animal farming techniques.

“Our childhood years were not easy, with very little free personal time and many working hours in winter and summer. When I was 13, I started plowing the fields and then I started taking care of the animals”, says Triantafyllos while adding that, “although as a child dealing with animals was not my favorite thing, at the age of 20 I had a sudden communication with them. I feel their needs, I appreciate them but I also respect them, as they, like nature, offer us everything “.

Making ideas happen:

 

The new alternative livestock that uses self-produced organic animal feed

Until 2 years ago, the family had goats of extensive breeding, something that made them mobile breeders, depending on the season and the existence of vegetation. As this widespread livestock tactic is both more tedious and less efficient, Triantafyllos and his brothers decided to change it, adopting the alternative way of producing their own organic animal feed.

Together with his brother Dimitris, who has also studied Crop Production at the American School of Agriculture, and his sister Olga, who deals with accounting and financial management, from 2019 onwards they started to implement the goal of the development of their livestock unit. they have. So, out of the 1,400 animals that the family had, they decided to keep the 900 in which to invest in both hygiene and animal feed, to become more productive. Now, 60% of the feed they use in their goats are self-produced, with the goal of reaching 90% in the coming years.

 

Introducing the non-pasteurized goat cheese to the Greek market

The non-pasteurized goat cheese of deep maturity, although an old tactic of breeders in many parts of the country, is not widely known, is not consumed by the majority of the country’s population and thus, is not yet officially released in the Greek market. Triantafyllos wants to highlight this special product, which, as he says, “has a peculiarity, it does not alter the aromas and flavors, something that makes it particularly delicious”.

“Our goal is to set up an agricultural unit, a cottage industry, which will process our main product, goat’s milk, into goat non-pasteurized cheese of deep maturation, with techniques we have learned from our grandparents,” says Triantafyllos. It is also worth mentioning that this is a purely organic product without additional preservatives which, in addition to being particularly tasty, also has a proven bioprotective action.

«Agroanelixis–Cottage industry»:

 

What’s the agri-food accelerator’s contribution?

Triantafyllos for the last 2 years was looking on the activities implemented by the “Nea Agriculture Nea Generation” organization and this year, he was selected among the 15 participants of the Agri-food Acceleration program “Agroanelixis-Cottage Industry”.

He summarizes the basic elements that he feels he has gained through his course in the program so far, in 3 important words “cooperation-communication and responsibility“. “We learned how to act like professionals, how to be responsible. Responsible not only to customers or partners, but also to animals. This is very important, and no professional should forget it “, he says characteristically.

 

Designing together with the “New Agriculture New Generation”’s team his own cottage industry

In collaboration with the team of New Agriculture New Generation, the goal is to create a biological farming unit or cottage industry, which will process its own products while also implementing experiential seminars in collaboration with agricultural schools, bringing those interested in contact with the nature, the animals but also the way of operating a livestock craft.

At the same time, the creation of a large area of plantation that will house the animals has already begun, while concurrently, they are expanding the area of their fields, with the aim of producing the best possible quality organic animal feed. Also, their goal is after the introduction of non-pastreurized goat cheese in Greece to be able to export this product to countries such as Switzerland or France.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Triantafyllos is clearly aware of the issue of environmental protection and through all these processes of modernization of his livestock unit, he fights for the smallest possible footprint on the planet. As he says “It is better to produce a smaller quantity but with quality, than to continue to burden the earth and its people with bad tactics”.

 

Agroanelixis: supporting young farmers to create their own cottage industries.

Agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis-cottage industries” aims at supporting farmers and stockbreeders with innovative business ideas in the agri-food sector, so that they can create or develop their own cottage industry. Among the beneficiaries of the agri-food acceleration program implemented by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”, is George Alexandris, a young producer that wishes to create his own home-based business, based on the cultivation and processing of almonds.

George comes from Nessonas, a village which is very close to Larissa. He has studied in Volos, in the Department of “Agriculture of Crop Production and Rural Environment” of the University of Thessaly. Although he currently works for a company based in Larissa, he is also involved in the cultivation of almonds.

“We have had almond trees from my grandfather, since 1970. I remember as a child, I enjoyed picking almonds that fell from the trees and spending a lot of time on the estates. The almond trees then passed to my father and slowly, it was my turn to see how I can use them in the best possible way “, says George Alexandris.

 

Return to cottage industries, giving value to the product and supporting tradition

Along with his studies, George was thinking of ways to use the almonds they produce in collaboration with his father, as they are fruits of excellent quality, as he says characteristically. For many years, all the annual production of almonds was given for sale to a partner who traded the products. In the last year, however, George began to deal with the idea of creating a home-made business, which will produce, standardize, and sell both almonds and their interesting by-products.

So last August, during the almond harvest season, he tentatively kept a small quantity of almonds to see how he could handle it, taking the first step towards creating his own cottage industry. In the first phase, he started breaking the almonds and taking out the crumb, which he started selling to his close circle, to form a first picture of the demand and interest that may arise for his product. At the same time, with the help of friends but also by putting his own touch, he started designing the brand, creating a logo, but also packages designed with care and love. As he says, “I am interested in offering as much value as possible to the product. I started with the sale of almond kernel, now I have created almond butter while in the immediate plans is the production of almond drink or even almond cheese “.

Innovative, premium products from young farmers

From January 2021, George started selling the almond kernel that he produces and presents in a package, which is specially designed to close with a zip, so that the product always remains fresh. He started visiting various mini markets or delicatessens with the aim of working together to sell his product and thus, he has already managed to build in these 5 months a small network of shops, which are located not only in Larissa, but some of them areas such as Dimitsana but also Athens.

Special traits of George seem to be the importance in detail but also the experimentation aimed at creating the best possible products and services. As he says, he is constantly trying new things he can do with the precious fruit of the almond and experimenting with quantities and ingredients, to produce innovative products for the Greek market, such as milk, butter or almond cheese.

 

The Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis” supports young people with ideas and dreams for the agri-food industry.

However, in this effort for development and innovation, George Alexandris is not alone. Through his participation in the Agifood Acceleration program “Agroanelixis-Cottage Industries” he now has experts in the agrifood sector, professionals, mentors, and the whole team of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization, to help him in his next steps.

George came in touch with the organization “Nea Agriculture New Generation” about 1 year ago and after attending one of its seminars, he realized that it is worth following its actions. Thus, he managed to participate in the digital training program dedicated to the export of agri-food products, which was implemented in June 2020 by New Agriculture New Generation and as he states, he believes that he learned many things that helped him a lot during the critical phase of the start-up of his cottage industry. “It gave me a much needed boost to dare to start my project!”, he states.

After this participation, then came his selection in the agrifood acceleration program “Agroanelixis-Cottage Industries”, which began in April 2021. George says he is not just satisfied, but excited, from the knowledge he has received so far from the program. “Mentors are great, everyone, one by one. They make us feel very familiar and help us with anything we may need. What they convey to us is not just a theory, it is a 100% practice. They are people with great experience and everything they say, they have experienced it “.

He also states that, “I am impressed by the speeches of young people, who a few years ago were like us and now have managed to do their own business. Through their words I took courage, I saw that I too could follow in their footsteps and develop in the industry. You see that if you keep trying, you will succeed!”. The program may be completed in June 2021, but the beneficiaries will be accompanied by specialized mentors and industry professionals for the next at least 3 months, who will continue to support them in the implementation of their business planning.

 

Business plan for the expansion and support of cottage industries, implemented by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”

The team of “New Agriculture New Generation”, visited George in Larissa and together, they designed a business plan to expand and support his craft. Through the program, he will be able to build a production and packaging area in the village, where the almond trees are located, in Nessona, Larissa. Thus, the goal is to be able to create his own cottage industry, which in fact will include all the necessary workplaces and all the necessary machinery for the production and packaging of its products.

The team will visit again at the end of the agri-food acceleration program, the production and packaging areas of George, to evaluate the progress of work and to offer him additional support in whatever else he may need.

 

Turning cottage industries into an “open farm”, strengthening agritourism

In his next plans, of course, is to be able to make his cottage industry visitable to the public, following the standards of “open farm” which he was taught through the agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis”. “If the consumer comes in contact with the product and knows the process of its production, he understands better what exactly is it that he is consuming, he appreciates it more”, says George.

Also, his goal through the idea of “open farm”, is to pass on the knowledge and techniques on the creation of its products to other people, who may be interested in dealing with the production and processing of almond products. The consumer or the visitor will be able to see, for example, how the almonds are baked or how they are packaged to maintain their freshness, but also how they are processed into butter. They will also be able to participate during summer months in the fruit harvest, thus offering them a complete experience of operating a cottage industry.

 

Steady steps towards creating a cottage industry and goals for the future

In addition to almonds, George also grows apricots, which he aims to integrate into his home-based industry, after completing the plan he has formed for the use of almonds. In fact, he already has in mind very interesting ideas that can combine these two crops, such as almond butter with pieces of dried apricot and much more.

The love that George has for his cottage industry and his dreams for it, are obvious. “My main goal for the future is one: to be able to make this business my main job, to be able to invest all the time and energy I have to develop this venture. And I believe that with the valuable contribution of New Agriculture New Generation, we will achieve that!”, he states. After the successful completion of the goals set under the agrifood acceleration program “Agroanelixis”, the next step for George is the development of his sales network, starting of course from Greece but slowly looking at specific foreign markets, where the products made from almonds are already considered emerging premium products.

 

A digital assistant for the beekeeper that contributes to the improvement of the production.

Beenotes’ team, managed to emerge as one of the four winners of the first phase of the Agri-food Accelerator “Agroanelixis” implemented by the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”, presenting an innovative project that aims to help the beekeeper to improve production by simplifying all the necessary procedures. Simply put, Beenote presents a digital assistant, who literally listens to what the beekeeper says using voice recognition technology, automatically collects and analyzes the data of beekeeping practice and suggests solutions.

Beenotes is based on the idea that beekeeping is an agricultural activity that has many parameters. As Notis Papasouliotis, an agronomist who has been involved in the beekeeping industry for several years and one of the two collaborators in the team, states, “In beekeeping, everything has to do with how the producer can synchronize the development of a hive with nature and flowering. This is a multifactorial situation which is difficult to achieve without the right tools.”

 

An application that simplifies the life of the beekeeper

An important parameter that highlights the difficulty in the beekeeping industry is the very nature of the bees which are known to be insect that can bite those around them, forcing beekeepers to wear masks and special equipment to protect themselves. This therefore does not allow beekeepers to keep paper and pencil, for example, to write down the necessary information regarding their production.

So Beenotes comes to meet this need, offering a tool that with voice recognition technology makes it easier for the producer to take notes which he can then study and edit. It is essentially a mobile application that uses voice recording for the benefit of the producer. As Michael Sabethai, a mathematician with many years of experience in the field of marine fuels and a collaborator at Beenotes, explains, “All the producer must do is open his phone and then, the app begins to record. He can also chat with the application, using keywords such as “population”, “offspring” or “queen”. The application recognizing these keywords, responds to the producer by asking him in turn questions that respond to his original request. Thus, a system for recording and monitoring of each cell is created separately “.

 

Covering the producers need for review and optimization.

The log data is then available, either directly from the beekeeper’s mobile phone, or through a platform located on the Beenotes website. There, the producer can easily look back and see and edit the recordings he has made, in even greater detail. For example, if there are recordings from many cells, the person entering the platform can filter various features such as which are his best or worst cells and to identify those cells that may have a problem.

The idea to create a platform that will “untie the hands” of beekeepers, had started by Notis Papasouliotis as early as 2015, but at that time the technology was not as advanced, so the team did not proceed with the project at that time. to move. In 2019, however, he met Michael Sabethai, whose acquaintance goes back many years as they were fellow students at the University but also good friends and together, they decided to use the latest technology to revive the original idea and create “Beenotes”, in April 2019.

 

Beenotes in the “Agroanelixis” business acceleration and microfinance program

 

The team participated in 2020 in the MIT Enterprise Forum Greece accelerator, where they were given the opportunity to further develop the idea but also to find a common language of communication, as they state.  Then, they decided to take part in the Agri-food Accelerator of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization.

Michael Sabethai states that they considered their participation in the Accelerator would be a very good opportunity to get in touch with people in the agri-food industry and to develop their product. And so it happened, as he characteristically adds, “Our participation in the accelerator “Agroanelixis” met our expectations. The Accelerator, although demanding, was a very interesting process for us, as it was thorough in many issues that we found useful “.

 

The “Agroanelixis” Accelerator helped the team become familiar with agricultural technology and networking in the agri-food industry.

The team believes that the business acceleration and microfinance program was able to cover a very wide range of subjects, from marketing to technology and innovation, enabling each professional to choose the ones that serve him / her and concern his / her business. “Our team was particularly helped through the accelerator. We got to know new aspects of agricultural technology, which is of direct interest to us, but also we were able to develop in areas such as marketing and search engine optimization,” says Michael Sabethai.

“Very interesting, of course, was the fact that we were able to meet other groups of people who are also trying to start their own business in the agri-food sector. We were able to see the different ways in which everyone starts, utilizing either technology or other innovations that can be applied in the industry, but also to recognize any difficulties and challenges they may face”, says Notis Papasouliotis, while adding that “It was a very creative process, we discovered things we did not know about ourselves and new perspectives on what we did.”

 

Beenotes’ next steps and their goals for the future

The Beenotes team is in the final testing phase of their product, where their goal is to “listen” to their audience in terms of the current version of the application, to see what they can improve and how they can adapt their product to the real needs of beekeepers. The application, which is available through the Google Playstore, has a total of +1000 downloads in the last year, with 500 people having used it at least once in the last month.

At the same time, the team has launched a campaign through social media, urging people to download Beenotes and try it out, offering those interested a discount on subscribing to the final commercial product as soon as it is released. Their goal, as they say, is to let people know who they are and what they can offer to beekeepers.

Beenotes does not stop evolving continuously so that it can serve the needs of beekeeping, whether it is the production of honey and other beekeeping products or even applied scientific research. “We also want to see how we can help larger units or cooperatives that need the systematization of processes in order to be able to increase their productivity,” says Notis Papasouliotis.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that the application is currently available in 5 languages, Greek, Italian, Spanish, French and English, so that it can serve these countries, where beekeepers amount to about 110,000 while in the next steps, the group is considering importing the product to other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the Nordic countries, the US and even Latin America.

 

HERBeat- The hydroponic farm that produces micro-vegetables and micro-herbs of high nutritional value

HERBeat is a very interesting company, a company that has managed to introduce in Greece a special and original product, the so-called microgreens. Enriching the gastronomic map of the country but also minimizing the environmental impact, increasing food safety, HERBeat introduces the concept of the hydroponic farm, producing small vegetables and micro-herbs of high nutritional value, thus changing the conventional way of cultivation.

The team managed to emerge as one of the four winners of the agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis” of the organization “New Agriculture New Generation”, gaining funding and additional business support for one year.

Talking with Aris Petropoulos, one of the founding members of HERBeat, I was able to get to know the magical world of microgreens, which are a form of cultivation that is not yet widely known in Greece, as it has only appeared in recent years. In America but also in Scandinavia, small vegetables or micro-herbs seem to be a rising trend with people including them in their daily diet. But what exactly are microgreens after all?

As Aris explains, it is a cultivation of leafy vegetables and herbs as well as edible flowers from certain varieties which have been cultivated until their second stage of development, thus keeping a high number of phytovitamins and making them more nutritious. “The earlier the stage of cultivation, the more the nutritional properties of the vegetables,” says Aris. “Although in Greece the term sprouts have prevailed to describe microgreens, it is not a correct term. When we talk about sprouts we refer to crops that are at stage zero,” he adds.

Micro-herbs or micro-vegetables are usually eaten raw in salads and are cut just before eating. “There is a wide selection of flavors and varieties of micro-vegetables, which can accompany excellent meat or fish but also be consumed as salads separately,” says Aris.

Aris grew up with his brothers Vassilis Petropoulos and Panagiotis Petropoulos in Nea Makri, Attica. As the family had a small estate in the area, Aris has been involved with plants since he was a child as it seems to have been something that attracted him from his very first years. Thus, he chose to study Technologist-Agronomist at the University of Kalamata. As a student, he became particularly interested in vertical indoor crops and discovered ways and means by which they could be successfully applied.

At the same time, Aris’ brother, Vassilis Petropoulos, lived in Norway where he worked as a chef. There, he had the opportunity to get in touch with a unique product, the microgreens. As it was something that caught his attention, he worked for some time with a producer of microgreens in Norway, wanting to know everything about these special varieties. Vassilis brought Aris in contact with micro-herbs as he knew that it was something that would attract the attention of his brother, who had already gained practical experience working through his studies as an agronomist. Thus, in 2018, the HERBeat team began to form, which now consists of 5 people and which Aris characterizes as a family business, as it employs all three brothers, Aris, Vassilis and Panagiotis Petropoulos. The team is harmoniously complemented by Zakelina Roussou and Sofia Tsatova.

Aris, initially setting up a space that functioned as a cantilever, began to cultivate the first products which he then sampled and saw that the response was particularly positive. Thus, the sale of certain products began timidly. “We have seen that in recent years there is a flourishing of gastronomy in Greece. So, we thought that we could deal with premium items to serve the gastronomy industry but also to bring the world close to new and alternative edible crops, which offer high nutritional value “, says Aris.

The team uses the model of indoor cultivation as Aris tells me they all come from the region of Attica and do not have large areas where they could cultivate. So, they decided to turn to urban farming, utilizing a small area in Nea Makri where they have created a model hydroponic farm. “We could have created a greenhouse for example, but we chose to follow the specific cultivation model, which also offers a flexibility, especially for those who live in big cities as one does not need to have a piece of land to cultivate. Under the right conditions, he can even do it at home,” says Aris.

However, this method of cultivation has another very important benefit, that of reducing the environmental footprint. “Using, instead of soil, a high quality substrate, we do not burden the already burdened land while at the same time we produce products of high nutritional value, thus increasing food safety,” says Aris. This happens as the area in which the products are located is specially designed, observing all sanitary measures while at the same time, the microgreens do not come into contact with external factors and pollutants.

HERBeat is engaged in the cultivation of 20 to 30 types of micro-vegetables, depending on the season and the demand. The team places special emphasis on creating the appropriate hygienic environment for the cultivation of microgreens but also on the use of the latest technology to support the cultivation with the highest possible standards. Although in the beginning they started with micro- vegetables and micro-herbs, now they have expanded to the cultivation of edible flowers and ready-made preparations that include premium salads from baby vegetables such as red cabbage, mizuna (lettuce of Japanese origin), spinach and tat choi (Chinese cabbage) , species not widely traded.

 

Their participation in the Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis”

Aris spoke very warmly about HERBeat’s participation in the agrifood accelerator “Agroanelixis” of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization but also about the prizes that the team won, as it managed to be one of the four winners of the program. As he characteristically stated, after being informed about the program, they hurried to apply for participation as they considered it an opportunity for the team to develop and go one step further.

Through their 5-month participation in the business acceleration program “Agroanelixis”, the team feels that it has managed to gain know-how and valuable knowledge. As Aris says, “Through our participation in the program we were able to organize our team and delimit our goals and our next steps. We learned very interesting information about the market and the ways to promote our products “. At the same time, he adds that he considers that the program acted as a catalyst in the formation and securing of the company’s identity.

An important benefit for Aris was their contact with other groups that participated in the program. “We heard and saw very interesting ideas that excited us. It’s very important for all start-ups to be able to network and come together, through a well-organized learning environment,” he says. He also mentions the help that the team received from the specialized guidance received from the mentors of the program, saying that “Just the fact that you come in contact with so many well-known people in the field of agri-food and trade, offers significant supplies for the future. The “Agroanelixis” program is a unique opportunity for teams such as HERBeat that are active or want to be active in the agrifood industry, as it provides knowledge and opportunities that are otherwise extremely difficult to obtain. All the lessons and the advice we received through mentoring seemed useful to us and we continue to refer to them regularly “.

 

Microgreens at your table

Asking Aris about the next steps but also about their plans, he tells me that the group’s gaze remains on the indoor crops. Until now, due to the specificity of the product they cultivate, they may have collaborated only with restaurants and chefs, however, as they see that the demand is increasing, in their immediate plans is the expansion of HERBeat in the retail trade, creating e-shop from where anyone interested can make their purchase electronically.

At the same time, the team has started a cooperation with selected fruit shops in Athens while their goal is to discover new and original varieties, which to introduce in the Greek market. “Our goal is to gradually develop the part of direct communication with the consumer”, says Aris, “we have already started promoting the company through social media and we have developed a dynamic presence which is very encouraging for the future of the company “.

In conclusion, as Aris rightly pointed out in our discussion, microgreens may sound and look impressive in the context of high gastronomy, but one must not forget that in addition to their uniqueness and beauty, their consumption offers many nutritional benefits, rarely found. After all, it is no coincidence that Aris characterizes them as “nectar” of vegetables and edible flowers.

 

Talking to Andreas Zerkoulis, founding member of the Inagros team, winner of the “Agroanelixis” Accelerator

Inagros is an electronic platform that combines sensor data, satellite data and observations made by agronomists and then correlates them by proposing ways to modernize agricultural production. Its use contributes significantly to the reduction of consumption of water, pesticides, fertilizers, and energy. The Inagros team presented this innovative project to the Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis” implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization and managed to be one of the 4 winners of the first phase of the program, receiving funding and additional business support for one year.

I had the opportunity to talk to Andreas Zerkoulis, a founding member of Inagros. He talked to me about the company’s philosophy while sharing the experiences the team gained from their participation in the “Agroanelixis” accelerator.

Andreas comes from Thebes and has studied Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Athens. His father, also an electrician, took him to work from an early age. Andreas loved the practical part of the job as he constantly followed his father to work, even on vacations and holidays. Around the age of 16 he had already learned the job and it was something he enjoyed doing. Growing up, although he started studying as an electrical engineer, he was working on other things as well, like in a fashion school, where he was managing digital marketing and events. In 2014, he volunteered at Job Fair Athens, a project that brings students and graduates in touch with the job market. Initially he volunteered in the fundraising part and after 3 months he was assigned to work as a team leader in a team that would create a mobile application for the event. The following year, he managed to become the finance director of the organizing committee.

Andreas is a restless spirit. He always tried to identify and solve possible problems. As part of an internship he did in Livadia, in a company with irrigation systems and automation he saw firsthand how the agri-food industry works but at the same time, he recognized the multitude of problems faced by farmers, especially in the automation of various processes. Andreas was always close to the agri-food sector, “My uncles are farmers,” he tells me. “I grew up in the fields. Seeing the difficulties that arise, I thought about what I could improve”. Considering possible solutions, he shared his concerns with his old classmate and friend, Dimitris Drossos, who works as a programmer. Together, they decided that it was imperative to create a tool that would simplify the farmer’s life. Thus, in 2014, the idea for the creation of Inagros begun.

Inagros: A comprehensive crop management platform

In the beginning, it started as a tool that would irrigate automatically while at the same time it would have sensors that would alert the farmer about the conditions of the field. But in the process, that changed. “Now we can talk about a comprehensive crop management platform,” says Andreas. “Studying the respective crop, the platform brings farmers in contact with agronomists. The producer’s land parcel is registered on the digital platform and then the agronomist, whether he is a partner chosen by the producer or a partner of our company, controls the cultivation either through satellite data provided by the platform or through sensors that the team can install accordingly”, Andreas explains to me. Both growers and agronomists are notified, either on their mobile phone or via email, for every possible information needed, such as whether the conditions favor the development of a disease or if there are certain actions to be taken based on the crop calendar, etc.

“We can also incorporate automatic watering and data history for better monitoring of all parts. Our goal is to provide all the information needed by all stakeholders so that in the future they can make better decisions for the management of their field”, says Andreas. “It is a 360^ο service that provides everything that the farmer needs for his cultivation. It is a full solution “.

In their first steps, they participated in many business acceleration programs and incubators in Athens, recognizing their importance in supporting start-ups. “We started by participating in the incubator of the Athens University of Economics and Business where they believed a lot in our idea and helped us a lot. It was the first time we were exposed to presentations and met mentors”, Andreas tells me. In 2017 they joined the THEA incubator of A.C.C.I., where they participated in international business exhibitions in Tel Aviv and Amsterdam. Also, through their participation in the PRAKSIS Business Coaching Center program, they managed to build their business plan while at the same time, they were financed by The People’s Trust, managing to obtain the initial capital for the establishment of the company in 2017.

From 2018 the team was formed and now, it consists of 7 partners. “Apart from me and Dimitris, who founded the company, we first included 2 agronomists, Vasso Varvoutsi and Giorgos Kormazos, and then an experienced professional, Vassilis Kasimatis, who is managing sales. Also, 2 other associates were added, Vassilis Laskos and Giannis Hatziris, marketing experts. New people are constantly added to the team as the needs of the company increase “, says Andreas.

Inagros: participation in the business acceleration program “Agroanelixis” implemented by New Agriculture New Generation

The team, wanting to develop even more, had discovered the New Agriculture New Generation’s programs and activities early-on. Firstly, they’d participated in the Trophy-Τροφή Challenge that took place in July 2019. There, they saw that the actions implemented by the NANG organization had a lot to offer in the development and support of their company. Then, as Andreas told me, they were informed about the “Agroanelixis” Accelerator through the regular newsletter of the organization. They though that this was their moment and decided to participate.

The team, presenting the innovative Inagros platform managed to be one of the 4 winners of the first phase of the program and received not only significant funding but also business support for one year. Andreas described me their experience from their participation. “The program’s material was very rich. I did not miss a single seminar and I found the process very constructive,” he says. “The guidance provided by the mentors was very important. They were well-known people in the agri-food industry, so the guidance was much more targeted. It was exactly what we needed”, he adds.

He also tells me that he feels that their participation in the program has contributed significantly to their networking in the agri-food sector. “The acquaintance we had, both with the speakers and with the participants, was one of the most important benefits. I know that as soon as all this is over, I will talk to many teams and people with whom we had contacts and we will discuss some potential cooperation “, says Andreas.

The prizes they won from their victory in the first phase of the “Agroanelixis” Accelerator were, of course, particularly important for the team. “We want to develop the company in many different sectors, and this would not be possible without the funding we received from the NANG organization,” says Andreas. “It was an unexpected gift that will help the company grow faster,” he added. But for the team it was not just the prizes that mattered. As Andreas characteristically says “Through our participation, I feel that me met a new family, that’s how we experienced it. We want to give back to this beautiful ecosystem when needed and in whatever way we can. I feel that New Agriculture New Generation is a very important initiative, it is the only initiative that currently exists in the agri-food sector. It is a structure that can understand our problems and help us effectively”.

Looking at development and modernization of agricultural production

Inagros is a platform that wants to serve in every possible way producers and agronomists by offering flexibility and automation where needed. It is no coincidence that its pilot program, with minor modifications so that it can work in parks and urban green, has been implemented in the National Garden and is working successfully to this day. “We have built a platform that is essentially plug and play. It can serve any potential user, whether he is an agronomist of the national garden, or belongs to contract farming, or is a farmer “, says Andreas.

The group’s plans are to include even more agronomists as partners, while at the same time, they have not stopped investing in research and development since the beginning of their operation. “We never want to rest. We listen to all the suggestions of our audience and process them. Our goal is to create something that is 100% useful for each user individually”, says Andreas while adding that “At the moment we are at the beginning. We have also moved on to a newer version which now collects data via satellite, so it does not require the installation of additional equipment and greatly simplifies all procedures, but we have many ideas and plans! Our goal is to make the platform as friendly as possible to our main user, who is the farmer “.

Before concluding our discussion, Andreas emphasizes the importance of the use of technology in the field of agri-food but also the benefits it offers by significantly modernizing and ultimately facilitating agricultural production. As he says, “Apart from the fact that we want to provide solutions to the problems faced by the modern farmer, we consider it our duty as a technology company in an industry that is not so technologically developed, to contribute to its education, so that it can use technology and become competitive “.

Meeting Atallos team, winners of the innovative program “Agroanelixis”

Kostas Belivanis and Giannis Haniotakis where one of the first to understand and invest in the field of smart plant-protection in the agri-food sector. They understood the agricultural needs of Crete and decided to cooperate to create the Atallos project. The team presented an innovative high-tech trap, which is primarily aimed at combating olive flies, and managed to be one of the four winners of the first phase of the “Agroanelixis ” program, which is implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization.

Talking to Kostas and Giannis, the first thing one can see is their smile and their friendly character. They both origin from beautiful Crete. Kostas comes from Malia area in Crete but was born in Paris and has spent his childhood and adolescence between Greece and France. Giannis, on the other hand, is originally both from Heraklion and Lassithi but he was born and raised in Heraklion. The two met for the first time in Thessaloniki, where they studied. Giannis studied Agriculture and Kostas Civil Engineering, both at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. As Kostas characteristically tells me, “Being a Cretan far from Crete, I had a close relationship with the Union of Cretan Students of Thessaloniki. There, I met Giannis. Our shared origin is always something that bounds us. “.

As the years passed however, they both left Greece and continued their studies and their professional careers in foreign countries. Kostas continued his studies at postgraduate and doctoral level in America, in the field of civil engineering, while Giannis, having specialized in the field of beekeeping, went abroad, traveling from Germany to New Zealand, where he worked for several years. Nevertheless, they may have been far away, but they were never estranged.

In 2019, after many years of thinking, they both returned to Crete and so, from February 2020, the idea for the creation of the Atallos project flourished. After all, Giannis has a family tradition in the field of agri-food, as his parents have a small family beekeeping business but are also involved in olive growing. From a young age, as he tells me, he helped his parents, “I was always close to agricultural production. I love it, that’s why I chose to work on it” he says. At the same time, after his return to Crete, in addition to his involvement with beekeeping and olive growing, he worked as a consultant to farmers, producers and cooperatives through different seminars and programs.

Kostas, on the other hand, through his doctorate degree came in touch with programming and with concepts such as that of optimization, machine learning and artificial intelligence, which he fully used both by working as a business risk associate in an international engineering consulting company and then by designing, together with Giannis, the Atallos project.

An innovation in plant protection

The story behind the idea is simple and complex at the same time. In 2019, the olive growing sector in Crete suffered a major disaster. The insect, although small, managed to cause damage to the olives amounting to 120,000,000 € in just a single year. Seeing the magnitude of this catastrophe, Giannis and Kostas thought that the time had come for there to be a way of predicting and warning of similar situations. As Giannis tells me, in theory there is a simple way to measure and prevent. “Imagine that there is a small glass ball that has water inside as well as a special bait for the olive flies. Someone places it in specific areas and after a week, he can count the number of insects and judge whether the area has a problem or not”, explains Giannis.

The problem, however, is that in practice this is not the case while at the same time it is completely based on the human factor with all the uncertainties and failures that it brings. “Kostas and I thought that surely this whole process could be done mechanically. And so, we made an automatic trap, which in addition to the traditional construction that we said before, includes cameras and special computers inside to give the farmer all the necessary information with incredible ease”, says Giannis. As Kostas explains to me, the team counts on a regular basis specific samples (1 trap per 60-80 acres) and they see if the insects that are trapped inside are increasing, decreasing or remain the same. Thus, they can have a picture of the course of olive flies, but also of other insects, in other cultivations.

At the same time, the interested party, whether he is a farmer or a producer, can have in seconds on his computer, his smartphone or even via sms for those who are not so familiar with the technology, the necessary information related to the health of his crop, thus improving its quality and quantity and at the same time, reducing costs.

Their participation in the Agrifood Accelerator “Agroanelixis” of the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization

Both Giannis and Kostas believe that their participation in the “Agroanelixis” program helped them significantly in organizing their idea while at the same time it made them accelerate all the necessary procedures so that the idea could be turned into a product.

Although they say they have long discussed the need to create a “smart” trap, the fact that they both worked in more than one job was certainly holding them back. So, the trap remained just an idea as Kostas tells me, until the first lockdown took place, last March 2020. During a walk, Kostas turned on his cell phone and there, noticed a post on social media about an innovation program. “When I saw it, my first move was to send it to Giannis. “Before I hit the send button on my phone, I realized that at the exact same moment, Giannis had sent me the same thing”, Kostas tells me laughing. “We both thought, this is destined to happen.”

From June 2020, their journey at the “Agroanelixis” program started. The program lasted 4 months and on October 12, 2020, they found themselves among the 4 winners of the innovative program.

“An innovative, but somehow chaotic in its first form idea, found its way through the competition”, Giannis tells me, adding that “we saw that all this could be done, it had perspective. At the same time, we met mentors who gave us a lot of things and still continue to guide us even after the end of the competition and we really thank them for that “.

“We wanted through our idea to solve an existing problem,” says Kostas. “Through the program we were able to organize our ideas and transform them into a product,” he adds. “For example, Mr. Kontaxakis, one of our mentors, helps us organize our thoughts and see our path clearly. All our mentors, such as Mr. Peroulakis who gives us valuable information about how the market is moving and the necessary actions we need to take to grow, are valuable to us. “

As they both mention, the prizes they won from their participation and their win in the “Agroanelixis”, not only the monetary prize but also the mentoring for one year, are for them not only important but also necessary for the development and promotion of their product.

Next day for smart plant protection

The product of the Atallos project clearly shows the necessity for precision farming systems and at the same time, for the reduction of the environmental footprint, both through the reduction of unnecessary transportation made by farmers and through the reduction of unnecessary spraying. Using the Atallos system, sprays can now be very targeted. “Because of climate change, you cannot predict how things will develop each year. The need for early warning producers by using the latest technology, is now crucial “, says Giannis, adding that “Our device has multiple benefits. Economic benefits for the producer, quality benefits for the consumer, commercial benefits for the whole industry but also environmental ones for the protection of the planet “.

Their goal is soon to proceed with a strong market crash test in producer groups and its inclusion in the upcoming improvement plans. “The product is ready; the first devices can be given directly to olive growers. In fact, now, we are examining the pilot use of the product in collaboration with regions that want integrated plant protection “, says Kostas. In the first phase, they aim at individual sales to farmers, producers and cooperatives in the olive growing sector and then, they plan to expand the product to other productions, such as citrus and cherry production. As Giannis states, “We will start from Crete as it can give us a lot of data about the functionality of the product but also because it is a place rich in olives. In our next steps, of course, will be the exports of the product to the rest of Europe “.

Closing our talk, Kostas wanted to emphasize once again the need that has emerged more and more in recent years, to invest in the field of intelligent agriculture. “Unfortunately, the agri-food sector is the last to adopt technology and we have to change that,” he told me. “I believe it is our duty to help cultivate the spirit of adopting the use of technology in agricultural production.”

 

Having a talk with Anna-Maria, beneficiary of the “Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation” program 

Anna-Maria Rebholz, food technologist, participated in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation, an innovative program implemented by the “New Agriculture New Generation” organization in collaboration with Regeneration Greece. I had the opportunity to get to know her a little better while she shared with me the experiences she gained from her participation in the competition.

For Anna-Maria, it seems that the stars have aligned for her so that she can do exactly what she wanted, exactly where she wanted it. She managed to find a job at Mani, the region where she currently lives, in the company Mani Blauel, which produces and exports olive oil and olives mainly in foreign countries. Anna-Maria has completed the food technology department of the Perrotis college of the American School of Agriculture and is currently on a scholarship in the 2nd year of her master’s degree in New Food Product and Business, at the same university.
Her father is from Germany while her mother is from Greece. Her two parents met when her mother did her PhD in England and have been inseparable ever since.

Anna-Maria is the eldest of 6 brothers and says she is very lucky to belong to such a large family! Now, she lives with her family in western Mani, where her mother comes from, in a mountain village called Exochori. But they did not always live there. In fact, her family has traveled and stayed in many parts of the world. First, they lived in Germany, while before coming permanently to Greece 8 years ago, they had lived in Cyprus for another 8 years. “I was born in England, then we moved to Germany where I lived for some years and then I did elementary and high school in Cyprus. After that, we came here, to Greece “, says Anna-Maria while adding that” My father always liked Mani. It was his dream at some point to come and live here permanently.” Mechanical engineer by profession, her father is a professor at the University of Cyprus. So, he travels from Cyprus to Mani and back regularly.

After finishing school, Anna-Maria left Mani for a short time and went to Thessaloniki to study. About a year ago she returned to Mani. “My mother and I have been in the village most of the time. Three of my brothers are currently in Athens for studies while my two younger sisters are still living here with us in the village as they are still going to school,” she tells me.

I asked Anna-Maria how it feels, after having lived in Germany and Cyprus for so long to live in a village in Mani. “In Cyprus, the truth is that I didn’t quite feel likeI was part of the team, I was always the Greek girl”, she tells me laughing. “However, it was a big change to live in a village, after being used to life in the city, doing more activities, etc. But I feel good, I love this place “.

So, shortly after her return to Mani, “Mani Blauel” company contacted her and invited her for an interview. “The day after the interview, I went to work!” she tells me looking very happy.

 

Her participation in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program

Shortly before starting to work for the company Mani Blauel, Anna-Maria participated in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program implemented by the organization New Agriculture New Generation in collaboration with Regeneration Greece.

“Our university teacher, Dr. “Kiki Zenoviadou proposed this program as a great opportunity and so, many of us decided to apply to participate,” she says. She also thinks that the process of evaluating the participants seemed very special to her as they were asked to go through various stages of evaluation. “I could immediately see the consistency and the careful handling of the whole program,” she says, adding that “Seeing the program description, and the terms “innovation” and “new product design”, I knew this program was for me. After all, this is exactly what interests me professionally “.

Anna-Maria saw her participation as a challenge. Her main goal was to gain knowledge and experience. Unfortunately due to the covid-19 pandemic they couldn’t meet in person for more than 2 weeks while the rest of the lessons were implemented online. But she was very happy with the whole outcome. “Fortunately, we had the opportunity to meet with each other before going all virtual, so we knew who we were addressing, that was nice,” she tells me.

“There were several lessons which, although online, were quite interactive and gave us the opportunity to talk to each other,” says Anna-Maria, adding that the environment was very friendly. I was very impressed that all the beneficiaries had a strong curriculum and so, I was glad to be among those who were selected, next to so many young people with excellent ideas and knowledge on the subject”.

Anna-Maria believes the greatest benefit from her participation in the Regeneration Academy for Food Innovation program is meeting and networking with people in her circle. As she says, “I listened to their experiences, I learned how the agri-food industry works from within, both from my colleagues and from the trainers. When you are a student, you have no idea of the working reality, so for me this was a good preparation to enter the real world having acquired some additional knowledge that I found quite useful”.

 

Her work at Mani Blauel and her future plans

Anna-Maria works in the quality control department and in the chemist section of Mani Blauel. Mani Blauel is a company with a history of 40 years in Greece. It was founded by the Austrian Friedrich Blauel who after visiting Greece was enchanted by the olives and the olive oil and realized the enormous value that they have. Olives and olive oil are currently exported to foreign countries, such as Germany or Austria and England with most products being organic and traded through fair trade.

When talking about her work at Mani Blauel, Anna-Maria sounds happy and excited. “In the company we don’t believe that we just sell a product to the consumer, we consider that we produce it with the goal of sharing it with him”, she tells me. “There is so much attention and love in all the products we make that I would never have imagined.”

Of course, her knowledge of the German language was a great asset as she uses them daily in her work in the company. So, it seems once again that for Anna-Maria it is as if everything has fallen into place so that at some point in her life, she can find employment in an object she loves, in a place she loves and in a company she respects.

Her immediate goal is to complete her master’s degree, with the support of the Mani Blauel company. As Anna-Maria tells me, “What I like and appreciate very much in the company is that they push us in order to evolve and grow, both as people and professionally “. Now that she is better acquainted with the olive oil sector, it seems that it was love at first sight. As a next step, she considers on training on organoleptic control.

Before we say goodbye, Anna-Maria quotes “I love both olives and olive oil very much! I believe that it is something that our generation has not realized how valuable it is, how great a treasure it is and how we can use it and highlight it. I hope I can contribute to the promotion of this Greek treasure! “