Stella Tofea is an agricultural technologist based in Genisea, Xanthi, where she has been continuing her family’s farming tradition for the past decade. She cultivates almonds, kiwifruit and sweet corn under an integrated crop-management system. She is the founder of the Kyklos Farm cottage industry, whose flagship product is the almond. Her range includes almond oil, almond butter, raw and roasted almonds, as well as almond flour.
As she explains, the almonds she grows stand out for their rich flavour. They are rich in valuable nutrients and help promote a feeling of fullness.
“They are ideal as a healthy snack, pair well with breakfast and can also be used in cooking. Their flavour is the best proof of the care we devote to every stage of the production process, with the aim of achieving the highest quality,” she says. Speaking to Ypaithros Chora, she also explains that her almond oil—which has gained a loyal following, particularly among women—is produced through cold pressing in order to preserve all its valuable nutrients intact.
Kyklos on the Road
Restless in spirit, artistic by nature, yet realistic in the day-to-day struggle of being a young farmer and cottage-industry producer, Stella Tofea decided to take another entrepreneurial step forward.
Together with her husband, Dimitris Apostolidis, she created the mobile food concept Kyklos on the Road. Its licence was issued in his name, as required by the relevant legal framework. Their goal is to promote products that travel directly from the field to the consumer.
Flavours born on their farm, or produced by local growers, travel on four wheels under the slogan: “street food from the producer to the consumer.” Sweet corn was initially at the heart of their street-food concept, but over time they developed an imaginative and diverse menu. It includes sandwiches with locally smoked mackerel, delicious hot dogs, and a new summer menu featuring sweet corn from their own production—grilled, boiled or fried. The common denominator in every recipe is their love for, and care of, the raw ingredients.
Stella Tofea distributes her products throughout Greece, while the food truck travels to events across the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.
At the same time, she says she is particularly fond of tall trees, peaceful places and cheerful people. The green economy, respect for the environment and for Mother Earth—which enables her to produce high-quality products in her home region and make a living from her work—are fundamental principles of her philosophy. She seeks to use natural resources responsibly and views the consumer not merely as a customer, but as an integral part of her products’ life cycle.
Another reason she and her husband established the mobile food truck was the opportunity it offers for direct contact with the public. By participating in open events, concerts and local festivals, they aim to share their gastronomic offering and build an authentic relationship with consumers.
Support Programmes
Stella Tofea is among the beneficiaries of New Agriculture New Generation, an organisation supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation that seeks to foster employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for young people in Greece’s agrifood sector. She also implemented farm-improvement plans with ena Development Consultants.
“I received funding to develop my farm operation, built facilities and acquired the equipment needed for the cottage-industry unit. I chose to implement some programmes myself, trusting my own knowledge, but time was not always on my side. Bureaucracy is always unforgiving, and as a result I missed deadlines because, at the same time, I had to deal with problems that constantly arose in the field,” she concludes.
Source: Ύπαιθρος Χώρα (ypaithros.gr).
