Her “yiamakia”, as she calls them, delight everyone who tries them! But how did Yiam start? How are new flavors created? Let’s get to know Avra Panousopoulou through 10 questions!
Tell us a few things about yourself. How did you start? What inspired you to work with food?
It was meant to be… When you grow up with a very demanding father in everything, you learn to accept only perfection. I loved cooking from a young age. I loved food, the process of preparing it, the result, and the people gathering around the table… And when I experienced the miracle of producing your own food, it was impossible not to fall in love with it.
When I left Athens and started studying and learning about village life, I discovered how much I enjoyed all of it. We ended up with a farm with animals, growing vegetables, and I was making everything myself at home. Every time I went shopping, I needed fewer things. I made our cheese, we had milk, eggs, chickens, rabbits, and calves. I made pasta, sauces, pickles, olives, jams, spoon sweets, molasses, and all kinds of vegetables. I only needed to buy household goods, coffee, sugar, and a few other items.
Many things we got directly from nearby producers, and I experienced firsthand what later became a “movement”—not buying things produced far away. I realized that what I was making interested other people too, and that’s when I decided to take it more seriously and turn it into my job.
Tell us a few things about your brand. What does it represent? Why did you create it?
In the yard of a house in 1999, while having coffee with Thanasis, we were looking for a name for the labels of the jars I was making. We wanted something short, fun, something that reminded you of something tasty and had a childlike feel. And that’s how we found “Yiam”.
How did you get started? What challenges did you face?
When you do something you love… first of all, you’re very lucky. You’ve saved your life. You’ve taken the first step toward a good life. You’ve found a way to enjoy yourself, to learn about yourself, to evolve through your work, to fill yourself with emotions and gain strength from it… it nourishes you.
All the so-called “challenges” are just details. I try to remember which difficulties I faced, and I honestly can’t.
Maybe not having money to start my first workshop? Sure, that’s a difficulty. But what stayed with me is the result. I borrowed a little money, told the people I needed what I wanted to do, and we found a way. The plumber, the tile guy, the glass installer, the equipment store, the producers—all those people who needed to be paid were eventually paid. Some became friends. Some were more patient than others. Step by step, I got closer to what I wanted to do.
Sure, there were obstacles, but they were insignificant since I overcame them.
Raising three kids while working in the fields—is that a challenge? It’s physically exhausting. But then you sleep and rest. All of it was MY choice: the kids, the fields, the village life. Especially with the kids, it was a shared experience. I never felt they were a burden—never! Our relationship is very special. They probably raised me more than I raised them. That’s how Kostis learned to cook from a young age. He would take care of little Dimitris like he was an adult.
They helped out in many tasks without even realizing it. If you ask a child to put the chickens back in the coop, they might end up playing tag with them for an hour.
So when what you do every day fulfills you, challenges just make the process more interesting. I wouldn’t want it any other way!
Tell us about your products. What makes them different?
Probably the way they’re made. I’m a bit of a split personality…
When I start imagining a new product, I’m in a dream-like state… usually while driving, I construct the flavor in my mind. I add ingredients, remove ingredients, develop the taste… I take notes (don’t judge—yes, I take notes while driving). I end up with two or three variations, and then I make them at the workshop or at home until they taste exactly like I imagined.
As soon as the creative part ends, my other self wakes up—the one who buys supplies, calculates costs, pays taxes, and brings me back to reality. When those two selves agree without compromising, a new product is born!
When we made the cornelian cherry jam, my practical self was yelling that it couldn’t be both good and affordable. I ignored it and made it anyway, even at a loss, just to do it.
The key is the flavor. That’s what makes them different. They’re tasty. When you open a “yiamaki”, I want you to taste something better than you expected. If I can achieve that, then the product is a success.
Tell us about your ingredients.
The whole secret lies in the ingredients.
Let’s make two breakfasts—one with high-quality ingredients and one with poor ones.
The first will have eggs from free-range chickens that eat herbs and pebbles on the mountain. We’ll fry them in exceptional olive oil, add pure sea salt, have sourdough bread baked in a wood oven, dip it in the yolk, add a piece of aged barrel-aged feta, and squeeze fresh oranges for juice.
The second one will have mass-produced eggs from industrial farms with antibiotics and feed, fried in margarine, with processed salt that doesn’t clump, white toast bread, and a canned orange juice like in hotels.
Now imagine the same comparison with salad, fruit, meat, cheese…
I don’t think I need to say anything more. The essence is in the raw material.
Are there any products you particularly love or that people love the most?
That’s like asking which of my kids I love more. Each has its own personality.
But if you want me to pick some, I’ll mention a few favorites among our customers:
The Dried Figs in Mavrodaphne Syrup with Black Pepper, the Sweet-Spicy Florina Peppers, and the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto!
Can you give us some usage ideas for your products? Tips, recipes, suggestions?
The lemon marmalade, apart from the classic use, can become a great base for a tangy lemon sauce. Just add lemon juice and olive oil for a salad dressing, a baked dish, grilled meats, a saganaki, a potato salad, or even for Asian-inspired meals.
The sweet-spicy Florina peppers dip is great with savory cheeses or breadsticks, but you can also marinate seafood with it, make delicious Mexican bean dishes, or turn it into a BBQ sauce by adding mustard and vinegar. Or just open the jar and enjoy it with nachos or snacks—just keep it away from the kids!
Once you start cooking with jars, your imagination takes off…
Can Greek producers make a difference during a crisis?
Only those who truly love what they do.
What challenges does a Greek producer face today?
Even the most twisted mind couldn’t imagine how difficult it is to run a business in Greece. Honestly, I feel like writing a book about it. It would be a best-seller in the sci-fi section!
You go to a government office for one paper, and you must be ready for anything. And still, you’re caught off guard. Don’t even ask…
Why did you choose to participate in and support the Wise Greece Initiative?
The team had a great idea—combining quality Greek products with giving back to society. That’s the best ambassador for Greece abroad. It represents us, and we joined to combine our forces!
