Always smiling and in good spirits… Giannis has a deep love for honey, which he presents in many varieties! Time to get to know him in 10 questions…
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you start? What inspired you to work with food?
Beekeeping was a hobby for my wife Chrysa and me, because we loved the bee society, escaping into the Greek countryside, and of course the miraculous bee products from the hive, which we passionately consumed. We both had different professions— I was working for the Municipal Police of Athens and Chrysa was a nurse on a temporary contract. In the summer of 2013, the Municipal Police was abolished, Chrysa’s contract ended, and we both found ourselves unemployed during a very difficult financial period for our country.
We felt really disappointed and kept wondering what our future would look like and what we could do professionally.
The only activity we had was our beekeeping, so we made the big decision to go against the current of the declining times we were experiencing, to take a risk, create something new, and turn our hobby into a profession!
We invested our wedding money and all our savings to build a small-scale production facility and create a competitive brand that could stand on the shelves of foreign markets. That’s how our journey began…
Tell us about your brand. What does it stand for? Why did you create it?
When we finally decided to start the business, we began looking for a name that would represent us and shape our entire brand identity. So, I came up with “Chrysomelo,” from my wife Chrysa’s name, and also because the products that bees offer us through their hard work are truly “golden” in nutritional value for our bodies. I also thought it would sound nice and be memorable for the Greek market.
How did you get started? What challenges did you face?
Trying to start and especially create something in Greece is quite difficult, and the biggest challenge is the state itself. Endless bureaucracy, a very “constipated” public sector, they would send us from one office to another, from one building to the next. The answers we got were always “come back tomorrow” or “next week, the director is on leave.”
But the expenses, contributions, and obligations to the state were running from day one—there, there are no delays.
Entrepreneurship in Greece made us feel like we were committing a crime, like we were doing something wrong—and I’m really sorry to say this. But we didn’t give up, we became even more determined and kept going.
Tell us about your products. What makes them different?
Bee products have been famous worldwide for thousands of years. Most of our production is focused on honey, and that’s where we are putting the most emphasis for now. We have a small quantity of royal jelly and pollen for personal use and for friends, but in the future, we plan to increase production in those areas too.
What I believe sets us apart and attracts consumer interest are the rarer varieties we produce, like the very special oak honey, the rare wild thyme (asfaka) honey, and heather honey, which has become well-known in recent years for its amazing properties.
Greece is a country with a huge variety of plants and trees—most of which offer nectar or honeydew that, with the right handling, bees can turn into honey! That’s what we aim for: uniqueness through the bee.
After all, it’s uniqueness that gets us onto store shelves both abroad and in Greece.
In addition, we’ve started combining our honey with other exceptional Greek products—for example, thyme honey with Greek blueberry, and blossom honey with almonds. And of course, more combinations are on the way.
Tell us about your raw materials
The raw materials are exactly as nature offers them through the bee! She generously provides us with the treasures of the hive. Only she knows the recipe—and has for thousands of years. Her contribution is truly priceless.
Are there any products you particularly love?
Honestly, I can’t pick a favorite—each one is different, suited to different tastes and with different properties.
But I can tell you which ones people in Greece and abroad love the most. Our best seller is oak honey, followed by wild thyme (asfaka) honey, and then our thyme honey with blueberry.
Give us some ideas for using your products (usage tips, serving suggestions, etc.)
Honey can be used everywhere—from cooking and baking, to warm drinks, cocktails, or a supercharged breakfast.
All our honey varieties are great for traditional desserts like melomakarona, diples, pasteli, energy bars, and syrup-based pastries.
You can spread them on bread or toast, add them to a warm drink or cocktail. The thyme with blueberry and the blossom with almond are ideal for yogurt or a refreshing gourmet salad to impress your guests.
Can Greek producers make a difference during the crisis?
I firmly believe that in order for our country to restart and finally develop, it has to happen through the primary sector and tourism.
Greece is blessed with ideal weather conditions, sunshine, and the ability to grow anything.
We need to realize we are living on a piece of “gold” called Mother Earth. It’s time we put that to use for the good of our country.
Combined with our geography and the sea, we can develop trade and export everywhere.
There is huge demand for Greek products, and international markets are vast.
We already export our honey to 10 countries, and the feedback we get is amazing for all Greek products.
I believe that my generation is starting to see this and turning to the primary sector. I know many who’ve done so very successfully.
So yes, I strongly believe that Greek producers can make a difference during the crisis.
xWhat difficulties do Greek producers face today?
Like any profession, there are challenges—but the biggest obstacle for entrepreneurship is the endless taxes, bureaucracy, and the state itself.
The state only shows up at the end of the month to collect—we’ve never received help, and many times we’ve been held back.
Entrepreneurship in Greece is treated like a criminal offense, and I honestly don’t understand why.
If we’re exporting and bringing revenue into the Greek economy, the state should be standing beside us, helping us grow our exports—because everyone would benefit from that.
Why did you choose to participate in and support the Wise Greece Initiative?
When I heard about Wise Greece and its mission, I immediately loved the idea. I wanted Chrysomelo to support this movement and help people in need as much as we could.
As we said, times are very tough in our country, and we need initiatives like this to support our fellow humans.
We must all be united, with solidarity and mutual support—this is the only way forward. Not by turning our backs on people who need us.
