Angelos describes to us that from his involvement with cooking and testing new flavors in his mother’s kitchen, he created a unit that is based 100% on the handmade production of its products! Let ‘s meet him….
Tell us a few words about yourself? How did you start? How did you get involved in the primary sector?
My involvement with food started in 2010. From an early age I loved experimenting with new flavors in cooking. I combined different ingredients in my mother’s kitchen, in order to create new recipes. At some point I wanted to develop this interest on a professional level. So, about 12 years ago I invested all my savings in a land in the area of Lagadas, which is one of the most prosperous places in northern Greece, necessary so as to create a vertical unit for growing and processing vegetables.
Tell us a few words about the brand. What does it stand for? There is a purpose behind it?
This is how LAGADAS FARM was created over the years. I decided to give this name to the company to emphasize on the place of the production and the raw materials, that come from it.
How did you get started? What difficulties did you face?
The beginning was of course difficult. Lots of study, lots of testing, lots of different sophisticated products. And at the same time the big bet on the one hand is to be able, without having the appropriate volume of sales, to cope with the costs of a production unit and on the other hand to try to penetrate the market, which has been dominated for many years by similar products.
Tell us about your products. What makes them different?
The winner was the quality! The products made the difference. From the first moment, from the first product because we relied on quality. Quality in raw materials and in the production process. It was a conscious choice not to use machines, to have the whole production process handmade. Nothing can replace these two factors in the long run. No marketing, no advertising, no price.
Tell us about the raw materials?
The big difference is made by the raw materials! That is exactly why we chose to create our unit in the area of Lagadas. For this reason, that we use materials and do not cultivate it by ourselves, we select them through a lot of research, many taste trying and based solely on its quality.
Are there any of your products that you stand out?
All our products are separate. The stuffed peppers with cheese, our stuffed pickles, the sauerkraut. Personally my two favorite products, my two productive kids, as I usually call them, are Bread & Butter Pickles and Piccalilli. Two award-winning products, created through many months of study and testing and that surprise with their unique taste.
Can Greek producers make a difference in the crisis?
I believe that the only way for our country to get out of the crisis is production. Our country produces excellent raw materials that in the hands of Greek producers who are distinguished for their taste, can become fantastic products, gain tremendous added value, be exported and bring to our country the economic benefits.
Why did you choose to participate and support the Wise Greece Initiative?
The creation of Wise Greece was a fantastic and commendable idea! I believe that all Greek producers and consumers have a duty to support it, giving it the strength to consolidate and grow even more.
