The world record of 100 international awards for a Greek producer, solely with his own organic olive products, was achieved by George Sakellaropoulos, who during the last 27 years has given his heart and soul to the blessed fertile Spartan soil which offers him unparalleled quality products.
The 100th award was officially announced just yesterday and came from the biggest international tasting competition for olive oil, the New York International Olive Oil Competition 2019 (NYIOOC 2019), in New York. The organic Agourelaio of Sakellaropoulos Organic Farming stood out among 903 samples of olive oil from all over the world and was honored with a silver award.
The 100% Made in Greece family business, which is involved with the cultivation, production and packaging solely of their olive products, has been receiving international awards on a steady basis the last 7 years, making this business success story known worldwide.
The thing that is unique about Sakellaropoulos Organic Farming is that the 100 international awards he has received have to do solely with the very high quality of the products themselves and not the design of their packaging or other promotional actions.
What are the components that contribute to the international recognition of the quality of the Sakellaropoulos olive products, that have even made them study material in various university nutritional studies, like the one by Harvard University? How do they manage to be continuously distinguished, to impress the judges, to be awarded for the taste and quality of their products, in a sector where international competition is huge, with over 36 countries in the world that produce olive oil and olives?
MadeinGreece.news spoke exclusively with Mr. George Sakellaropoulos, the owner of the business, who reveals the secrets of his success.
The basic points of the interview:
-We made a conscious decision to become involved with organic cultivation, recognizing the benefits that it has for human health, as well as for the environment
-we specialized in the production of organic olive oil, with unique characteristics and certain production procedures, as well as table olives with one of a kind taste and very high levels of health beneficial compounds
-The 100th award came with much toil, hard work, hardships that many times were due to adverse weather conditions
-we are the definition and the epitome of single estate, something that is especially valued internationally
-We are now in a position to work with a good number of chefs all over Greece, creating with them new combinations, flavors and high quality gastronomic creations
-the synergies with scientists and researchers have a very important position for Sakellaropoulos Estates
-the olives from Sakellaropoulos Estates contain 5 times more anti-oxidant compounds (Phenols -tyrosol and Hydroxytyrosol)
-the organic olive oils of Sakellaropoulos Estates are participating in the three year research study “Mediterranean Diet Intervention Trial” which is being conducted by Harvard University’s School of Public Health
-our awards were achieved based on the internal contents of our packages, the product itself, and not the design of the package or its marketing
-the 100 awards, that are exclusively for products of our cultivation, is one of the ways that give added value to our products
-we participate exclusively in competitions with high prestige, with professional tasters and with blind tasting procedures that are in accordance with the International Olive Oil Council
-we also participate in competitions that concern health and more specifically, that award products that contain high levels of health beneficial compounds
-our new olive oil Majestic Blend Evoo has achieved a very high distinction, it managed to achieve 1st place in the worldwide ranking of olive oils EVOOWR 2018
-Memorable was our first award in 2012 at the Great Taste Awards in London, with a double gold star for our Telies olives, among 10,000 food products from all over the world
-Presently, we export to 16 countries worldwide, where we give 90% of our production
Mr. Sakellaropoulos, we are especially pleased to be speaking with you again and this time regarding the great news of your 100 international awards. What we would like from you is to describe your journey towards attaining this record…
This is one of the most emotional moments that we are experiencing as a Greek business, and especially as Greek olive producer and it is an honor for us that we managed to make our country known internationally for its land and for the exceptional quality of its products that we can produce based on the olive. The 100th award came with much toil, hard work, and hardships that many times were due to adverse weather conditions. But, our will, our yearning and especially our passion and love for what we do gave us the results that with great satisfaction we announce to you today.
So, we consciously chose to become involved with organic farming, knowing the benefits that this provided to human health, as well as to the environment itself. Going back in time to 1992, I can say that we were entering into uncharted waters, because organic farming was completely unknown then in Greece. We chose our area, Sparta, Lakonia, where conditions (climate, soil, zero environmental pollution, etc.) are ideal for the cultivation of olives, which have traditionally been cultivated in this area for many years. Our goal was never to produce huge amounts of olive oil and olives resulting in lower quality. First of all, we trained, tasted, experimented and then decided that the production of olive products with an identity and added value was a one - way street for us. For this reason, we specialized in the production of organic olive oil, with special characteristics and certain production procedures, as well as table olives with one of a kind taste and very high levels of health beneficial compounds. We have undertaken the whole production process for our olive products, from the cultivation until the production and the packaging. As we rely solely on our production, in other word on production only from our olive groves, without dealing with olive oil and table olives from other sources, we are not allowed to make mistakes. We are the definition and the epitome of a single estate, something that is especially valued internationally.
However, despite your successful course and the exceptional quality products that you have introduced into the market, you are not standing still, but continue to innovate highlighting not only Greek products, but Greek gastronomy as well. A notable example of this is your new section with recipes that you added to your company website. Talk to us about this idea…
We are far too romantic, as to only be satisfied with producing exceptionally quality products. We wanted people to be able to taste them so that they can truly enjoy their rich taste. We wanted to highlight their aromas the best way possible, which was none other than to ask internationally renown Greek chefs to become inspired by them and be creative with our products. Besides, we have always sought to work together with people of taste, Greek chefs and gourmet food tasters. We are now in a position to work with many chefs all over Greece, creating with them new combinations, tastes, and unique gastronomic creations which you will find at https://www.bioarmonia.gr/chef.
Today you present us bio-functional olive products with unique nutritional value. In fact, their unique health beneficial characteristics are recognized in international studies. Talk to us about them.
It was our goal from the beginning to create innovative functional foods, in other words foods that besides satisfying our appetite, also have proven and significant benefits for our health. This is why our cooperation with scientist and researchers has a very important place in Sakellaropoulos Estates.
A good example of this is the first international clinical study which studies the effects of Kalamon olives on the lipid profile of humans. In cooperation with the 401 General Military Hospital in Athens, researchers and scientists from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens studied many commercial olive samples from all over Greece and came to the conclusion that the olives from Sakellaropoulos organic estates contained 5 times more anti-oxidant compounds (phenols – tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol). Thus, giving just 5 olives daily to 20 healthy volunteers for sixty days, they noticed a dramatic increase in HDL (“good cholesterol”) levels and decreased LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels.
At the same time, the organic olive oil of Sakellaropoulos estates are participating in the three-year study “Mediterranean Diet Intervention Trial” which is being conducted by the Harvard University School of Public Health and follows the diet of 1000 volunteer fire fighters in 44 fire stations in the United States. The purpose of this three year study by the Harvard University School of Public Health is to show that by altering diet conditions, with a scientifically proven method, in groups of people who have a high risk of sickness and especially of heart related conditions during the implementation of their job, like fire fighters, that this risk is reduced by a very high degree.
In this way, we are constantly improving, specializing and managing to produce – always in limited production and high quality – organic olive products with a unique and special identity.
All of these characteristics are recognized and have brought you the 100 awards, do these awards have to do exclusively with the quality of these products or also there packaging?
We made a conscious decision to “invest” exclusively in the taste and the quality of our products. This is why our awards have to do solely with what is inside the packaging, the product itself, and not the design of the packaging or marketing. We want people to identify our products by there quality and not by other secondary reasons which may draw their attention.
The results in all of the international competitions that we participate in and in all of the prestigious competitions around the world in general, are reached by the blind tasting procedure based on international standards. In other words, the judges and tasters do not know which olive oil or table olives they are testing, thus maintaining high testing standards. This form of reward has an even higher level of value for us.
Which exactly are these competitions that you describe for us and why do they have so much importance?
The 100 international awards, that regard exclusively products produced by us, is one of the ways that give added value to our products. This is why we only participate in competition with high stature and prestige, with professional tasters and with blind tasting procedures according to the World Olive Oil Council. There, a large panel of judges – tasters, overseen by panel leaders, blindly taste the olive oils and table olives from hundreds of samples from many olive producing countries. Thus, we compete with countries that have a high level of production and quality such as Italy, Spain, Tunisia, France, Morocco, Turkey, the US, Argentina, Chile and others.
The most competitive of these competitions that we participate in are the LAIOOC in Los Angeles, the NYIOOC in New York, the Great Taste Awards in London, the ITQI in Brussels, OliveJapan in Japan, the international competition for organic olive oils BIOL in Italy, the LIOOC in London, the Terraolivo in Israel, the Olivnius in Argentina, the JOOP in Japan, the EVOIOOC in Italy, and others.
In addition, we participate in competitions that regard health and more specifically reward products that contain a high level of health beneficial compounds, such as the Aristoleo High Phenolic Awards, where we have been awarded for three years in a row for having organic olives that contain the highest amount of health beneficial compounds worldwide.
Here I would like to focus on one of the newest “arrivals” to your line of products, a new olive oil which has already managed to draw international attention, and awards. This has to do with the Majestic Blend Evoo. Tell us about this achievement...
Indeed, our new olive oil Majestic Blend Evoo has made a tremendous impression, managing to achieve 1st place in the world ranking of olive oils EVOOWR 2018. And of course you cannot imagine our joy when we were informed that the Majestic Blend Evoo took first place in the category of Condimento-Flavored Olive Oil in the world ranking among hundreds of olive oils. It was one of the most significant awards that we have received for an olive oil that just came out on the market, managing to receive awards and to receive excellent reviews from the judges. At the same time, the 1st place that the Majestic Blend Evoo achieved also resulted in bringing our country, Greece, in the corresponding 1st place in the world. The uniqueness of the varietal flavored olive oil Majestic Evoo limited edition, for which it was awarded, is based on the combination of three olive varieties (Koroneiki, Kalamon, Koutsouroelia). It has absolute balance and harmony in taste with natural infusions of lemongrass and tarragon so as to enhance it as a flavored superior gourmet olive oil, an element which classifies it as one of the most functional and innovative high-quality flavored olive oils of our organic groves.
Which are the most important awards you have received and why?
Our first award, at the Great Taste Awards 2012 at London, with two golden stars for Telies table olives, among 10.000 food samples from all over the world. We were especially honor when Syllektikon flavored olive oil, was ranked 2nd best worldwide for 2017 (EVOOWR ranking). Definitely, our top moment was when we were informed that Majestic Blend Evoo was ranked first in the world, at its first year on the market, after 4 years of testing.
Here I would like to you to tell us about the 100th award you were honored with. What was it and what does it mean for you?
Just yesterday our company received its 100th award in the biggest olive oil competition world wide in America, at the NYIOOC 2019 competition which took place in New York City. This is the biggest international competition of olive oil in the world and there the organic Agourelaio was honored with the silver award, among 903 samples of olive oil from all over the world.
This award has a special meaning for us, as it was achieved in one of the most difficult years for the Greek olive industry and signals a new era of creativity and development for Sakellaropoulos organic estates.
Innovation and an outward approach are the two basic defining characteristics of Sakellaropoulos Estates and indeed the export nature of your company is of strategic importance for your development and successful journey. Tell us about your export plan, to which countries do you export?
Sakellaropoulos estates is an export-oriented company which invests in an outward approach. Through our awards and innovation, we have managed to steadily increase our clientele. At this moment we export to 16 countries worldwide, where we provide 90% of our production. It is not an easy percentage to reach, but we persisted and it is an achievement for which we are very proud of, and not only for our exceptional journey, but because we feel that we also contribute in our own way, in supporting the Greek economy.
What are your next goals and how do you visualize the future of Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms?
Our dream for the future is to continue to produce even more innovative, quality organic olive oils and olives, that belong at the category of Greek - High quality products that help improve the consumer's health. Olive oil products, with identity and value that are organic functional products.
Source: madeingreece.news