Athens and Thessaloniki showcase “Export-Oriented Agriculture” potential

Greek agri-food is turning a new page and acquiring new tools to introduce itself more dynamically to international markets. This was the key message from two events that took place in Athens, where the official presentation of the project was held, and in Thessaloniki. This is a comprehensive initiative that connects technology with production, exports, gastronomy and international promotion of Greek products.
The two events served as a meeting point for the State, the market, the agri-food sector, entrepreneurship and gastronomy, highlighting the importance of cooperation in strengthening the export orientation of Greek production. The goal was not only to present a digital transformation project, but to showcase a new vision for how Greek products can acquire a stronger identity, greater recognition and better access to foreign markets.
The Athens event was attended by the Minister of Agricultural Development and Food, Margaritis Schinas, and the Minister of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence, Dimitris Papastergiou, confirming the institutional significance of the project. Also present were the CEO of the Information Society, Stavros Asthenidis, the Chairman and CEO of Vodafone Greece, Achilleas Kanaris, the President of SEV and CEO of Bespoke-SGA Holdings S.A., Spyros Theodoropoulos, the CEO of Melissa Kikizas Food S.A., Alexandros Kikizas, the Chairman and CEO of Collectives S.A., Vangelis Poris, as well as chef and restaurant entrepreneur, Manolis Papoutsakis. The Thessaloniki event additionally included the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization, Mr. Spyridon Mamalis, the Head of Public Sector Vodafone Greece, Mr. Vangelis Gkorilas, and the Winemaker and CEO of Gerovassiliou Estate, Mr. Vangelis Gerovassiliou.
Through the presentations and participation of attendees, the events demonstrated that the export orientation of Greek agri-food can no longer rely solely on product quality. Modern digital tools, organized promotion, reliable data, market transparency and a coherent narrative that explains to international audiences what makes Greek products special are needed.
In this context, the “Export-Oriented Agriculture” project creates a new digital ecosystem for production, exports and international competitiveness of Greek agri-food. With resources from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” and the Public Investment Program, amounting to 25.48 million euros plus VAT, and implementation by the Information Society, the project comes to support Greek producers, facilitate exports and strengthen the international presence of Greek products through digital services – such as upgrading the “Easy Agro Expo” export trade platform, establishing registries of export and import companies, developing Business Intelligence tools and developing the Greek Farms platform.
Greek Farms plays a pivotal role in the international promotion of Greek products, being the multilingual digital platform that showcases Greek products, producers, regions and stories from across the country. Through the platform, Greek agri-food acquires a more modern, organized and export-oriented identity, connecting primary production with culture, gastronomy and the authenticity of the place.
Within the framework of Greek Farms, rich content was created that was adapted into 8 languages and targets different foreign markets. In total, 200 videos of external and internal filming were created, more than 500 articles about Greek nutrition and Greek agri-food products, as well as over 300 recipes that showcase products of Greek land through traditional dishes and high gastronomy proposals.
Collaboration with internationally renowned personalities, such as Nia Vardalos, chef Sotiris Kontizas and chef Manolis Papoutsakis, further enhanced the content’s impact, giving Greek products a more recognizable, authentic and international voice. Already, Greek Farms content has traveled to more than 10 countries abroad, recording particularly positive results in terms of promotion and response.
With events in Athens and Thessaloniki, “Export-Oriented Agriculture” demonstrated in practice that the future of Greek agri-food passes through connecting production with technology, taste with identity and Greek land with international markets. A project that is not limited to digital upgrading, but aspires to give Greek products the position and recognition they deserve in the modern world.