How much simpler you could find in a beach cafe - a glass of ouzo with an olive on the plate that accompanied the drink. Whatever the saucer was, the olive was not missing… In the last few days, looking again at the Greek distinctions at the Great Taste Awards of 2018, I found that a special product from Laconia - behind an imaginative idea - had managed to attract 1 star. This is the product Pinelies table Kalamata olives with ouzo.

On the website of the company Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms -bioarmonia.gr- which is the creator of an innovative product: many months of natural fermentation, without chemicals or additives and with full scientific monitoring throughout the process. Significant effect on the taste and quality of olives Pinelies, olives with ouzo have their non-heat treatment (Kalamon olives without pasteurization). After many years of testing, the production of Gourmet Kalamata olives with ouzo Pinelies, is done with minimal salt throughout the fermentation process and in the final packaging of the olives, with additions of ouzo, tea and organic olive oil, so as to maintain the ripe but at the same time fruity taste of olive, giving touches of high gastronomy to any dish if added ". 

To avoid misunderstandings, the company Sakellaropoulos clarifies: "In the Great taste awards we participate with the brand of our company representative with the name Oliveology ltd for this and our awards come with this brand and with a clear reference to the brand name of each of our products" .

In addition to the Pinelies, the company had another success - the organic olive oil (22oC Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil) under the name Armonia also won that 1 star. 

On the site of the company from Sparta we read about its activities and the range of its products: " At the foot of Taygetus mountain, close to Sparta, we produce Kalamata and Koroneiki variety olives, organic certified by BIO-HELLAS certification control body since 1992. These olives are the raw material for the production of top low-acidity cold extracted organic olive oil.

Our family of olive oils consists of organic olive oils cold extracted, premium, limited edition, organic extra virgin olive oils.

Well presented are the organic natural table olives of Kalamata variety that have unique characteristics such as Unsalted olives with aromatic plants,  gourmet olives with ouzo (Pinelies).

Our olive oils and olives are distinguished in international tasting competitions for their quality (award-winning olive oils and olives), while, due to their high health protection ingredients (antioxidants, polyphenols, etc.), they participate in clinical studies from universities worldwide.

St. John's Wort oil, natural cosmetics, wax creams, handmade soaps from organic olive oil, which have legal circulation certifications, complete the family of the organic Sakellaropoulos Olives ".

The topic could end here. And yet… The reference to their high health protection ingredients (antioxidants, polyphenols, etc.) but also the participation in clinical studies from university research worldwide bring once again to the fore the next day of Greek olive oil and Greek olives.

Think about whether you would buy in an elegant but safe package that keeps the olives fresh (alive) - in a package of 5 olives - from the pharmacy as a supplement - health protective, as a healthy and nutritious snack. And yet the combined research on the one hand in the part of the packaging and on the other hand in the promotion of the health claims of the product can also show the way for the alternative distribution networks and through it to achieve the restoration and the strengthening of the value of a traditional Greek product. Thus, branded products such as those of the Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms from Sparta take the case one step further.