Terra Vita's culinary treasures were presented at Food Expo 2024

Nuts, flamari, trahanas, flour, olive oil, honey cheese and a basket! The perfectly tasty, traditional Lemnos and Kythera products, all with the Terra Vita certification mark, were on display during the weekend of 9-11 March 2024 at the largest Food & Beverage Fair in South-Eastern Europe, Food Expo 2024, which attracted more than 34,000 visitors, 3,500 food traders and 2,500 international buyers.

Through its participation North Aegean Region, MedINA presented -at its own stand- the certified products Poriasi & Staphyli and the olive oil of Agricultural Cooperative of Livadi Kythera, in the context of their promotion, supporting producers and promoting sustainable farming methods, with respect for nature and our agri-food heritage. The theme of this year's exhibition was the Mediterranean diet, which the Terra Vita certification seeks to preserve, not only by promoting genuine traditional products, but also by reinforcing the authentic and sustainable way of producing and processing them.

During the exhibition, many visitors were delighted by the tastes of the products and -at the same time- were impressed by the philosophy of the innovative MedINA certification, which combines in a unique way sustainable farming practices with our living agricultural tradition. It is worth noting that all consumers, while tasting Terra Vita products, expressed interesting opinions about them and how they can be made even better.

In addition, substantial contacts were made with traders, catering and agri-food professionals in general, while producers from other regions expressed strong interest in the certification scheme. Finally, the certified products were presented at the food stage of Hall 1, during the official presentation of all producers of the North Aegean Region.

We were honoured by the presence of friends and colleagues, as well as representatives of institutions. More specifically, the Regional Governor of the North Aegean, Mr. Moutzouris, the Vice-Regional Head of Product Promotion, Mr. Nyktas, the President of the Chamber of Lesvos, Mr. Myrsinias and Mr. Orfanidis, member of the Chamber of Lesvos.

The presentation of the certification and the products was made by Danae Sfakianou, Agronomist and Terra Vita Certification Manager, Dimitris Moustakis, Marketing Consultant and Rigas Zafeiriou, Agronomist and Agri-food Systems Manager of MedINA. Also, Vassilis Stafilis and his partners presented their unique cheese products at the stand.

We would like to thank the North Aegean Region for the opportunity to participate and further promote the certified Terra Vita products.

After the Nicosia and Athens, the certification journey continues! Next stop is London and the exhibition IFE 2024, 25-27 March 2024 - the ultimate business event with fine food and drink from around the world. Certification knows no boundaries, with Lemnos and Kythera products ready to win over the British public!

The promotion of certification Terra Vita - Rural Tradition & Biodiversity and certified products is supported by the Ioannis S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation.

More information and links:

The programme «Terra Graeca: Small Farm to Market» aims at the multifaceted empowerment of farmers in Lemnos and Kythera and the sustainable development of the agri-food sector of these islands. With the support of the Ioannis S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation we envision local communities thriving in productive and healthy agroecosystems full of life! More information: MedINA website

The programme «Terra Kytheria - Sustainable Agriculture in Kythera» aims to support olive growers and promote Kythera's olive oil. It is based on a cultivation and certification system, which is adapted to local methods and preserves the biodiversity and traditional agricultural landscapes of the island. The programme is implemented by the Kythira Foundation for Culture & Development (KIPA) and the Mediterranean Institute for Nature and Man (MedINA) in cooperation with the Agricultural Olive Oil Cooperative of Potamos, the Agricultural Cooperative of Livadi, and the University of the Aegean. More information: MedINA website, CFS website, Terra Lemnia website

The certification Terra Vita - Rural Tradition and Biodiversity concerns food produced in Greece using traditional agricultural management methods that benefit biodiversity and the landscape, while promoting the local identity of the regions. More information: Terra Vita website