We are proud to feature a video interview that was done with Cristina Stribakou, co-founder of LIÁ Cultivators, which produces one of the top three of its category (Koroneiki) extra virgin olive oils in the world.
Her olive oil brand, Liá extra virgin olive oil from Messinia in the southern Peloponnese, is available for purchase from the Olive Grove Market here.
In the video below, produced by LoveGreece.com, Stribakou shares the story of how her company was created out of the the economic crisis in Greece.
You can turn on English subtitles in the video, or read the video transcript below.
Video transcript
At the beginning of the economic crisis, a Dutch friend arrived from the Netherlands in Messinia on a bicycle.
One day when we had climbed up a hill, my friend said, look at all these olive trees the wealth is in front of you and you don’t see it. So, two days later with my brother Konstantinos, who specializes in the production of extra virgin olive oil, we decided to create LIÁ Cultivators, we decided to share the most valuable commodity of our land LIÁ Olive Oil.
We are the owners of a beautiful olive grove that we inherited from our parents and we specialize in the production of extra virgin olive oil 100% of koroneiki variety.
Initially, I believe that the quality stands out, LIÁ according to the world ranking of olive oil is at the top three of the best olive oils from koroneiki variety.
And definitely the world loves us because we combine the high standards of production and the values of a family business. Once a partner said to me, every time I try LIÁ in addition to the flavors and aromas of your nature, I also taste the love with which it is made.
I believe the key is that the design hides a perfect product. It has drawn the attention of many collaborators and consumers, but it is now recognizable that the white, elegant bottle is produced by the Stribakou siblings. Furthermore, the logo hides its own story.
The logo represents on the one hand the old millstones that used to produce olive oil and a new circle has been added. This is the evolutionary course of olive oil production from the traditional to the modern way.
Our main goal is to share with our consumers a 100% natural product that will be produced, as nature and science ideally pose. These are the values that consumers seek abroad. They look for natural products and want to know the person behind them. This is what makes LIÁ successful.
Lately, I think young entrepreneurs have come to the arena of the world market and I believe that’s great. I constantly meet new people who deal with traditional or even new products.
The only thing that worries me is the fact that Greek products in areas of high gastronomy are relatively unknown.
LIÁ Olive Oil has been awarded with 12 gold awards in international competitions around the world and has been included in quality lists. I think that Greeks, especially the young ones, that we have attempted to enter this traditional sector, should work collectively in order to help the recognition of Greek olive oil abroad and then claim our position on the market.
We are mainly an exporting company as 90% of our sales are abroad. I believe that everyone loves Greece and Greek culture. The bet is to maintain and communicate these values through Lia as an ambassador of the Mediterranean diet.
LIÁ has become the reason for meeting wonderful people from every corner of the world who became friends from partners. People who love good olive oil also have a different culture. And all this social interaction is an inspiration and driving force for my evolutionary course.
I’m Cristina Stribakou and I’m co-founder of LIÁ Cultivators.
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