The grandfather of brothers Thomas and George Douzis had a grocery store in Thessaloniki and their father founded a company for the distribution of Greek food products in 2004, after a long career in multinational food companies. That’s how they got interested in the food industry and decided in 2007 to create Ergon, a brand comprising an exceptional selection of traditional greek products from all over the country, aiming both at domestic and international markets. In Greek, «Ergon» means work, vocation and also the product of work.
Three years after presenting the first Ergon product (honey), the greek food brand offered a selection of 70 more and opened its first concept store in Thessaloniki. A couple of months later came the first store to combine a deli and a restaurant at the Sani Resort in Halkidiki, and the concept was subsequently introduced at Thessaloniki, Skiathos, Rhodes, Athens and Lefkada in Greece.
All Ergon stores are set according to the same theme, while at the same time small adjustments and variations reflect the spirit of each location. The menu offers traditional Greek flavors re-imagined by chef Dimitris Skarmoutsos.
The brand’s big burst abroad came with the opening of the first Ergon deli and restaurant in London, UK, in November 2013. The second opened in September 2014 in Brussels, Belgium, close to the European Parliament Building. In 2014 Ergon also became part of Endeavor, an international network selecting, mentoring and accelerating those considered the best high-impact entrepreneurs around the world.
Today, Egon gathers and distributes more than 1,200 traditional greek products from 150 artisanal producers in its eponymous stores and in more than 300 other points of sale. The assortment of fresh and packaged greek food products includes olives and olive oil, herbs and coffee, honey, jams and preserves, pasta, rice, seeds, pickled and dried vegetables, sauces and condiments, spreads and seafood, syrups, confectionery, wines and spirits.
Each year, at least 10% of the greek traditional products on offer are replaced by new types, in a constant pursuit of the highest quality and originality. Heavily investing in infrastructure and quality control, Ergon aims to expand its network of producers and open more stores both in Greece and abroad.
Credits
Direction & Post Production: Alexis Skoulidis
Grooming: Roula Lymperopoulou
Interview & Texts: Paris Kormaris
Project Manager: Agapi Tsakpinoglou
via LoveGreece.com
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