University Collaboration
At Poriazi Family, we never forget our roots. Our business is the oldest organized bakery on the island, offering not only bread but also rusks and traditional pasta, all made from Lemnian wheat and barley. The guiding principle behind all our actions is to showcase the island’s culinary heritage through products that reflect our local tradition, crafted with modern methods and specifications.
In this context, over the past six years—amid growing market challenges—Poriazi Family – Lemnos has actively moved closer to realizing its vision and goals by creating two new production lines and expanding our network of partners. We have invested in equipment for traditional pasta production and in the packaging of our own Lemnian flour, while also increasing our product distribution points throughout Greece.
Since 2009, we have had the Department of Food Science and Nutrition of the University of the Aegean as a close partner, offering us valuable insights and stimuli to inspire our next steps. Now, the time has come to deepen our collaboration, more targeted than ever before, with methodical planning and a strong work ethic. Our shared goal is to further develop our products by utilizing underexplored raw materials from Lemnos.
The project, titled “NewCracker”, falls under a national program for partnerships between businesses and research institutions (universities), supported by the Operational Programme Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation (EPAnEK) under the Ministry of Development and Investments. It will run for 30 months, with a total budget of €447,754.38, allocated between the university and the business to support laboratory experiments and pilot testing. Out of over 2,000 applications nationwide, approximately 200 projects were approved.
We feel deeply grateful for our collaboration with this specific research team at the University, led by Associate Professor Mr. Kostas Gkatzionis. The team consists of researchers specializing in the study, measurement, and understanding of food and beverage responses using various research methods. This team of academics and PhD candidates will work closely with our Research & New Product Development (R&D) department to create, study, and present modern, high-nutritional-value products. These efforts will respect the local economy, capitalize on native varieties, and support circular economy practices in the North Aegean ecosystem.
The initiative also aims to strengthen synergistic farming and contract farming, promote the use of by-products from local food producers as alternative raw materials, introduce eco-innovation, and develop sustainable packaging that aligns with emerging trends.
This project represents our most structured effort yet to develop new products that not only meet evolving dietary habits but also actively support the environment through circular economy principles.
The future lies ahead, and with respect for our environment and the society we live in, it holds great promise—if we only believe in it!
PORIAZI FAMILY – LEMNOS
Portianou, Lemnos
17/12/2019
