Monday 25 April 2011

The people behind the company behind the products.

My name is Chris Kamarianakis. My brother, Tim, and I represent our family business, Kamarianakis Estates. We are craftsmen of fine Greek Olive Oils. We are artisans for whom the process of producing olive oil is an annual labour of love, and a lifetime of learning. We are also deeply vested in co-creating new ways of doing business in a seriously messed up world, and finding the old ways that existed (and worked) before some of the newer ways took us all down a dubious path.

We are a family of values and conviction who hold an enormous amount of respect for the land. We practice sustainable, heritage farming and believe in the vibrancy of strong local communities. Over the years Tim, an archaeologist by trade, has become a leader in the reemergence of ancient artisanal growing techniques in Greece, a movement that is being echoed around the world today in response to the decimation of local plant crop varietals and big-box, super-mechanized farming methods. Read about some of his work at www.artemisoliveoil.com if you have a chance.

We are not a company whose focus is selling vast quantities of "product". We are a family business always looking for relationships with people who are like minded and drawn to a way of conducting business that is more fulfilling, whether that is a with fellow foodie, a merchant of fine food, or a category manager of a large chain trying to make a difference in their customers' lives. Don't get me wrong, we are building a company to create financial security for our families, however the models we use and the principles we stand by in doing so are what make us part of the new food revolution and will be our legacy.

We are storytellers with a passion for celebrating good food and the community that it creates. It is a true relationship of trust and respect between Customer and Merchant, and between Merchant and Producer that we are drawn to. We believe in transparency, honesty, and a desire for hard work, motivated by a fundamental understanding that if I look after my village, then my village will look after me.

If you will indulge us, this blog will be our outlet for explaining and expressing our perspective on food, agriculture and community, and explain how we are trying to help the world of business grow in a more sustainable holistic and meaningful manner.

Thank you for your time and support.

Chris Kamarianakis
Guelph, Ontario Canada

No comments:

Post a Comment