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GreekReporter.comGreek NewsThe Greek Who Taught the Japanese to Eat Feta and Olive Oil

The Greek Who Taught the Japanese to Eat Feta and Olive Oil

(Original story in Greek by Inga Athanasiadou)

The soil of Greece is known for having many unique qualities, many of which are imparted to the produce of the fields, and which are responsible for the uniquely wonderful flavors of Greek foods.

Greek products hold the key to a source of wealth that the nation of Greece has unfortunately failed to exploit to its fullest extent.

Traditional Greek products rank high in the international marketplace for their pure taste, healthy ingredients and their high quality. They could bring much more revenue to the  country as the nation continues to recover from the financial crisis of several years ago, should they be adequately promoted across the world in a more organized manner.

Currently, only individuals, not the Greek government, promote Greek products to the outside world by way of their personal initiatives and businesses. However, their results routinely confirm that Greek products are highly successful on the world stage.

One such businessman is Thanasis Fragkis, a Greek man living in Japan, who introduced traditional Greek products to this Far East country. Olives, Greek wine, feta cheese and Greek yogurt are now enjoyed in Japan as the great gourmet delicacies they are.

Through his business, called Nostimia.com, Fragkis introduced many of these items to the Japanese market, and one of his continuing missions is to share his knowledge of Greek virgin olive oil and the unique taste of feta with the Japanese people.

Fragkis comes from Euboea, Greece, and he met his Japanese wife in England. They finally decided to move to and live in Japan permanently.

He founded Nostimia.com in 2001, with the lofty aim of introducing traditional Greek and organic food and beverage products to Japan. The business is based in Mikato, a city 130 km (81 miles) away from Fukushima.

His company now imports 80% of the formulated Greek products entering the Japanese market, which are then distributed to hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets. In addition, Fragkis has created a website selling his most popular products online.

The Greek entrepreneur has seen a 20% yearly increase in his sales in Japan, which is solely driven by his personal efforts. “This whole scheme has nothing to do with Greece, and this is my only complaint,” he says.

However, Fragkis is now taking part in different expositions and shows promoting Greek products and flavors, such as FOODEX, the largest food and beverage expo in the Pacific region.

The businessman noted that in the past, when the Japanese economy was at its highest peak, some earlier attempts had been made to introduce Greek products to the Japanese market, especially on behalf of private businesses.

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