The signature Greek feta cheese and yogurt are driving exports in the food and beverage category according to recent data.
According to Enterprise Greece, an organization promoting Greek exports and attracting foreign investment, feta cheese exports have risen by 700 percent compared with a decade ago, and now account for €1 billion in overseas sales, up from €142 million in 2014.
The president of the National Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (NUAC), Pavlos Satolias, likened feta to “white gold” for the Greek economy, referring to increased exports in recent years, with more and more countries opening their markets to welcome the “queen” of Greek cheeses.
“About 65 percent of the annual production of feta in the country is now destined for export,” Pavlos Satolias told the newspaper Peloponnisos recently.
The President of NUAC went on to say that “feta has to be the original product. There is only one way to achieve that: A strict legislative framework that will act as a deterrent. No one can play with our country.”
Greece’s feta cheese and other foods popular in LA
Greek feta, along with other Greek foods, has become popular in the US as can be seen in the following video:
Greece’s foods and drinks gain ground in foreign markets
According to Enterprise Greece foods and drinks continue to gain ground in foreign markets, defying the slowdown in global exports that have weighed down other products and underscoring the continuing popularity of Greek cuisine.
Amid only a modest 2.7 percent increase in global merchandise trade so far this year, Greek food and beverage exports are up roughly 7 percent, and this year’s gains represent the latest in roughly a decade of continuous growth.
Overall, Greek food exports have more than doubled in value to over €10 billion a year in the last 10 years, and the sector remains a cornerstone of the Greek economy.
Reasons for food export growth
The reasons, say experts, are manifold.
Among them has been the growing popularity of the Mediterranean diet with health-conscious consumers around the world. This year, for example, the American newsweekly U.S. News & World Report named the Mediterranean diet the best overall diet for the seventh consecutive year.
At the same time, there is growing recognition of the superior quality of Greek food products, something that became increasingly pronounced during the Covid pandemic when Greek foods and ingredients gained favor in Europe over rival products from other countries. That has also helped Greek producers enter and expand into new markets outside Europe, particularly in North America and Asia.
Helping showcase Greece’s food sector, Greek exporters turned out in record numbers at this month’s giant SIAL Paris food fair in the gastronomic capital of Europe.
The biennial exhibition, which was held October 19 to 23 and celebrated its 60th anniversary, is the largest F&B trade fair taking place this year, drawing some 265,000 visitors and more than 7,000 exhibitors from some 200 countries.
Greece was represented by about 280 exhibitors in total, including a national delegation of 120 companies organized by Enterprise Greece, marking the 40th year that Greek exhibitors have taken part in the fair.
Related: Feta Cheese Drives Political Debate Over Greek Food Prices
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