Messinian Messages
These last few weeks have been very interesting for us volunteers here at
the youth centre. We were treated to surprise matchmaking visits to several
local companies at their factories, located between 5 and 8 km outside of
Kalamata. The purposes of our participation in this EU matchmaking program was
to learn more about the function of the local economy here in Kalamata in the
wake of the global economic crisis, to gain an insight into their operations,
to introduce the companies and the participants to each other for potential
future collaboration and to promote these companies in our home countries.
So, day 1 and the first place on the list was a brick and roof-tile
manufacturing company. We were greeted at the entrance by the friendly owner
and he showed us around the understandably loud and warm factory of his family
business. He explained to us the process of turning the raw mud into bricks and
tiles. Basically the get the wet mud, shape it into bricks and, in a parallel
production line into tiles, dry them, stack them together, fire them together
in the furnace (the heat from here is also used in the drying stage), cool
them, pack them and send them out. We all left with a better understanding of
the entire process and some of us even brought home a brick for ourselves!
The next place we
visited directly after was a wine factory, BioVin, in operation since 2006.
Here we were shown how they make wine. They source the grapes from local,
organic farmers and extract the juice. After this, for red wine, they let the
colour of the skins of the red grapes soak into the juice, for rose they do it
for a much shorter time and for white not at all. Then they ferment it, filter
it, bottle it and sell it. They also explained to us that the reason some red
wines are more expensive, such as the reserve wines is that they have to factor
in the rental and/or operational costs of the reserves themselves, the price of
the aging barrels and the cost incurred from the losses of product due to the aging
process itself, both due to the ‘Angel’s share’ and accidental loss.
Last on the list of places to visit for this day
was a company called Κουλιέρης Α.Ε. . This is a local logistics company serving
supermarkets and hotels with Greek and international food and cosmetics
products. They also have their own brand called ‘Navarino’ which produces
orange juice, olive oil and frozen foods. They have been in operation since
1986 and have recently been awarded with a certificate naming them as one of
the strongest companies in Greece. The owner showed us around his factory,
explained to us what they do, gave us a presentation of the company and also
fed us! A good thing too because it was nearing lunchtime and we were all
really hungry!!
So day 2 and we set off for two fig factories and an olive oil company. The
first fig factory was called Goumas and here we were shown the process of how
they produce figs. The bring in the raw, dried figs and they wash them in how
water. Then they have to fumigate them for two days in phosphine to kill any
bacteria and eggs that may be on them or in them (useful tip: whenever you eat
figs, it is wise to pull it open by hand first and then eat it, as is customary
in Greece), then they wash them again and pack them by hand. One of our
volunteers even got the opportunity to do this themselves! These figs are
exported all over the world, with little under 10% being sold in in Greece. In
Canada and America they prefer big figs (insert appropriate cultural stereotype
here…!) and in Europe they prefer small figs, according to market research.
Before we left they treated us to a box of Kalamata figs each, nice ;) .
The second fig factory was much the same in terms
of processing and packaging, though it was a larger factory owned by a
co-operative, but here we also gained some insight into how the crisis has
affected the companies and the wages in Greece.
The other factory we
visited on day two was the olive oil producing company, Ενωση Μεσσήνιας. Here they test the oil they receive and package it.
They produce olive oil and olives with a PDO certificate, which stands for
Protected Designation of Origin. This is the same idea as in France with
Champagne and also with Feta cheese.
The olive oil they produce is extra
virgin. In the lab we were shown how they test this oil and what exactly makes
it extra virgin. Their limits for extra virgin olive oil is 0.45g oleic acid
per 100 grams of olive oil, which means the oil is not very acidic. Also here
before we left they gave us a small bottle of olive oil and a jar of olives,
both Kalamata PDO of course!
So, day three and our last outing, and we were certainly the most excited
about this one as were were to visit a distillery and a winery!
The first was the
distillery where they make spirits of all shapes and sizes (literally!). The
produce rum, vodka, whiskey, ouzo, tsipouro, rakomelo (tsipouro/wine with
honey, usually served hot) and a whole cacophony of other spirits. We were
shown around this factory, to the distillery and to the bottling part of the
factory. After a brief Q and A section we were gifted with a small bottle of
rakomelo for our enthusiasm!
Last but by no means
least we visited another winery, much bigger than the previous one called Οινομεσσηνιακή (or Inomessiniaki), a Messinian winery. Here again we were briefed on the
details of the process of making wine, with the bottling phase of production in
full operation. We were taken around outside the plant and shown, up close,
various facets of the large scale production of wine. Afterwards we were taken
inside and shown the bottling process as well as the cellar. We were then taken
to the storage warehouse where there was already some wine aging there for a
few years. After a few group photos next to a mountain of Messinian wine we
received a most generous gift from our gracious yet insanely busy host: two
cases of wine! After we exchanged our many sincere thank-you’s we set off for
home with light in our hearts and wine in our arms!
These trips were great fun and very informative. Even though all these
places seem to be doing well, you can tell that the crisis has affected them,
and this was a small shapshot of the larger situation in Greece, the peripheral
countries in the EU and in companies across the globe.
A lot of these companies
have relatively few employees considering the size of the factories and/or have
had to reduce them. They have also had to reduce production and pay more
attention to seasonal work as well as reduced wages. One company told us that
in the years following the crisis they have had to reduce the wages from €55
per 7 hour day to €40. Also, one company told us that before the crisis there
was a 60-day grace period for payment of goods which doesn’t happen anymore,
and of course this has an effect on business. Competition is also an
important factor in a contracting marketplace. If one country overproduced it
can afford to offer contracts at a lower cost and price other countries out of
the market easier, PDO or not. Because of this companies struggle to make
themselves stand out from the crowd in a crowded market. Others have to enlarge
their vision of their companies either by expanding their purpose and services
or by expanding their market and changing their operations accordingly. Even
though a place like Kalamata, famous for figs, olives, olive oil and wine, all
with PDO status, it’s companies still feel the strain of the crisis. For some
other of it’s companies that do not have such a marketable status for their
products they feel it much more, and their lives are understandably more
difficult.
Innovation has to come
from somewhere, and as with solidarity it tends to appear in sink or swim
situations. These companies are all in contact with the locality and the people
in the region, supporting each other either directly by trading goods and
services or indirectly by word of mouth.
The crisis affects a lot of people on this planet
(some would say 99%) and the practice of co-operation, determination,
innovation and solidarity seem to be some of the best ways through it. This for
me was the ultimate goal of these trips; to educate and to inform us and as
many people as possible about their companies and the difficulties that the
crisis presents. But it was also for them to reach out, through the medium of a
small but international newsletter, like a message in a bottle.
By: Fiachra Mac Íomhair
