AgroTech Export Cluster

AgroTech
Export Cluster

an initiative of the Exporters Association (SEVE)

Vision

To become the growth catalyst and reference point of the Agri-food sector in Greece and abroad, utilizing the unique Greek agricultural products and the know-how, innovation and productive capacity of its members, to promote prosperity, healthy Mediterranean diet and sustainable development.

Mission

To equip partners and members with competitive advantages of international scope, providing innovative solutions, know-how, products and services of high added value.

Strategic Design

The implementation of the strategic development axes will aim at stimulating exports by exploiting the innovative know-how and available infrastructure of the research / academic ecosystem, both in Greece and abroad, for the smooth transition of research and production activities of the collaborating bodies to the creation of new services and competitive products for the benefit and the economic development of the Cluster’s Members.

1st Axis
2st Axis
3st Axis
4st Axis
5st Axis

1st Axis

Development of Research - Innovation - Technology:

Develop in a recognized center for the formation, development and strengthening of research and innovation in the fields of agri-food, agrotechnology and agrobiotechnology.
Assist members in resolving issues related to improving the characteristics of their final products and their competitive advantage.
Develop new technologies and know-how to attract new members.
Enhance cooperation between research organizations and private companies.
Enhance applied research tailored to the needs of private companies.

2st Axis

Provision of High Value-Added Services:

Offer high value-added services to members in research, innovation, information and promotion.
Create the adequate conditions for the development of new services.

3st Axis

Achieving Strategic Partnerships / Synergies in Greece / Abroad:

Achieve and consolidate synergies with respective Clusters/ Initiatives, in Greece and abroad.
Strengthen relations with Greek and international research and academic institutions.

4st Axis

Extroversion - Internationalization - Promotion:

Thrive as a driving force that will contribute to the recognition of the leading role of Greek companies and research organizations, but also that of the country in general, in the fields of agri-food, agro-technology and agro-biotechnology, worldwide.
Promote the results of the undertaken actions and activities and their evolution into a series of economically and technically exploitable innovative services and products, which:
will add value to the products of the Members,
will contribute to the achievement of the synergy and networking between institutions goals and
will promote innovation and technological development.

5st Axis

Funding Opportunities:

Εκμετάλλευση ευκαιριών για τη χρηματοδότηση των τεχνολογικών, επενδυτικών και ερευνητικών δραστηριοτήτων στο πλαίσιο εθνικών ή/και ευρωπαϊκών προγραμμάτων, δράσεων και πρωτοβουλιών.
Σύναψη συνεργασιών με επιχειρηματικά κεφάλαια και τράπεζες για την εξασφάλιση χρηματοδοτήσεων για νέα εγχειρήματα της Σύμπραξης και/ ή των μελών της.

Board of Directors

President: CONSTANTINIDIS Constantinos, CEO PELOPAC SA
Vice President: VOGIANOU Christos, CEO PROVIL SA
Administrator: MENEXOPOULOS Alexandros, DRYFO – MENEXOPOULOS BROS SA
Member: VEZYROGLOU Antonios, CEO VEZYROGLOU FARM SA
Member: STRATAKIS Dimitrios, CEO B&S UNISMACK SA
Member: HASSAPIS Panayiotis, Executive Vice-President Exporters Association

Constantinos Constantinidis is the CEO of PELOPAC, one of the leading Greek producers of table olives and other Greek and Mediterranean specialties. for leading brands and retailers worldwide, including the USA, Australia, UK and Europe.

PELOPAC has received multiple awards, including “Greek Export Awards” and “Greek Values Awards”. PELOPAC’s products have received 27 Great Taste Awards (UK) and have been featured at Innovation Expositions at SIAL and PLMA.

Education: He is the Chairman of the Board of the AgrοTech Export Cluster and the Oversight Committee of the American College of Thessaloniki and a member of the Boards of FIG, SEVE and the Trustees of Anatolia College. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, and a BSc (ENG) in Mechanical Engineering from QMC, U. of London.

Christos Vogiannou Chairman and Managing Director of Provil SA.

Provil is a unique Greek company for the production of additional flavor-enhancing food products, for professional gastronomy, mass catering, food industry and cooking products for the contemporary end consumer, with intense export activity. Is also, the General Manager of Kampos Hellenic Herb IKE and the General Manager of Direct Sales IKE.

Education: Master in Business Management of Liverpool Hope University (Strategic Models of the Export Management) Graduate of Food Technology and Nutrition Science Faculty of ATEI Thessaloniki. Graduate of T.I.T. (Technological institute of Thessaloniki) Computer Science and Technology. Partner and Vice President of the Board of AgroTech Export Cluster, member of the Board of Business Forum Thessaloniki.

Menexopoulos Alexandros is the CBO of Dryfo - Menexopoulos Bros S.A, which is the leading company in Dry food trading, processing and packing in Greece.

Nuts , dried fruits, spices and legumes are our major product categories, cooperating with major food industries and retailers all over the world. Our export activity is 40% of our annual sales volumes, exporting to 32 countries.

Education: BA (ENG) in Management from Uclan University. Board member of Agro tech Export Cluster.

Antonis Vezyroglou has been the Founder and CEO of the company “Vezyroglou Farm” since 2005, which specializes in the production and packaging of leafy vegetables.

The company is based near Thessaloniki (northern Greece), which is where the farm, of more than 80 ha, of the Vezyroglou family has been located over the last 100 years. Beforehand, Antonis has worked for 3 years in the UK as an internal auditor at the Gerrard Bank and as an analyst at LMC International,a consultancy specializing in agricultural products.

Education: He holds a BSc degree in Horticulture (Nottingham University), and MSc in Agricultural Economics (Wye College) and an MBA (Imperial College).

Dimitrios G. Stratakis – Founder & CEO of UNISMACK SA

Dimitrios Stratakis is the Founder and CEO of UNISMACK SA, a food industry that produces innovative gluten free snacks. UNISMACK is internationally focused from its setup in 2008 and today it exports 100% of its production to international markets mainly the US, UK and Australia and more than 15 countries.

Qualifications: Dimitrios holds a MBA degree from INSEAD (France/Singapore) and an MSc International Finance & Banking from CASS Business School (UK). He lives in Thessaloniki and volunteers as a BOD member in the local Y’s Men’s NGO. He is an advocate of entrepreneurship and innovation and is actively involved in relevant investments and initiatives.

Panayiotis Hassapis is Corporate Finance & Strategy Advisor, BoD member in several companies and Executive Vice President of SEVE Greek Exporters Association.

He is alumni of the American College of Thessaloniki Anatolia and he was member of the High School Governance Committee.

He studied Economics and Business Administration in France (Rouen & Paris) and holds post graduate degrees in Accounting & Management and Money, Banking & Finance (Southampton University & Birmingham University).

He worked as CFO at MEVGAL SA, CFO & Legal Representative at ZANAE SA and as Treasurer at PYRAMIS METALLURGY SA following his short occupation at the banking sector. He has been teaching Financial Management & Banking at CITY COLLEGE (Sheffield University affiliated) in Thessaloniki.

Management Team

Theodoros TSAMOURTZIS holds a MSc in Civil Engineering from the Federal Technical University of Lausanne (Switzerland) a MBA from the Business School Lausanne (Switzerland). He worked at VSL International Ltd (1990–1993) in Bern, Switzerland (a subsidiary of the French construction company Bouygues) first as a Project Manager for large construction projects in the United States, Europe and the Middle East and then as a Product Manager at VSL Retained Earth Europe, the Middle East and Africa. From 1995 to 1998 he was Head of Department for International Development Projects and Programs of Euroconsultants SA (consulting), funded by the European Union, the International Bank and National Programs. During the period 1998–2001 he became the Development Director of Tekmor N. Hellas SA (consulting) specialized in setting up business and investment plans, re-engineering, strategic planning and valuations of companies. In the period 2002 - 2011 he was Managing Partner of Innovatia Ltd. (consulting) and Head of the Consulting Services Department specializing in company re-organization and reengineering, development of performance measurement systems and balanced scorecards, new business development, strategy, company valuation and Venture Capital funding. From 2011 to 2019 he was CEO of Prime Foods SA, the largest producer of snails in SE Europe. Since 2020, he has been the General Manager of the Agrotechnology Export Cluster, specialized in the field of agri-food, a private initiative of export companies and industry. He is a member of the TEE – Greek Technical Chamber, the American Society of Civil Engineers (USA), the Project Management Institute (USA), the Society of Logistics Engineers (USA) and the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects (Switzerland).

Members

Affiliations

The Agrotech Export Cluster is member of the following associations:

ECCP – European Cluster Collaboration Platform
ESCA – The European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis

New Members

It will include a brief overview of the new members’ registration process and acceptance criteria.

The participation to the Agrotech Export Cluster provides a wide range of possibilities / benefits, such as:

Development of Partnerships / Synergies: Through the Cluster’s network of partners, members and collaborations it would be possible to find potential partners for the joint development of new products, the creation of synergies to promote sales or improve productivity and operations.
Participation in research and / or business projects: Participate in pioneering innovation and/ or export promotion projects locally or globally.
Participation in Innovation Actions: Join one or more Innovation Actions and take part in the information and/ or business sessions, access customized tips on how to develop, upgrade or market products, get information on new products, technologies, projects, companies and developments in the related fields of activity and keep up to date with global trends in agri-food, agrotechnology and agrobiotechnology.
Information: Receive the Clusters’s Newsletter, the Executive Report on the Export of Agri-Food Products and have access to specialized companies providing information/ data on foreign markets. Also have access to information about Greek and European funded programs/ projects.
Participation in Educational Activities: Participate in educational activities (online meetings, workshops, lifelong learning, etc.) on issues related to your areas of activity.
Enhance Online Exhibition: Be promoted in both the Cluster’s Newsletter and its website through an interview, creating a corporate and an innovation profile on the Innovation Actions platform. Add the Cluster’s member logo to your corporate presentation (print and/ or online) and use it in marketing and communications.

Become member of a rapidly developing ecosystem and take active action in promoting the Greek export agri-food sector while enjoying unique opportunities for networking, extroversion and provision of value-added services & benefits.

News

AgroTech Export Cluster an initiative of the Exporters Association (SEVE) Vision Strategic Design Board of Directors Management Team Members Affiliations New Members Vision To become