nir-vana innovation network

The Greek SME is a certified organic pomegranate products company established in Volos Greece in 2012. The company’s integrated all-inclusive production complex consists of the pomegranate orchard, equipped with integrated by-products recycling unit, as well as the recently completed industrial processing plant.
Being driven by environmental values, the company has been following ecological agricultural practices all along the entire spectrum of its activities. In this context, terms such as sustainability, self-sufficiency, well-being, environmental and social responsibility, among others, are the roadmap of their daily agenda.
This perception is applied in the cultivation strategy aiming to "healing the soil" of the orchard. Based on circular economy principles, an exclusive protocol has been developed for growing beneficial microorganisms – most widely known by the generic name probiotics – entrusted with the key role for ensuring self-sufficiency and sustainability of the whole enterprise through a comprehensive recycling scheme applied at all stages of the productive activity.
The end product of this farming technique is an anaerobically fermented soil conditioner, positively charged with bioenergy due to its plethoric content in organic matter, and microorganism populations. In this fashion the microorganisms are credited in their own right with the orchard’s soil health and the well-being of the soil microbiome, which in turn is reflected in the vitality of the trees and the fruits they provide.

By the year 2019, and the corresponding growth of the trees to maturity, the company proceeded towards integration by building – within the spatial context of the orchard – the industrial unit for juice extraction and the production of the organic pomegranate juice, which, besides standing in its own right as a free-from, fresh frozen juice produced through cold extraction, is also the basic ingredient for the rest of the family of products, including a sizable variety of exclusively pomegranate jellies, sweet and sour pomegranate sauce and pomegranate caviar. The juice comes as pure as possible without any additives whatsoever, comprising the quintessence of the pomegranate arils, which are scrutinously removed from the fruits through a multistage process before extraction. Compressing the arils with their high contents of polyphenols and rich variety of other antioxidants, yields a destinctive sweet-sour taste.

Due to the company’s farming protocol, there are quantity limitations regarding their annual production capacity, considering that they rely solely on their own resousces in order to deliver their products, with no outsourcing involved.

The estimated maximum annual capacity for the pomegranate juice, which is marketed is – climatic conditions allowing – up to 100,000 units. There is a more flexible production program concerning the rest of the products, which are being produced upon demand throughout the year, based on the stored frozen pomegranate juice as their sole main ingredient.

The products are marketed as follows:
the pomegranate juice in 500ml PET bottles,
the pomegranate jellies in 210gr glass jars,
the pomegranate sweet & sour sauce in 240ml glass bottles,
the pomegranate caviar in 90gr glass jars.

At present the products are available on two e-shops in Greece. At this stage the company is at a readiness level to access European F&B markets of relative standards. To do so, they are addressing European importers, wholesellers and specialty food retail chains to undertake - under contract - the introduction and promotion of their products into such markets, so as to give them a chance to become part of the diet of conscientious consumers along Europe.

Advantages & innovations

- Integration The production procedures cover the entire spectrum from the orchard to the table. The company cultivates the trees and do not rely on outsourcing for the fruits that form the basis for the production of the juice and the rest of the organic products range. The fact that the industrial plant is an integral part of the estate, guarantees the control over product quality through all stages of production. - Circular farming economy Being self-contained in practicing both farming and industrial activities in one unit, enables the embodiment of a circular pattern in the production steps, rather than a linear one, with distinct starting and finishing points in the overall production sequence. - Cultivating innovation The company has developed an exclusive protocol for cultivating homemade probiotic microorganisms in order to produce fermented organic matter, which constitutes the sole input to the orchard – so called bokashi. This medium rich in nutrients and loaded with bioenergy as it is, ensures soil health and contributes to the vitality of the trees. - Environmental awareness The applied innovative circular farming practices, allow the absolute exclusion of artificial farming aids, guarantee system sustainability, self-sufficiency and overall environmental performance.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

The company is addressing European importers and wholesellers to undertake - under contract - the introduction and promotion of their products into relevant markets, so as to give them a chance to become part of the diet of conscientious consumers along Europe. Therefore, the company is interested in commercial agency and/or distribution services agreements targeting mainly towards deli-food chains retail sales.