Business story #15: Nuts Hellas – Nikoleta Founda

Can today’s young producers “plow” their way into entrepreneurship by making use of available financial and technological tools? Stories like that of Nuts Hellas,, which we present in the 15th Business Story, serve as an inspiration for those who wish to venture into the primary sector by leveraging these very tools.

Producer Nikoleta Founta and her husband Nikos Vrachiolis, in collaboration with ena Development Consultants, implemented the Improvement Plans Action (PAA 2014–2020: Sub-measure 4.1 – Support for investments in agricultural holdings) , enhancing the productive capacity of their business. The new call for Improvement Plans is expected to be announced soon. If you are interested in learning how this new program could benefit your business, feel free to contact the specialized consultants at ena Development Consultants.

In the 15th Business Story, the Marketing team of ena—Christos Pitiakoudis and Sofia Argiriadou—together with the company’s Primary Sector Development Consultant, Fanis Koutrouvelis, visited the facilities of Nuts Hellas, where Nikoleta and Nikos welcomed them and shared the story of their business.

With the core message “Respect for nature and the consumer,” Nikoleta Founta and her husband cultivate the walnut trees of Nuts Hellas with love and dedication in Lefki, Xanthi. On their privately-owned 150-stremma walnut orchards, they produce top-quality Chandler variety walnuts, following the principles of agricultural science and modern technology.

Nikos, with a background in Computer Science, and Nikoleta, a graduate in Business Administration, both come from farming families—meaning their love for nature and cultivation began at an early age. After conducting thorough research and making a strategic choice, they became the first in their area to introduce walnut cultivation.

But why walnuts? “Walnuts are the king of nuts—they have the highest Omega-3 content compared to other nuts and offer great nutritional value. They’re especially beneficial for the heart and arteries when consumed in moderation,” Nikos explains, and adds:

“We were looking for a tree crop that wouldn’t come with the stress of immediate harvesting. Nut trees—specifically walnuts—turned out to be the ideal choice for us. We started in 2011, planting the first 50 stremmas and choosing the Chandler variety because it’s the most commercially viable. Its shell cracks easily, and the kernel inside has an appealing light color”

Nikos shares with us that without agricultural support programs, it's difficult to turn your dream into reality. Even though both he and his wife come from farming families, the equipment they initially had couldn’t meet the needs of walnut tree cultivation. The Improvement Plans action, which they implemented in collaboration with ena Development Consultants, helped them set up a modern walnut processing and storage facility and acquire the appropriate equipment.

The collaboration with specialized agronomists and the use of Precision Agriculture systems—combined with proper irrigation and modern spraying methods—provide Nikos and Nikoleta with an integrated crop management system. This approach strengthens the sustainable development of Nuts Hellas, always with respect for the environment and the consumer.

In the walnut orchards of Nuts Hellas, a weather station has been installed to provide timely updates on weather conditions. Leaf moisture sensors and soil moisture sensors, combined with foliar diagnostic analyses, result in a significant reduction in pesticide spraying and overall costs. “We conduct foliar diagnostic analyses two to three times a year during various growth stages. We send the samples to laboratories for diagnosis and then consult with specialized agronomists to ensure the proper fertilization of our trees”

The company's goal is the complete elimination of herbicide use—which is already limited to very few cases—as well as the further implementation of advanced biological formulations based on nanotechnology.

Nikos and Nikoleta, through their dedication and the use of appropriate technologies, have managed to nearly triple their production, currently cultivating over 140 stremmas and 2,400 trees. Moreover, staying true to their commitment to environmental respect and sustainable development, they have gradually begun introducing cover crops between the tree rows on their land. These are plants that help the soil remain fertile by significantly reducing the need for fertilizers. "By planting these special cover crops between our trees, we’ve managed to reduce fertilization and increase the organic matter in our soil," Nikos explains.

The modern equipment acquired by the company through the Improvement Plans program includes a state-of-the-art dryer with a capacity of 3 tons per day, a walnut huller, a specialized agricultural tractor for tree cultivation, a trunk and arm shaker for walnut harvesting, a spraying machine with an electronic ionizer, and a size grader.

Nuts Hellas walnuts are distributed wholesale to retail chains, supermarkets, and selected nut stores across Greece. In the immediate plans of Nikos and Nikoleta is the further enhancement of their production line with new machinery, which will allow them to double their output. Additionally, they plan to develop a cracking line in order to directly supply walnut kernels to the market.

Whatever their next steps may be, the team at ena Development Consultants will always stand by them, supporting every effort toward achieving their growth goals. After all, the collaboration between Nikos and Nikoleta and ena Development Consultants is a story that began in 2014 with the submission of OSDE, and continues today through their participation in the Nitrate Reduction Program (PAA 2014–2020: Measure 10.1.04 – Reduction of Water Pollution from Agricultural Activity) and the Improvement Plans (PAA 2014–2020: Sub-measure 4.1 – Support for investments in agricultural holdings). It is a collaboration that is sure to continue, as the company already has an approved investment plan under Development Law 4399/2016.

OSDE applications for producer Nikoleta are handled by the OSDE Department of ena Development Consultants. The Nitrates Directive Program (PAA 2014–2022: Μέτρο 10 – Measure 10 – Action 10.1.04: Reduction of Water Pollution from Agricultural Activity) was undertaken by Anastasia Voulgaridou and Charalampos Savvoulidis, Development Consultants for the Primary Sector at ena. The Improvement Plans (PAA 2014–2020: Sub-measure 4.1 – Support for Investments in Agricultural Holdings) were managed by Sissy Baziana and Fanis Koutrouvelis, also Primary Sector Development Consultants. The study and submission of the investment plan under the Development Law were prepared by the Development Law & Investment Promotion team of ena: Nikos Charalampogiannis, Giannis Kaltsas, and Dimitris Firbas.

Direct payments, the benefits brought by the new CAP, and existing measures under the Rural Development Programme—such as Organic Farming, the Nitrates Directive , the Young Farmers scheme, and Improvement Plans , along with the upcoming Agricultural Advisory Services action— are all powerful tools in the arsenal of those who decide to work the land and cultivate it.