Raised in Athens, in a family that has always used herbs for both therapeutic and aesthetic purposes, lawyer Angeliki Drakou sought a second entrepreneurial opportunity through a related funding program, deciding to dedicate herself to processing herbs in the remote region of Thrace.
“When I started my new endeavor, it felt like being in a playground where I could freely ‘play’ and create. I did all the things I wasn’t allowed to do as a lawyer. Now I can say I’ve found balance and I am the real Angeliki.”
“The business was named after the field that is gray in winter and green in summer, after Greece which has a beautiful natural environment but is difficult to do business in, and after Kostas and me as a couple, who have both gray and green days. Finally, because we are a business that is not perfect and has its gray areas, which we recognize and accept, that’s why we can evolve. Mostly, the name reflects our vision for people to use herbs not only in their gray moments to feel better but also on their festive tables.”
“The business was named after the field that is gray in winter and green in summer, after Greece which has a beautiful natural environment but is difficult to do business in, and after Kostas and me as a couple, who have both gray and green days. Finally, because we are a business that is not perfect and has its gray areas, which we recognize and accept, that’s why we can evolve. Mostly, the name reflects our vision for people to use herbs not only in their gray moments to feel better but also on their festive tables.”
Every step of the business is now meticulously planned, as Angeliki, being a lover of continuous learning, follows and updates herself on all developments.
However, the beginning was not easy.
Like every entrepreneur in Thrace, Angeliki quickly faced the challenge of location and distance from the urban centers of Greece.
She notes, “We feel remote, with limited connection to the rest of the country and especially to the capital. This cost us customers at the start, so we had to become more inventive as entrepreneurs, creating different communication channels and storage spaces to solve something already taken for granted by businesses in other parts of Greece.”
There was also the difficulty of lack of expertise in this specific field. Until then, herb cultivation in Greece mostly involved monoculture of aromatic plants in large areas, which were then mechanically harvested and sent to processing mills. Angeliki and her husband handpick the herbs and pioneer by offering the whole plant parts — leaves, flowers, or roots — to preserve the flavor, aroma, and essence that would be lost in conventional processing. They had to learn this the hard way.
“We acquired the know-how through experimentation and mistakes, spending over €50,000 before we learned the essentials.”
But the effort was worth it, as the herbs bearing their business’s signature retain intense aromas and flavors, as well as all their properties, which are nearly lost in equivalent ground products. This is also helped by the relatively pristine region of Rhodope where they are cultivated. Thus, Grizo & Prasino has carved its own unique identity.
Many factors contributed to the birth and current shape of the business. One is definitely Angeliki’s restless spirit, constantly seeking new challenges, knowledge, and opportunities. Educational programs, postgraduate studies, competitions, and funding actions are just some of the tools she has utilized so far and certainly will continue to use.
This is how she came to know ena Development Consultants.
“I got to know ena through a recommendation. I contacted their people and quickly felt we spoke the same language. From the start, I felt the right team with the necessary expertise to help me was there.”
With the support of Liana Kavoura, Development Consultant, and Evi Voivatopoulou, Coordinator of Advisory Services in the Competitiveness and SMEs Sector, Angeliki is implementing the Second Entrepreneurial Opportunity Program by DYPA, which allows new small businesses like Grizo & Prasino to grow by covering their operating expenses in the early stages.
“I used the second entrepreneurial opportunity program, and it helped me a lot because when you make all those mistakes at the start, you need liquidity to have the luxury to fix them. It also helped us a lot that we had to create a plan and put numbers before starting our venture. The program ‘forced’ us to maintain order and consistency, which is very important to me.”
Thanks to the bottling plant established through the program, Angeliki and Kostas are the first, and currently the only, ones to produce cold bottled herbal infusions exclusively from 100% Greek herbs, without sweeteners and zero calories. They are especially proud of this product line. “You open the bottle and it smells like the countryside, Greece, the Mediterranean, a village, grandmother...” Angeliki shares.
They see the dynamic reintroduction of herbs into our daily diet as a “crusade.” Scientific research shows that our taste palette is flattening, with bitter, sour, and other less accepted flavors being reduced. The taste of processed foods tends to be the same, familiar, and bland, limiting the foods we tolerate and accept. It is scientifically proven that a way to cleanse the palate and reintroduce necessary foods to remain healthy and energetic is through herb consumption.
“We need to start drinking herbs, and ours is probably the most modern way to offer that right now.”
Within this philosophy and thirst for growth, Angeliki participated in the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) initiative from the European Institute of Innovation & Technology in Food (EIT Food), where she won an award for her proposal, Veggie Cuppa.
“It was a great overall experience. After the training, the competition was intense, which united us as a team with the other women participants. Partnerships and friendships have developed that remain very supportive to this day.”
She proudly recalls the moment she was recognized at EWA, where she presented the now six-member team behind Grizo & Prasino. The Veggie Cuppa project, which won 2nd prize, involves producing ready blends of vegetables and herbs from regenerative agriculture, consumable as infusions or broths, rich in minerals, vitamins, and trace elements.
“We used the EWA funds to take a next important step in our outreach. We have prepared a new bilingual packaging for our products, set to launch in September.”
Overall, their experience with funding programs is positive, and Angeliki says she is ready to utilize the next suitable tool when the opportunity arises.
“After consulting with you first,” she jokes. “You give me the confidence that for any funding action I’m interested in, there are knowledgeable people I can turn to. Through our first collaboration, I learned I can trust you completely.”
Grizo & Prasino has further plans. The company already offers private label bottled cold infusions and collaborates with local businesses for which they create unique product codes.
A strategic decision remains to have their products available in select small points of sale in Greece and abroad. Having recently completed an export training program, Angeliki has decided that by 2025, she wants 50% of turnover to come from abroad. At the same time, Grizo & Prasino seeks to strengthen its position in the local market.
“We consider our relationship with our region very important. We always mention where our products come from and want to actively include Thrace in the markets we target.”
Demonstrating her love for the city where she has lived for 14 years, Angeliki has created a recipe for a 100% Komotini dish with herbs: trahana with sage and goat cheese from Komotini, which she hopes to popularize. As she says, although she initially connected with herbs mainly for therapeutic reasons, she ended up drawn to their taste and the huge gastronomic heritage they carry, which she is very keen to highlight.
In the same vein, she has started preparing corporate gifts exclusively with products from Thrace.
“We take on the composition of corporate gifts with a Thracian character. This is an area that interests us a lot and deserves to develop here, given the gastronomic wealth, the excellent products, and the many good producers.”
Οι άνθρωποι του Grizo & Prasino με μεράκι και ζήλο έχουν προετοιμάσει στο παρελθόν The Grizo & Prasino team has previously prepared an advent calendar exclusively with Thracian products, as well as a gift box in collaboration with producers affected by the devastating fires in Evros. αποκλειστικά με θρακιώτικα προϊόντα, αλλά και ένα κουτί δώρων σε συνεργασία με τους πληγέντες από τις καταστροφικές πυρκαγιές παραγωγούς του Έβρου.
Grizo & Prasino products are available through the company’s e-shop, as well as in a selected network of stores. Their bottled herbal infusions can be sampled in food service venues throughout Greece, while the dried herbs can be purchased in organic and seasonal goods stores, concept stores, health food greengrocers, and pharmacies.
“The most unexpected lesson from growing organic herbs is that people should follow nature’s rhythm, something largely violated by the Western lifestyle. Like nature, we should know when to slow down and when to increase intensity. How to keep and store energy and where to channel it to grow as much as possible, blossom, and complete our cycle without violating it. Observing what a small plant does to grow, all the care but also self-care it requires, was the greatest lesson for me. And it was truly unexpected. I didn’t expect it to change how I see things.”
We thank Angeliki Drakou and Grizo & Prasino for their hospitality, the beautiful conversation, and inspiration. την Αγγελική Δράκου και την Grizo & Prasino για τη φιλοξενία, την όμορφη συζήτηση και την έμπνευση.
