F&B Business Laboratory

Knowledge, innovation, and strategy for the future of the F&B industry

Mr. Smarnakis, President of PETET and Factory & Product Development Director at Lavdas SA, opened his presentation on the panel “Safety and Innovation as Tools in Food Production” by stressing that food security is a vital issue and, due to war, increasingly uncertain. It requires challenges at all levels, always in combination with safety.

Mr. Torpolidis, General Manager of MIK3 SA, speaking about innovation, clarified that it is achieved through small changes that ensure major results and win‑win conditions. He also noted that innovation varies depending on how willing an entrepreneur is to allocate part of their turnover to modernizing their factory.

Challenges & Trends in Meat

Mr. Kasalias, Veterinarian and Food Microbiologist, Kasalias Food Industry Consultant, emphasized that synergies, deep subject knowledge, and careful “reading” of the market are necessary for innovation to succeed. Supporting this view, Mr. Filippou, Agronomist and Food Technologist, pointed out that producing innovative products also requires continuous training of human resources.

Mr. Yavassis, Associate Professor at the University of Thessaly, stated that free‑range farming and specific animal feed ensure higher‑quality meat, distinguished by its composition and competitive with imported meat.

USA, MERCOSUR, INDIA: Developments in Food Exports

In the next panel, “USA, MERCOSUR, INDIA: New Trade Agreements, New Trade Corridors, New Challenges,” Mr. Hasapis, Executive Vice President of SEVE, explained that today’s trade deficit is the same as in 2007. The difference, however, is that exports then were 17–18 billion, while in 2025 they reach approximately 50 billion.

Mr. Kairidis, Professor of International Relations, MP, and Parliamentary Representative of New Democracy, emphasized that the EU responded to Trump’s protectionism and therefore accelerated, after 25 years of negotiations, the conclusion of the agreement. The MERCOSUR agreement, he noted, directly results in increased exports of Greek feta, which now exceed 100 million.

There is certainly room for further export growth, but tariff policies hinder progress, and foreign products may receive more favorable treatment, according to Mr. Giannakakis, President of COGREXPO – Cooperative Greek Exporters SA.

Mr. Kolios, President of EDOA – National Interprofessional Organization of Kiwifruit, noted that Greece has established itself in international markets thanks to its quality, production organization, and the extroversion of Greek businesses.

With table olives achieving record‑breaking exports, Greece strengthens social cohesion, supports regional development, and encourages young people to engage in the primary sector, as highlighted by Mr. Zoukas, President of PEMETE – Panhellenic Association of Processors, Standardizers & Exporters of Table Olives.

Strategies for Small and Medium‑Sized Food Enterprises

In the final panel of the day, Mr. Triantafyllou, CEO of “To Atomo,” spoke first. He highlighted the importance of operational flexibility, meaning the transition of a company to standardized operational procedures.

Mr. Katsikaris, CEO of Meditaste, stressed the urgent need for industrial consistency, which is essential to support the export growth everyone seeks.

Export culture, according to Mr. Gkolias, Purchasing Director & Development Manager at Marathon Food Service, is built on a company’s self‑awareness, cost assessment, and the right choice of partners.

Mr. Kellidis, President of the Agri‑Food Sector of Enterprise Europe Network – ANKO Western Macedonia, pointed out that the Agri‑Food Sector has 107 Advisors from numerous countries and is the largest sector of the Enterprise Europe Network due to the strong presence of agri‑food activities across many fields.

The Critical Importance of Safety in the Raw Seafood Industry

At the PETET conference, raw seafood took the spotlight after meat and poultry, with Anastasia Panagopoulou, Food Technologist MSc, moderating the session “Raw Seafood: Scientific Documentation, Safety and Quality.”

The discussion covered biological hazards and their management, quality characteristics and freshness indicators in raw fish, the cold chain, traceability, and risk analysis, as well as the culture of raw fish consumption in Greece.

The first speaker was Ioannis Boziaris, Professor at the University of Thessaly and Director of the Laboratory of Fishery Products Marketing & Technology, who discussed additional measures needed to prevent cross‑contamination.

Next, Efthymia Pexara, Veterinarian MSc at EFET, spoke about the role of the Authority and the current European and national legislation regarding parasite control.

Dimitrios Vossos, Food Technologist and employee in Aquaculture – Quality Control & Fish Pathology Department, followed with a presentation on risks during packaging and distribution, noting: “A stopwatch and a thermometer are often worth as much as a laboratory.”

Konstantinos Tsapekis, Partner & Commercial Director of Shisan restaurants, explained how sushi, within 15 years, evolved from an unknown product into a daily favorite, mainly thanks to Gen Y and Gen Z consumers.

Olive Oil as Part of Greece’s Cultural Heritage

The next thematic session of the first day focused on olive oil, again moderated by Ms. Panagopoulou. The event included the following topics:

• Next‑Generation Olive Mill: From Chance to Documentation – How Science and Control Create Value
• Polyphenolic Olive Oils & Scientific Evidence
• Next‑Generation Olive Mill: From Chance to Documentation
• Branding & Gastronomic Identity of Greek Olive Oil

The discussion began with Professor Antonis Koutelidakis, University of the Aegean, who explained the beneficial role of olive oil in health. Panagiotis Konstantinou, Director of the Athens Facility & Head of the Fats and Oils Laboratory at VELTIA, presented the parameters, indicators, and criteria that determine olive oil safety and quality.

Ioannis Protoulis, owner of Protoulis company, followed by revealing the “secrets” of the modern olive mill. Next, Konstantinos Tsoronis, Chemist – Olive Oil Expert and Head of Agri‑Food Actions at the Captain Vassilis & Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation, discussed the transition from bulk to standardized olive oil, noting: “PDO is very important, but the content is even more important.”

The final speaker was Panagiotis Papanikolopoulos (Gastronautis), Certified Olive Oil & Honey Taster and Consultant for Oleotourism Experiences, Branding and Packaging. He explained that branding must include the product’s and producer’s story, create a connection with gastronomy, offer a complete experience, and be supported by a solid marketing strategy.