The International Food & Drink Event (IFE) took place at ExCel in London, from 20th-22nd March, welcoming 25,000 food and drink professionals who came together to sample new products, make lasting business connections, and find suppliers who’ll give their business a competitive edge.
25 Cypriot foodstuff exporters exhibited at the Cyprus Pavilion, giving the opportunity to retailers, wholesalers, distributors and restaurant caterers to taste unique flavours from Cyprus and see exciting and innovative ideas to inspire their business.
Papouis Dairies
Exhibiting the authentic Halloumi cheese of Cyprus and other dairy products was Papouis Dairies Ltd.
Helen Hagisavva, Exports & Logistics Manager, told us more about the company…
Papouis Dairies was established in 1967 as a family-run business by Mr Costas Papouis, in the village of Athienou, Larnaca, using traditional methods of producing Halloumi and Anari cheese.
In 2012, Papouis was acquired by the Pancyprian Organisation of Cattle Farmers (POCF) and since then, the business has grown considerably. They’ve invested heavily in extending the dairy, which now covers 17,000 square feet and is equipped with hi-tech machinery, as well as being staffed by trained personnel. The factory upholds the highest production and hygiene standards, is regularly audited and has the following certifications – IFS and BRC.
We now export to over 30 countries worldwide with the UK being our biggest market and our products can be found in the most reputable and well-known supermarket chains. We are in the ethnic market under the Papouis brand, supplying wholesalers such as Costco, and we also do the private labels for Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Aldi.
Our representative in the UK is John & Pascalis. They have been synonymous with Halloumi for 60 years and we’ve been working with them for around 12 years now.
Brexit
Brexit hasn’t affected us with regards to sales, and I don’t think it will. At the moment, we’re not dealing with a great deal of paper work, but this will change come the end of the year. We will possibly need to supply a health certificate and a certificate of origin, things that take time and cost money, though if you do not get these documents in on time, everything else will be put on hold, even your export. It’s a lot of work, but we are prepared for it.
Economy
Everything from packaging and cartoning to electricity and diesel went up last year and we absorbed that cost, but when the milk prices increased from €1 to €1.45 per litre, once the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) came into effect, we simply couldn’t absorb that cost, so the prices did shoot up, but they did so for everyone. You may find a slight difference here and there, but overall, you’re paying the same price wherever you choose to shop.
Halloumi statistics were released in 2022, showing that over 41,000 tonnes were exported worldwide from all the dairies; we have around 25% market share. We are continuously trying our best to expand the business. We always have a presence here at the International Food & Drink Event, which gives us the opportunity to see what’s happening and to meet customers. I believe every exhibition is a learning curve.
You can find out more about Papouis by visiting www.papouisdairies.com
MGP Cyprus Salt Company
MGP Cyprus Salt Company Ltd was present at the IFE, exhibiting natural sea salt products and flavoured flakes. Magnus Mansson, Key Account Manager of Falksalt, told us how he came to work with the company…
MGP Cyprus Salt Company Ltd was founded in 2002 after years of research and study for the production of a specialised salt product which is in the form of pyramid-shaped flakes. The company today are among the few suppliers in the world who specialise in this product. The natural salt flakes are available in various variations including flavours such as lemon, mushroom, rosemary, garlic and more.
Today the company has managed to export the product of Cypriot origin worldwide, having customers on all continents. The increase in demand for natural products led the company to join forces with Salinity AB in Sweden and our brand Falksalt.
Parent company, The Theodorou Group, established in 1982, Cyprus’ largest salt enterprise with a full-scale manufacturing plant located in Aradippou, Larnaca, have been supplying us with salt for about 30 years now.
When sea salt flakes became popular around 20 years ago, we asked the company if they could produce them on the island. A year later, they found the method and we now export these sea salt flakes all over the world.
It’s a great product and a healthier option as you are using less salt. The family have artisans doing everything by hand, flavouring the flakes with chilli, lemon, chipotle – extremely popular in Mexico and Texas – and many more varieties.
Falksalt is a Swedish brand. We work in sales, promotion and marketing and The Theodorou Group in the production and development. They also produce Sailor Salt which is a Cypriot brand, sea salt, Himalayan salt, all sorts of salt!
Our brand, Falksalt, does not supply the UK but we do with a private label, which simply means we supply other companies and they put their own brand on the packaging before they put it up for retail.
