Ancient olive oil traditions are being safeguarded by Amfora, a company that is not only preserving tradition but also generating profits for regenerative producers.
In the picturesque Sitia region of Crete, Zakros, an agricultural cooperative, has been producing extra virgin olive oil using traditional methods for thousands of years. This region, part of the Global Unesco Sitia Geopark, boasts complex terrain and biodiversity.
Zakros' olive oil is given a "Protected Designation of Origin" (PDO), ensuring that the olive oil is produced in the specific region of Sitia using traditional practices. One of Zakros' partners, Gold Metamorphosis from Laconia, Greece, has been producing olive oil since the thirteenth century.
Amfora, an olive oil offtaker and marketer, aims to honour traditional olive oil production and connect traditional farmers directly with customers. By removing intermediaries in the conventional olive oil supply chain, Amfora buys directly from producers and sells products at competitive prices.
Amfora supports traditional olive oil producers like Zakros and Gold Metamorphosis by preserving ancient production methods and ensuring small farmers receive fair payment. This approach maintains producer branding and product details, allowing farmers who use traditional techniques—sometimes thousands of years old—to connect directly with buyers, mainly in the hospitality and catering industries.
Moreover, Amfora promotes regenerative agriculture by partnering with producers committed to sustainable and superior-quality practices. Their model provides a "real value-for-money pathway" that sustains traditional farming communities financially, encouraging continued use of environmentally friendly methods rather than industrialized production. This helps uphold biodiversity, soil health, and cultural heritage within olive oil agriculture.
Amfora's definition of "regenerative" agriculture is a journey rather than a fixed concept, with farmers at different stages. As growers progress on their regenerative journey, incorporating things like animals and surrounding vegetation, Amfora's price for olive oil increases.
Gold Metamorphosis, a partner of Amfora for five years, is committed to delivering a superior-quality olive oil product. Thanks to the Amfora partnership, Gold Metamorphosis products are now available in Switzerland and London.
In addition to its work with Zakros and Gold Metamorphosis, Amfora is currently raising capital through a crowdfunding campaign. By investing in Amfora, supporters can help preserve traditional olive oil production, promote regenerative agriculture, and support local communities.
In summary, Amfora acts as a bridge between ancient, traditional olive oil producers practicing regenerative agriculture and modern markets, simultaneously supporting cultural preservation, economic fairness for farmers, and sustainable agricultural practices.
- Traditional methods for olive oil production date back thousands of years in the Sitia region of Crete, as demonstrated by Zakros, an agricultural cooperative.
- The Global Unesco Sitia Geopark, where Zakros is located, showcases complex terrain and biodiversity.
- The olive oil produced by Zakros has a "Protected Designation of Origin" (PDO), certifying its origin and traditional methods of production in the Sitia region.
- Gold Metamorphosis, a partner of Zakros and producing olive oil since the thirteenth century, shares the same commitment to tradition in their methods.
- Amfora, a company dedicated to supporting traditional olive oil producers, seeks to connect these producers directly with consumers, eliminating intermediaries in the conventional supply chain.
- Amfora's mission includes preserving ancient production methods, ensuring fair payment for small farmers, and promoting sustainable, high-quality practices in the industry.
- In doing so, Amfora aids in maintaining biodiversity, soil health, and cultural heritage within the olive oil sector.
- Amfora's approach to agriculture, referred to as regenerative, encourages a journey towards more sustainable and superior-quality practices, with varying stages for individual producers.
- Gold Metamorphosis, a partner of Amfora for five years, has expanded its market reach to countries like Switzerland and London due to the partnership.
- Amfora is currently conducting a crowdfunding campaign to raise capital, allowing supporters to invest in its mission and sustain traditional olive oil production, promote regenerative agriculture, and assist local communities.
- Entrepreneurship in the form of small businesses, such as olive oil producers like Zakros and Gold Metamorphosis, can thrive with support from companies like Amfora.
- The leadership displayed by Amfora in supporting sustainable living, promoting diversity and inclusion in the industry, and advocating for small businesses contributes to a more sustainable future in the health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and lifestyle sectors.
- In seeking to connect traditional producers with modern markets, Amfora not only supports small businesses but also fosters a more sustainable, diverse, and inclusive food-and-drink industry, benefiting personal-finance, real-estate, and housing-market sectors, among others, through responsible investing, adherence to budgeting principles, and a focus on sustainable-living and global-cuisines.
