Promotion of products and businesses with the Crete brand

Irini Houdetsanaki took over as president of the Agri-Food Partnership of Crete, the organization that supports local products and the promotion of the Cretan way of eating. Ms. Houdetsanaki was elected the new president by unanimous decision of the Board of Directors of Agri-Food, as she has extensive experience in the primary sector and agri-food issues, having been for many years the deputy regional governor of the primary sector cooperating with the Agri-Food Partnership.

Interview: Stavros Rakintzis

What is the role of the Agri-Food Partnership and how will it move in the future?

“The Agri-Food Partnership of Crete is an urban non-profit company that certifies businesses, i.e. standardized products with the Crete brand. It can be a product like olive oil, wine, but it can be a Cretan grocery store, or a restaurant. All of these, if they meet the specifications, are certified with the Cretan mark.

We are already implementing a European program, in the framework of which German buyers have come. For businesses, this means that through the program, some businesses are given the opportunity to promote their products.

Agri-Food also takes part in various exhibitions at home and abroad, so large producers, large entrepreneurs and small businesses are given the opportunity to go.

A business that starts today. It is not very easy to participate in all these procedures and exhibitions that require a very large budget. Outgoingness is among the first priorities for the Agri-Food Partnership, thus giving the opportunity to entrepreneurs, whether small or large, to participate in the organization of the Chamber in the Pancreatic Forum.

There are the procedures that the Agri-Food Partnership provides for the interconnection of tourism with the primary sector. This is exactly what the Pancretan forum is doing, organized by the Chamber in collaboration with the Ministry and the Region of Crete. So, every time the entrepreneurs who are certified with the Crete mark, in addition to giving an authenticity to the products, it also gives an opportunity to participate in procedures that are for the promotion and promotion of the product, such as the exhibitions, such as the Pancreatic forum.”

All these years, how much the Agri-Food Partnership has promoted Cretan products and has it given incentives to entrepreneurs and producers?

“The enemy of the good is the best. I think that he always has steps to go and not only because you didn’t catch something, because it’s also the developments that are going on. So you always put in new developments. So I think there is a margin, many steps have already been taken all these years and we should thank the previous ones and the partners and the elected officials. However, there is always room to improve and evolve. Developments are also running in the primary sector, you see that they are running fast. It is a pillar of development for the whole country. Many times we talk about connecting the primary sector with tourism, but the entrepreneur must be motivated. The state should also be able to give incentives to hoteliers and restaurants so that we can consume local products. Because many times we are forced and bring from third countries which are definitely cheaper. There are so many investments, it should not be through the investments many times, if the state can in consultation, in cooperation with the investments it makes to give an incentive, we really consume local products through the investments.”

How many businesses are members of the Agri-Food Partnership?

“There are about 150. There are also many products, they are cheese and dairy products in general, they are restaurants, grocery stores. It’s not just oil, honey and wine. This is something quite rewarding. We invite entrepreneurs to ask, get informed and see if it is really worth it and then they can also become members and enjoy all that the Agri-Food Partnership has. Throughout the pandemic, the exhibitions were held online. Agri-food offers many opportunities for an entrepreneur to develop. I have experienced Agro-Nutrition, because I have been a member of the board since 2019, but also further forward as an associate of the regional governor. Let the businessman be informed about the programs that the Agri-Food Partnership takes, how we proceed and I think it is an incentive to certify with the Crete mark. When I was Deputy Governor I was at an exhibition abroad. They came and asked us while we were at another stand, where Crete is. So is he finally selling Crete? Does the brand directly bring the other person to see the Cretan products?”

As the new president of the Agri-Food Partnership, how will you act?

“We are taking steps, as we do with the strategic planning of olive oil. I think that always when you want to develop something you take certain steps. So, a first planning is the days, there are the trainings, the good relations with the chefs, the good relations with the hoteliers and some first proposals are made. Thus, someone will step in these steps with Agri-Food”.