October 19, 2011
There are two Greeces, was the forceful message at a packed gathering of young entrepreneurs and business start-ups in a converted warehouse in Thessaloniki port the other night. One of them … well, you know about that one. The other one is young, energetic, wired, brimming with ideas and doing very nicely thank you.
Thomas Douzis is 28, and his brother George is 25. Their grandad ran a taverna and their father worked for Kellogg's, so they grew up with food in the family. In 2008, as the crisis hit, they formed a small company, repackaging a range of high-end traditional Greek products – olives, feta, vine leaves.
"Quality Greek products, presented differently," said Thomas. "All branded. Like, say, Carluccio's does in Britain with Italian. This is a new idea in Greece." Three years on, their range of 300 products is sold in restaurants, online, and at their city-centre all-Greek deli and taverna, and, next February, from a new shop opening in Notting Hill. The brothers employ 24 people, and confidently expect a turnover of €1.5m (£1.3m) this year.
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