Ouzo known as the nationwide drink of Greece. It’s even talked about in lots of Greek songs. Exploring the web, it’s possible you’ll come throughout tsou.gr, a web site that gathers the numerous ouzo labels to tell drink lovers about its wide selection.
Ouzo is not only a drink; it’s intertwined with the tradition of Greece and tsou.gr is aware of this effectively. Let’s discover out extra about tsou.gr, and what it has to supply not solely to the Greek but additionally to the worldwide viewers.
Q: When did you resolve to create tsou.gr? How did your love for Greek ouzo begin?
Charis Vekris: I’ve all the time preferred ouzo, with grilled octopus as a meze, however I didn’t have a particular connection. Earlier than I began my assortment, I assumed that the ouzo labels circulating in our nation, might be counted on the fingers of 1 hand.
It has been greater than 30 years since, on a visit to Northern Greece, I first tried nice ouzos, the existence of which I used to be utterly unaware of till then. These completely different bottles with stunning labels made me begin my assortment with 200ml ouzo bottles. I by no means imagined that even after so a few years, there can be labels that I miss! Tsou.greece (which, learn out loud, sounds loads like “tsougrise”, i.e., “let’s clink our glasses” in Greek) marks the primary try and create an internet assembly level for ouzo lovers throughout the globe. The web site was first launched in 2007 to introduce to the broader public the numerous ouzo labels which, as much as that point, had remained in obscurity. By showcasing the particular attributes and lengthy historical past of Greece’s nationwide drink, the second, upgraded model of our web site, goals at additionally showcasing the distilling business’s newest accomplishments, and at forging a contemporary picture of ouzo that does it justice.
Q: What does the tsou.gr ouzo assortment embody?
Charis Vekris: The web site presents my assortment, which at present consists of 850 completely different bottles of ouzo, from 265 distilleries in Greece and Cyprus. After all, a few of these distilleries are now not in operation and their labels at the moment are solely collector’s objects.
At first, I collected bottles of ouzo for my assortment on my travels. Then I traveled particularly to gather bottles of ouzo that I didn’t have in my assortment. Additionally, there are lots of mates who, once they discover an ouzo that I’m lacking, bear in mind me and produce it to me. In recent times, and after the popularity that tsou.gr has gained, a number of distilleries have despatched us their bottles to put up in our assortment.
Along with the presentation of my assortment, on our web site the customer can discover: details about the historical past of ouzo, the World Map of Ouzo with its manufacturing websites in Greece and Cyprus, recipes for appetizers that accompany it and study the information of the businesses that produce it. As a begin, our will pinpoint the areas of ouzo manufacturing in Greece and Cyprus.
Q: The ouzo business is recording passable exports. What prospects for additional growth do you contemplate, and by which nations?
Charis Vekris: In keeping with information from the GREEK FEDERATION OF SPIRITS PRODUCERS (SEAOP), ouzo has lengthy been the primary protagonist of the extroversion of the Greek distillery, accounting for 56% of the worth and 69% of the amount of all exports of Greek spirits in 2024.
In 2024, an total improve within the worth of ouzo exports is recorded from €61.1 million in 2023 to €64.3 million, which in proportion phrases interprets into +5.2% with a corresponding improve within the exported amount by ≈2.4% (from 24.8 million kg in 2023 to 25.4 million kg in 2024). Exports inside the EU-27 in 2024 keep their stability and present a small improve in worth of +2.3%, and a lower in amount by -1.6%, in comparison with 2023.
Germany seems persistently in first place, as the primary vacation spot nation for ouzo, with 43.5% in worth (28 million €) and 48.2% in amount (12.2 million kg), however a slight decline in its efficiency is noticed in 2024 in comparison with 2023 in worth and amount. The Bulgarian market has been on a gradual upward pattern in recent times and is the 2nd most necessary export vacation spot for ouzo at EU degree. In 2024 in comparison with 2023, a rise in worth of +25.4% is recorded (10 million €/2024 in comparison with 8 million €/2023) and in amount of +20.2% (3.2 million kg /2024 from 2.7 million kg /2023). The figures for the Dutch, Belgian and French markets present a decline in intra-EU deliveries in each worth and amount.
Exports exterior the EU-27 appear to be recovering (after the decline they skilled in 2023) recording a rise in each worth and amount. Particularly, the share improve in worth is +11.7% and in amount +12.8%. This constructive change is especially attributed to Iraq, the 2nd export vacation spot of ouzo, to which ouzo exports are step by step recovering, reaching a price of €15.1 million (+6%) and a amount of 5.8 million kg (+7%). The markets of the USA, FYROM, Israel and Australia present a constructive sign up 2024.
The data that we as tsou.gr can present in line with the visits recorded on our web site, is that curiosity in ouzo overseas is especially present in nations comparable to Germany, the United States of America, France, Turkey, Italy, Nice Britain, Bulgaria, Iraq, the Netherlands, and even nations in South America.
Q: Out of your expertise, how do you see the connection between Greek ouzo and the US market?
Charis Vekris: I imagine that there’s a superb relationship between ouzo and the USA market because of the giant Greek group residing within the nation. Definitely, there’s nonetheless quite a lot of room for growth for a Greek spirit, which continues to be ready by individuals who stay devoted to the normal recipes of their ancestors.
After all, the technological tools of the manufacturing models has been modernized, as has the visible identification of the product, which in lots of circumstances is especially engaging! The pattern now’s the manufacturing of fantastic premium spirits from 100% distillate.
Q: Do you distinguish any Greek ouzo labels?
Charis Vekris: I wouldn’t like to say particular labels, as a result of I might be unfair to some distilleries if I didn’t point out them. However I can let you know by which elements of Greece I’ve discovered ouzo spirits that I stand out: After all, in Plomari but additionally on your entire island of Lesvos. On islands comparable to Chios, Limnos, Samos, Syros, and Crete. From Northern Greece I might counsel good ouzo from Komotini, Alexandroupoli, Aridaia and Serres, whereas from the Peloponnese I might single out Patras and Kalamata. All these ideas are all the time based mostly on style standards, by which after all the mix with the corresponding appetizers of every area performs an important function.
