Thursday, March 28, 2024

OLYRA: Bringing Ancient Greek Values to Modern Diets in New York City

Sourced photo
Sourced photo

New York City is a hub of culture, art, and food, and it’s no surprise that OLYRA foods have found a welcoming home in this vibrant city. With a diverse range of food cultures and a high demand for innovative and healthy food options, New York has been instrumental in the success of OLYRA. The city has been home to OLYRA’s mission and has played a vital role in expanding the company’s reach since it expanded here in the United States from Greece.

As the fifth generation of a flour mill family business in Greece, the company’s founder Yannis Varellas’ vision was to identify true market needs and use our knowledge to fulfill them. “While at Expo West a few years ago, I realized the growing trend of ancient grains and healthy snacking. At the same time, noticing the growth of the breakfast category and the need for healthy snacks, I came up with the idea of offering the first organic and healthy breakfast biscuits,” he shared with us exclusively in an interview.

The city’s food culture is a melting pot of cuisines, with an abundance of restaurants offering a variety of foods from all over the world. New York’s food scene is an excellent place for entrepreneurs to gain inspiration and create unique products that cater to different dietary needs. OLYRA’s commitment to promoting balanced nutrition and a healthy lifestyle aligns with our region’s trend towards healthier eating and a growing demand for organic and natural foods.

OLYRA, which is currently the fastest-growing natural Breakfast Biscuits brand in the United States, is actually also based right here in New York. As mentioned prior, Yannis comes from a family business in Greece that has been milling grains for five generations, and that knowledge has been passed down to create OLYRA’s delicious and nutritious biscuits.

OLYRA
Sourced photo

Running a breakfast biscuit company in New York can be both exciting and challenging due to the high demand for healthy and convenient breakfast options, along with the strong competition in the market. However, Yannis was able to sell his product to independent grocery stores in just 30 days, and OLYRA now sells products in over 5000 stores, including Whole Foods, Publix, and Kroger.

In the US, 90% of stores are chains and 10% are independent. In New York, it’s the opposite, meaning 90% are independent stores and 10% are chains. “I moved to NY in 2018 and went door-to-door in order to sell products to independently owned grocery stores. The acceptance rate was incredible, in just 30 days OLYRA was placed in 50 stores in NYC,” Yannis shared. “I will always remember that this is the city that made my dream come true. NYC is a city that can give you a lot of possibilities and potential,” he further added to us.

OLYRA is constantly working on creating innovative and delicious snacks to set themselves apart in the market. In January 2023, they launched their cream-filled breakfast biscuits in three delicious flavors: Peanut Butter, Double Chocolate, and Almond Butter, offering 5g of protein, 4g of fiber, and only 6g of sugars. The company is always on the lookout for opportunities to bring healthier, organic, and convenient snacks to the US market.

The company’s focus is to promote balanced nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, as people nowadays often make poor dietary choices due to their fast-paced lifestyle. OLYRA’s products are organic, nutritional, and provide sustained energy with simple ingredients, making it a perfect solution for modern-day snack needs.

Apart from restaurants and food, when speaking with Yannis he told us that he also enjoys spending time here in New York at comedy clubs such as the Comedy Cellar and Gotham, and Jazz bars like the Blue Note and Django. These venues are a testament to the city’s thriving entertainment industry, which is another major attraction for both locals and tourists.

“There is a very engaged and passionate community of food entrepreneurs in New York that create a very powerful community. I highly suggest everyone in the food industry to join the community,” Yannis explains. Anyone who is interested to join the community can do so through Naturally New York.

Overall, New York’s thriving food and entertainment industries, along with its vibrant community of food entrepreneurs, make it an exciting and dynamic place for businesses like OLYRA to grow and thrive as they take over the rest of the country/globe.

To learn more about OLYRA, their products and more on Yannis & his family back home in Greece’s story, visit their website.

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