grizo & prasino

Meet Kostas and Angeliki that turn every grey day into “green” with their organic infusions made from whole herb leaves.

Discovery

The small but industrious team of discovery hounds returned from this year’s Greek Brand New show, gleefully clutching these teas. The ecological brown paper bags with their clean logo impressed me as did the inventive taste combinations within.

Kostas Papazoglou and Angeliki Drakou decided to be life and business partners in 2012 by starting an organic herb company which became grizo & prasino in 2017.

They specialise in handmade dry organic herbal mixtures and bottled, sugar-free, cold infusions.

All their products include organic herbs they farm themselves in Komotini. The dried citrus fruit comes from another certified organic farmer.

All the mixtures have imaginative names based on the founders’ personal stories. For the Magic Cabinet shop, we have chosen PU & PU, EGO & ESY PORTOKALI, MANTARILI and a mixture of apple, chamomile and beetroot.

As the couple is involved in the whole production process, including drying the herbs in their own electronic dehumidifier, they can guarantee that everything is done by hand.

As the couple is involved in the whole production process, including drying the herbs in their own electronic dehumidifier, they can guarantee that everything is done by hand.

Kostas and Angeliki use whole flowers in their products so they can guarantee a full flavour, higher quality, a smaller carbon footprint and a better price.

After the humidity levels are checked, the herbs are sealed and stored in a unit protected from both light and humidity.

They believe that every detail counts and want their customers to use their teas not only on the «grey» days, when they might be ill, but on their «green» days too. Their brand name grizo & prasino is inspired by their farm, which is grey in the winter and green in the summer. Angeliki says that «grey does exist in our daily lives. We have to embrace it and turn it into something beautiful».

They practice sustainable farming so they also cultivate certain plant species that they don’t use in manufacturing but that assist in naturally balancing the ground. Nature and seasonality is an ongoing source of inspiration and respecting their environment is a way of life for them.

Their brand name grizo & prasino is inspired by their farm, which is grey in the winter and green in the summer.

Memory

Kostas is an agriculturist and organic farming consultant and Angeliki studied law in Komotoni, where they met and where she practiced it. They married in 2012 and used their wedding present money to launch their business.

They first mixture was PU & PU, named after their son’s nickname, «pupu».

Narration

Kostas is in charge of production and Angeliki initially creates the herbal infusions and then focuses on promoting them.

They employ three full time staff and two more during the summer months.

Their office and workshop are both in the centre of Komotini, while their 4 acre farm land is situated in the areas of Pandroso and Asomati.

Komotini, which is the capital of Thrace, is a true cultural melting pot, famous for tobacco, cotton, wine and cherry production. Kostas and Angeliki broke the mould by cultivating herbs.

Climate change does affect their plans from time to time but they enjoy the process of making their products so much, that they adapt to various difficulties.

Their immediate plans include launching a line of herbal shower gels to be named “herbal spa”.