Values and tradition of 45 years!

since1966 The past 1966

The history of Lesvos Dairy begins in 1966 in the village Chidira of Lesvos island of , where a traditional family dairy produces local products, such as the hard Ladotyri Mytilinis, cheese with the local name ‘kefalaki’, the piquant yellow gruyère type cheese, the sheep’s fresh butter and the cheese, aged in wooden barrels.

The traditional Ladotyri and Feta cheese of the family were famous all around the island due to the exquisite taste, rich flavor and aroma.

All family products were manufactured with excellent traditional knowhow, by using the local regions’ milk that gave unique sensory characteristics to the products, because of the local plants and herbs nature.

That is why the mountainous ground of the area attracted most of the islands’ sheep herds, while the village Chidira produced the finest and most delicious .

Today

By maintaining the originality and the family secrets of the cheese making “art”, the third generation created Lesvos Dairy SA and set even higher goals. Today, Les- vos Dairy SA is one of the largest cheese manufactures of Lesvos island. From generation to generation, the family protected the high quality and unique taste of its products.

In 2006, the company in invested large in building an entirely accomplished entirely new, modern cheese manufacture. The new facilities are equipped with the latest technology equipment, holding an average pro- duction capacity of 1000 tons of soft and hard cheeses per year.

Combining the new technology with the traditional art of cheese making, the company produces its prod- ucts with the exact same recipes as the first traditional family dairy, but keeping up in all the modern safety and quality standards regarding the production and packaging. Among the variety of cheeses are three certified Protected Designation of Origin products (PDO): Feta, Ladotyri Mytilinis and Kaseri.

The company has a standing policy of maintaining the high quality and safety in its products. The new facilities meet all European requirements on hygiene and food safety standards and the cheese production is certified under the international quality standard for food safety ISO 22.000/2005, by the independent certificate organization TÜV HELLAS (Member of TÜV NORD Group). exquisite flavor and aroma, by using more rich A high priority of Lesvos Dairy is the support of the sheep’s milk that can exceed 90%, with respect to the local economy, by using only milk from local regions’ cheese maturing time and the traditional art of each farms. Today, the cheese plant collects and manages different product. milk from more than 500 farmers of Lesvos island. That is why the support and consumers’ confidence Having also a high respect of the environment in the Lesvos Dairy products is confirmed by the and always supporting the satisfaction of the final continuous growth of sales in Greece and the consumers, Dairy Lesvos SA produces cheese with external market.

The company applies a Food Safety Management ISO 22.000:2005 certified by TÜV HELLAS. The tradition of Lesvos

Lesvos, an island with a history that goes back three millennia, known as “Land of abundance”. Due to the great quality and unique flavor, the cheeses of the island were famous throughout Greek borders since the ages of Homer.

In ancient Greece the milk was considered a sacred food and according to Greek mythology, the art of cheese making was a gift given to mortals by the Gods of Olympus.

The livestock in the island of Lesvos is favored since ancient times because of the volcanic pastures, along For us, in Lesvos Dairy, the excellent quality of our with the mild climate and rich biodiversity. The quality products is inextricably tied to our land, favored by of milk is therefore affected positively by the island’s the culinary culture of our island and the “secrets” of nature, for giving special aromas, flavor and high the cheese making art that we have received from our nutrients. family. Products Meet and savor our local cheese products, carefully packaged for keeping the flavors and scents of our island. The range of our traditional dairy products includes:

Feta cheese, Protected Designation of Origin Kaseri, Protected Designation of Origin (P.D.O.). (P.D.O.). - Feta P.D.O. in brine, packaged in tin containers: - Kaseri PDO: Available in whole cheese head 8 Kg, sizes 16, 8 and 4 kg. 3 Kg rectangular, small cheese head of 750 g and - Feta P.D.O. in brine, packaged in plastic triangular piece 300 in air sealed packaging. containers: 400g, 1 kg and 2 kg. Semi-hard cheese with a consistent texture and light yellow color. Soft cheese preserved in brine exclusively from sheep’s and goat’s milk, Made only from sheep’s and goat’s milk and thus characterized by a rich that ages for at least two months prior packaging. Feta is characterized aroma and a unique flavor. This cheese ages for at least three months by a rich, smooth flavor and a pleasant soft and sour taste. Since 1994, before packaging. Lesvos island is one of the three regions of Greece the feta is produced only in limited geographical areas of Greece as a where Kaseri P.D.O. production is exclusively permitted. Protected Designation of Origin product.

Ladotyri Mytilinis, Protected Designation of “Gruyere” type Origin (P.D.O.). - “Gruyere” type, available in whole cheese head - Ladotyri Mytilinis PDO: covered with cheese wax, sizes: 12 Kg, 9 Kg, 3 Kg, 1.5 kg. Also available in approximately 1.2 kg round block and half block of triangular 300 g piece in air sealed packaging. 600g, in air sealed packaging. Hard cheese with golden skin. Cheese body is characterized by a “hay” - Meet our exclusively produced New Product!: color and several holes scattered inside. Distinguished by a slightly Ladotyri Mytilinis P.D.O. preserved in , sweetish taste. Produced by mostly sheep’s milk and aged for at least in a open/close transparent packaging (500g). three months before packaging. Hard cheese shaped like a small round cheese head, aged for at least three months. It is characterized from a light yellow color and dotted with small irregular holes. It boasts a pleasant aroma bouquet and a slightly spicy flavor. Made exclusively in Lesvos island as a P.D.O. product, only from sheep’s and goat’s milk. Dairy Butter - Kefalotyri cheese, available in whole cheese head, - Dairy Butter packed in tin containers of 8 kg, and in triangular 300 g piece in air sealed packaging. 17 kg, 1 kg and also available in plastic container of 300g. Very famous in , traditional hard cheese. Cheese body is Fresh dairy butter from sheep’s and goat’s milk with excellent full taste, characterized by white to yellow color with a tough skin and a strong high nutritional value and quality, ideal for everyday cooking or pastry. spicy flavor. Made from sheep’s and goat’s milk and aged for at least three months before packaging. Kardaraki Lesvos - Kardaraki cheese preserved in brine, Hard Cheese of Mytilini packed in tin 13 kg containers. - Mytilini’s local traditional hard cheese, available - Kardaraki cheese preserved in brine, in whole cheese head, 8 kg, and in triangular 300 g packed in plastic container, 600g. piece in air sealed packaging. White soft cheese preserved in brine, with a particular “basket” shape Cheese with hard and firm texture, color yellow with round holes round head of 600-700g. Made exclusively from sheep’s and goat’s milk, throughout its body. Produced from sheep’s and goat’s milk, it boasts a light sour taste and a rich aroma bouquet. It matures for characterized by a mild, smooth flavor and a delicate sweetish taste. It at least 2 months prior packaging. ages for at least three months before packaging.

Mizithra - dried: round small head of 400 g. White whey cheese made from sheep’s and goat’s whey. It is characterized by a firm texture and a different small round shaped head of 400g. It boasts a rich and salty flavor. www.lesvosdairy.com

CHIDIRΑ 81103, LESVOS Ι TEL: +30 22530 51402 Ι FAX: +30 22530 51544 Ι E-MAIL: [email protected]