A Journey of Sustainable Farming and Innovation in Maroni

Welcome to Perivoli Tou Theodorou, nestled in the village of Maroni, Cyprus. I am Charis Christophorou, manager of our small family factory. The Ministry of Health Department authorizes us to produce and pack organic olive oil, table olives, and herbs. Our commitment to sustainability and quality has been the driving force behind our operations.

Charis, the Engineer and Visionary 

My journey began with the land I inherited from my parents, which was already home to olive trees. With a degree in mechanical engineering and an MBA, I was dedicated to transforming our inherited family land into an organic oasis. My passion for sustainability and innovative farming practices continues to drive me to ensure our business is economically viable for us and future generations.

A Legacy of Vision and Hard Work

In August 1983, while my mother awaited my birth, my father, Theodoros Christoforou, and his best friend planted the first olive trees on our farm. When my father took over this land, which had a history spanning over 200 years, he transformed it into a systematically planted olive and carob grove. His vision was to secure an income for our family through the fruits and oil of these trees. So, after his passing in 2008, my mother managed the farm until I took over in 2015, turning it into an organic olive oil and herbs production hub in Maroni.

Embracing Agriculture and Engineering 

Although I never envisioned a career in agriculture, my love for nature and engineering skills have merged seamlessly. We use innovative techniques, like spraying dust mixed with water on trees, to increase their mechanical ability, thus enhancing their resilience while reducing irrigation costs. My engineering background helps optimize our farm’s processes, making it more efficient and sustainable.

Celebrating the First Harvest  

The first fruit from our new olive trees came in their third year. Thus, most of our winters were spent at the farm harvesting olives. This was a family affair filled with joy and tradition.

Local Collaborations and Quality Control 

As our business expanded, we partnered with local farmers to meet growing demand. Although we started with buying oil from the local farmers, today we buy fruits, not oil, to maintain control over production quality. This ensures that our final products meet the highest standards of excellence.

Boosting the biodiversity 

In addition to olive oil production, we have recently started producing herbs. Herbs play a vital role in our business. First, they increase biodiversity on the land, attracting beneficial insects that improve fruit quality and soil health. Second, they help boost our overall income. Additionally, we have integrated bats and owls to control pests, reducing the need for chemical interventions.

Naming Our Business 

We started winning awards before we were registered as a business entity. I remember stumbling upon a Greek organisation conducting quality control tests for olive fruits and oil. We submitted our samples, and our first submission got us an award.

We knew we had quality fruits but didn’t know the components that made them great. Since the first submission, we have won several gold and silver awards.

In 2018, after several awards, we officially named our business “To Perivoli Tou Theodorou” (Theodoros’ Orchard) after my father and registered it as a limited company. This marked a new chapter, enabling us to produce and sell our products globally.

The Joys of Business

My greatest joy is when we produce the olive oil every year.
Our award-winning Marova olive oil takes immense effort and precision, but the results are worth it. For example, while producing other oil varieties requires about fifteen kilograms of olives to make a litre of oil, the Marova variety requires at least thirty kilograms. Once ready, we sell this premium product to luxury restaurants and organic shops in Cyprus and other businesses in Germany and Lithuania.

Maintaining a balance between business and family

When a business is new, most people get lost in it. It happened to me, too. Over time, however, I have learned to delegate tasks, freeing up more time for leisure and family. Moreover, we are exploring automation, like packaging machines, to streamline our operations further.

Staying Competitive and learning from mistakes

Our priority is maintaining high-quality products at reasonable prices. However, we cannot do this alone. We encourage olive oil producers to unite, enhancing our collective market presence and revolutionizing sales strategies.

Mistakes are inevitable but valuable learning opportunities. In our case, we made lots of mistakes. From pruning errors to deals with partners. However, we have learned and improved over time. Selecting reliable partners has been crucial for our success.

Advice to fellow farmers

One thing I know is that frequent tilling steals from the land. I especially encourage organic farmers to avoid heavy soil disturbances to preserve humidity and biodiversity. Additionally, we should invest in research before embarking on new measures to ensure confidence and success.

Locally, we have collaborated with Christoph Heckenbücker to offer him advice on his permaculture garden. He runs this garden for his restaurant, Enoiteca Edition Finesse, to provide the best organic ingredients for the kitchen. His crew also uses and recommends our organic olive oil.

Our plans for the future

We plan to work with the Cyprus government to acquire machinery to produce tea bags for our dried herbs. This will make it easier to transport, and consumers prefer products in this form as they are easier to consume. The easy-to-use products will help us reach a broader audience while maintaining the quality and sustainability we prioritize.