Greek yogurt has seen a dramatic rise in popularity in America over the past year, but many people don’t realize that the yogurt they are picking up on a daily basis is Greek-style yogurt, not actual Greek yogurt. Olympus Dairy International is the largest organic dairy manufacturer in Greece and now we’re exporting our authentic strained Greek yogurt to the United States.

What makes it authentic? Well, it is produced in Greece in our sustainable plants. Also, the authenticity of Greek yogurt lies in the traditional straining process that converts regular yogurt to thick, rich and creamy Greek yogurt by removing the whey and some of the lactose.

Greek yogurt, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, has recently been touted in the United States for its numerous health benefits, including its high protein and calcium content, as well as its thick texture and luxuriously creamy taste. These characteristics make it a filling yet healthy and nutritious food. Food industry analysts in the United States predict sales in the Greek yogurt category will reach $2 billion by the end of this year, whereas five years ago, annual sales of Greek yogurt totaled just $35.4 million.

Following a long Greek tradition in making yogurt, at Olympus Dairy we carefully craft each cup of yogurt to perfection, using only the highest-quality natural ingredients.

Founded in the mountains of Greece at the foot of Mount Olympus, Olympus Dairy milk suppliers take great care and responsibility to provide the best raw ingredients for an authentically Greek yogurt. The quality of Olympus yogurt is a direct result of milk taken from select cows grazed on special pastureland, located in the heartland of Greece. We proudly offer Grade A, all-natural and kosher Greek strained yogurt that contains live cultures, including L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus.

It all begins with the milk. To ensure the very best natural ingredients, we have a system of “Total Quality Management” that is applied to all facets of milk production. Animals are fed only grasses and grains grown near the company’s production facilities in the Thessaly, Larissa and Trikala regions in the heartland of Greece. The milk coming from select cows that graze on special pastureland contains no genetically modified organisms (non-GMO).

The end result is Greek yogurt that is unquestionably Greek in origin. It’s an important brand differentiation. Not all yogurts are created alike in terms of the manufacturing and quality of the natural ingredients, and not all can claim that the finished product is GMO-free and actually a Greek yogurt.

The Olympus Dairy Greek strained yogurt recipe has been passed down for over three generations in order to preserve the authentic Greek Mediterranean diet and culture that it was founded on. In the late 1920s, Dimitrios Sarantis, grandfather to the current owner of Olympus Dairy International, produced Greek yogurt through traditional methods with knowledge he inherited from his ancestors, which he then later passed on to his son and grandson. Sarantis used milk from sheep and goats that grazed on the mountains of Thessaly, close to the Olympus Mountain.

As the only authentic Greek yogurt from Greece in the U.S. market, it’s important for us to maintain the integrity of this recipe. Like our ancestors, we value the importance of high quality ingredients, which is why we continue to get our milk from cows that graze on the hills and mountains of Greece.

The company manufactures out of three factories in Greece that feature bio-energy plants, which use renewable energy from plant-derived materials. We are dedicated to using the most sustainable means possible to create our products. While 70% of the energy generated at our plants is sourced from waste product, we are always working towards an even more sustainable model. Working closely with international quality assurance groups and organizations, we can ensure consistently high-quality ingredients in every container of Olympus Dairy Greek strained yogurt that is produced and shipped to the United States.

At Olympus Dairy, we strive to set the standard for quality, authenticity and flavor with our dairy products. We hope that as we expand our presence in the American market that the taste and quality of our brand will be the differentiating factors for consumers.  

Dairy Foods seeks essays from dairy processors. Contact carperj@dairyfoods.com.