Mastic liqueur, dry gin with a variety of vegetable and fruit flavors, aged tsipura and new brandies such as the Metaxas Dozen are just some of the new achievements of the Greek distillery-distillery that will be presented to the public for the first time this year. Sunday, January 29 at the event “Greek Spirit 2023”at the Athens Conservatory.

Negroni with tsipouro instead of gin and Bloody Mary with ouzo instead of vodka are just some of the experiments of famous bartenders who, following the trend of the times, turn into “mixologists” offering new tastes.

“During the pandemic, since we were out of work, we decided to create something new,” says the president of SEAOP (Association of Greek Spirits and Liquor Manufacturers), Mr. Haris Mavrakis, almost jokingly.

Crisis and pandemic

“The industry has gone through a lot in recent years. With the economic crisis and the decline in disposable income, our own sales also fell. Supermarkets and wholesalers went bankrupt, leaving unpaid checks and debts in their wake. And in 2010 there was a sharp increase in excise duty. At the same time, we have seen an increase in illegal volumes entering the market. And then the pandemic came.”

Despite all this, the sector looks optimistic as more and more people seem to be drinking Greek alcoholic beverages in Greece and abroad. From 2019 to 2022, exports increased by 22%, with ouzo being the first export product. “Here in Greece we may have the typical image of an ouzo with a meze by the sea, but the truth is that 70% of the ouzo produced in the country is exported,” says Mr Mavrakis. Ouzo has a very good reputation mainly in Germany, but is also exported to about 30 countries around the world. Domestic production of alcohol and other alcoholic products was formed in 2021 at the level of 18.8 million liters of alcohol (+1% by 2020).

From 2019 to 2022, exports increased by 22%, with ouzo being the first export product.

In the 10-year period 2012-2021. it even shows an increase of 13.31% (+2.12 million litres), when import volumes show a significant decrease in the corresponding period, the industry report notes. Also for the 10-year period 2012-2021. exports of Greek alcoholic beverages increased by 32% in volume terms.

72% of Greek alcoholic beverage production is protected geographical indication (PGI) beverages, while around 330 processing companies produce 67 million bottles of alcoholic beverages annually. Locally produced drinks bring the state 85.1 million euros per year through VAT.

“Black” tsipouro

At the same time, a large number of tsipouros are sold on the market without official documents and without paying tax. “Every five glasses of tsipouro drunk are taxed,” notes the association’s former president, Nikos Kalogiannis, speaking characteristically of the amount of tax evasion that occurs through the doors of two-day distillers. Two-day distillers produce a certain amount of tsipouro (formally a traditional spirit, but in practice it is sold as tsipouro) with a reduced tax of 0.59 euros per kilogram for local consumption, but recently they have been able to trade their products through merchants, which allows them sell to more consumers.

The fact that consumers prefer bulk tsipouro is a matter of honor. “At food service centers, the cost of a decanter of tsipouro in large volumes is about the same as in bottles,” says Mr. Mavrakis. “The big price difference is a wholesale product that is sold, for example, in plastic bottles on the street,” he explains.

Control and security

“I must say that our products are controlled by the state chemistry, the Unified Food Control Agency and customs. Also, each bottle has a serial number that allows you to return to the place of manufacture. Anonymous products are not subject to any control and this can be very dangerous for health,” he concludes.

Numbers

330 Greek alcoholic beverage enterprises produce 67 million bottles per year.

72% Greek alcoholic beverages have a protected geographical indication.

73% percentage of the Greek distillery’s export volume that concerns ouzo.

65% Qipouro exports increased in the first half of 2022 compared to the corresponding period in 2020.

74% of the total Greek exports of alcoholic beverages go to EU countries, with the largest share (43.4%) coming from Germany.