Olyra, the first organic and nutritious breakfast biscuits brand, has announced its rapid growth in the US market, and is now available in 5000 stores nationwide, including popular chains such as Sprouts Market, Whole Foods, Publix, Kroger, Fresh Market, Stop & Shop, Giant, and other independent stores.
Born from the ancient Greek values of nourishment and sustainability, Olyra is a family-owned business that has been passed down for five generations. The founder of Olyra, Yannis Varellas, wanted to bring the wisdom of ancient Greek diets to the modern world, through the use of ancient grains that were the basis of the ancient Greeks’ diet. One of their biscuits, Filled Breakfast Biscuits, is made with four Ancient Greek grains, including Spelt, Lupine, Oat and Barley.
“We have worked hard to offer a product that promotes a balanced nutrition and lifestyle,” shared Varellas. “It is very important to us, to give our customers a tasteful, good-for-them snack, that is convenient and makes their busy lifestyle more balanced. It’s the perfect solution for their modern, energy snack needs,” he added.
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With a focus on providing a balanced and convenient snack, Olyra offers 5 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 6 grams of sugars in every pack. This commitment to health and wellness helped the company thrive during the pandemic, as customers increasingly seek out nutritious snacks.
The transition from a company based in Greece to the US market was not without challenges, but the founder’s unwavering belief in his vision and hard work have paid off. Starting in NYC, Yannis went door-to-door to independently owned grocery stores, and soon after, Olyra’s first big P.O. came from Stop & Shop. The company has since expanded its reach to its now 5000+ stores nationwide.
Now with their products reaching the US market, Yannis shares his insight, “US offers a lot of opportunities and allows you to expand in a stable environment as it leads the world in many key industries.”
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The company has always had a remote-first approach, even before the pandemic, due to its team being mainly based in Greece. However, with the pandemic forcing the team to work from home, they had to optimize their strategies and find the best way to collaborate efficiently. This resulted in a more efficient way of working from operations to production and execution. “Our products are mainly sold in retail, in which there were great difficulties during the pandemic, so we took advantage of this time, to develop our e-commerce channel, and better understand our customers’ needs.”
Yannis offers advice to others looking to start their own companies in the US telling us in a statement, “Believe in your dream and make it work. If you have a product or service that will provide a better and convenient lifestyle to the people it targets, with hard work and people who believe in you, you will succeed!”
OLYRA never stops brainstorming and is always looking for ways to innovate and bring new products to the market. The company is constantly looking for new ways to meet the changing needs of its customers and is always on the lookout for new market opportunities.
“We are always looking for ways to innovate and bring new products to this category,” said Varellas. “Our goal is to always keep our customers’ needs in mind and to bring the best possible products to market.”
For more information, please visit their website.
