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It all started with a can of olive oil from Messenia
Anastasios Doukas immigrated to the United States in 1974
studied chemistry and opened a pizzeria in Connecticut
sent him extra-virgin olive oil so that customers could try it in the restaurant
When they saw that the Greek product was popular
But it was not easy to gain a foothold in the US market
Some initial attempts to collaborate with other restaurants failed
and the delicatessens were mainly run by Italian immigrants
until the Food Network began to praise the Mediterranean diet
A new window of opportunity seemed to be opening
The Doukas brothers continued to contact potential partners and participated in exhibitions
Anastasios installed stainless steel oil dispensers in American stores
and customers could now fill their empty bottles with Ariston olive oil at a lower price
they built their own packaging unit in Gargalianoi
the family business sells approximately 140 product codes
Ninety-five percent of their production is now exported to the US
that they would now risk being dragged into the vortex of an international trade war
“We are watching what is happening with fear
uncharted waters,” Anastasios tells Kathimerini from the US
“We have spent years establishing ourselves and now we are waiting to see where the ball will land
The global community is turning inward again,” Angelos observes from Gargalianoi
Donald Trump’s tariff policy is not only causing concern in this family business
Other Greek exporters are also expressing concerns as they await the expiration of the 90-day deadline set by the US president
Will the 10% horizontal tariffs be maintained or will they rise to 20%
as Trump had initially announced for the European Union
a family-run table olive production business will soon mark one century of operations
it has been exporting to the American market
deals with exports and travels to the US every year
“The message needs to get across that Kalamata olives in particular should not be subject to tariffs
They are not cultivated in the US so there’s no need to protect some local production.”
Table olives are the second most valuable Greek export to the US
president of the Panhellenic Association of Table Olive Processors
tells Kathimerini that this number did not arise by chance
It was preceded by decades of systematic work and mainly private initiatives by Greek businesses
“We are no longer only addressing Greeks in Astoria or Arabs
we entered all American supermarkets,” says Zoukas
He points out that the uncertainty in the industry due to the imposition of tariffs is unprecedented
we have postponed shipments and in a second phase we may face pressure to absorb part of the tariffs
may create sustainability problems,” he explains
The association is already in contact with members of the Greek diaspora in Trump’s environment
they will seek to speak with the new ambassador in Athens
and they have also informed the Greek government
Turning to other international markets cannot be considered a realistic scenario at this stage
Zoukas explains that Greek table olives are already exported to 100 countries and have exhausted the scope for penetration in others
‘We have spent years establishing ourselves and now we are waiting to see where the ball will land
The global community is turning inward again’
Among the Greek agri-food products exported to the US
compotes are the second most valuable after table olives
which operates in fruit processing and production of fruit compotes
took its first steps in the US market after 2000 and is today the largest exporter in the sector from Greece
they processed 62,000 tons of fruit and a large part of the quantity they process ends up in the US
says that Greek products have had greater absorption in the US in recent years due to quality
but also because production in California shrank due to water scarcity and labor shortages
The resulting gap was filled mainly with imports from Greece
Additional tariffs on compotes were also imposed during Trump’s previous presidency
“We don’t know how a possible price increase will affect consumption
but because China is being hit with higher tariffs
there may be an opportunity,” says Theodoulidis
China may channel its production to different markets and has already begun to appear in Europe and South America
This development will mean new competition for Greek products
The reservation that already exists in the market and the possibility of doubling tariffs after the 90-day deadline does not help the continuation of negotiations in view of the summer production season
the local agricultural dairy cooperative began its first contacts with the US in late 2024 to channel its feta cheese to the American market
but now the situation is starting to stabilize
We have already started a collaboration in the past few days and I believe that the shocks will be absorbed,” the cooperative’s president
A total of 1,200 farmers collaborate with the Kalavryta Cooperative
Their product is the leader in the Greek market and they have now launched efforts to promote it abroad
He hopes that feta will be exempt from customs duties
“We believe that the product is unique and should not be missing from abroad.”
Kostas Mastoras approaches the situation that has already developed in international trade from the importer’s perspective
He first opened a small grocery store in the 1980s
which later evolved into the Titan supermarket
relies 90% on products that arrive from Greece
“Nobody has a crystal ball to see what might happen in the future,” he says
adding that uncertainty is not an ally in their line of work
“Business has a basic prerequisite – there must be stable parameters
Now we don’t know what will happen tomorrow
I brought as much cargo as I could to the US
if in May or July he changes his mind?” he wonders about Trump’s tariff policy
In the agreements they seal with other partners in the market
“I am committed to the prices I gave at the beginning of January and any difference that arises along the way I will have to accept it,” However
saying that Greek products will manage to overcome this crisis too
Anastasios Doukas remembers with satisfaction
He points out how competitive things are in the US
and it creates jobs on all sides,” he says
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