A couple from Greece who keep their Honey in a luxurious packaging

A couple from Greece full of dreams, ambition and a vision for progress through the natural elements given to us daily in abundance in the “Greek paradise”. Nikos Vlachoudis, 31, and Rania Gaitanou, 26, besides being a blissful couple, decided (even though they come from diverse professional backgrounds, Nick being a hairdresser and Rania working in the sector of design in a multinational company) that in a country hit by severe economic recession there is still fertile ground to built their dreams and not let dignity and creativity slip away.

Photos: Dora Topalidou (www.brightside.gr)

Therefore, they put their experiences into practice, that is, their contact with nature, by keeping 100% raw honey in a luxurious packaging. The NIRRA lid, made of solid beech wood, is hand-crafted with special attention and care to the detail and brings along a tangible element of the nature where honey is born, as a symbol of the close bond between the product and the forest. Moreover, the jar, made of coastal sand, and the gold-printed icon of the NIRRA bear (which loves honey) compound a truly exquisite aesthetic result.

 

Using NIRRA (the name derives from their initials) as the medium (Nikos is the producer and Rania is responsible for the design), they managed to make a significant turn and seek for fruitful outlets in their life, without becoming querulous and introvert. Being driven primarily by their passion for creativity and discovery on the “new”, they fearlessly immersed themselves into the whole ritual, from honey production (this magnificent super-food offered so generously by the Greek nature) to the design, thus creating this exceptional product.

 

 

“We are two young people full of passion and an appetite to create something beautiful, something of which all Greeks will be proud. And after a strenuous effort and long hours of contemplation, creation and work we finally did it” Nikos said in humanstories.gr and continues with telling the story of his life which has evolved rather interestingly and unexpectedly. “Since I was a child, I remember myself, my sister and my parents having a tendency towards homeopathy and whatever is natural, far from chemicals and processed substances. Although I always kept in the back of my mind the thought of being professionally involved in something that has to do with nature, which calms down my mind and soul in harmony with the natural processions, I hadn’t managed to make it true until we came up with the idea of NIRRA (www.nirracompany.com). Therefore, my main concerns are my beehives, even though I have studied hairdressing in the UK and it is a profession I have truly embraced. I am a producer myself, I love what I do and I think it is utterly satisfying to become involved in something that natural and offer it to the consumers in such a wonderful packaging. I have concluded that life evolves in circles and leads us to our desires, so long as we do not quit our faith and dream of creation.”

“The majority of the remote forests where we keep our beehives lie in the land of Chalkidiki and Northern Greece and form part of the Natura 2000 network that aims to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats, thus preventing the use of pesticides or other agricultural techniques that may harm the virginity of the terrain. The result is the production of a truly nutritious and strictly biological treasure born from the generous and unequaled land of Greece. From April to November, we drive bees through these verdant and arduous terrains and relocate them every thirty five days so that they obtain the dainty honeydew excreted by trees” Nikos Vlachoudis added.

 

 

Rania is a young woman with a thirst for new concepts. Always keeping a bright smile, she fully supports with her own knowledge and vision the NIRRA project. “My part lies mainly in the domain of aesthetics and design, for which we were sure from the very beginning that we should work hard with innovative design. The final outcome did credit not only to us but also to our collaborators, so from now on we spread our wings to exporting a product so famous for its nutritional value but to which we added a luxurious element so sought after abroad. The packaging along with its exquisite content may open more doors. We are very optimistic, we never give up and we long for the day when NIRRA will find its place on the biggest shelves in the world!”