Our company

Melissa Primo Gusto brand products are a guarantee of the highest quality straight from Greece and Italy. Quality and high nutritional value are our fundamental goal and commitment at the same time. Careful selection of the best raw materials and packaging materials, the existence of a unique production and storage environment, as well as continuous controls at every stage of production, ensure excellent quality. This is confirmed by the implemented certified quality, safety and hygiene management systems.

Melissa KIKIZAS SA

MELISSA KIKIZAS SA was founded by Alexandros Kikizas in 1947, with the vision of creating a food industry that would promote the raw materials and transform them into high-quality products. Since then, through over sixty years of dynamic development, the company’s mission has been to meet the nutritional needs of consumers by providing consistently quality in each production step starting from the field to product on the food store shelf.

 

The production of pasta and semolina from durum wheat is the basis of the company’s activity. Every year it processes over 100,000 tons of excellent quality durum wheat with vertically integrated production combining crops, a mill, and a production line, produces over 50,000 tons of pasta per year.

Our philosophy and values

Always faithful to our company values, we carefully choose all raw materials that ensure the unconditional quality of each of our products, contributing to a rich and healthy people’s diet through safe and tasty food. Since the establishment of our company, one of our main goals has also been active involvement in society and the natural environment.

Our Values are the link between young and older generations as they guide our decisions and behavior over time. They define our corporate culture, shaping the way we think and operate as an organization. They guide us in every action and relationship and reflect what is truly important for all of us, the people of MELISSA KIKIZAS.

Human

We work as one big family, where respect and collegiality prevail. Our priority is safety, education, training, rewarding and work-life balance for our people.

Society

We belong to a broader context, which makes us socially sensitive and business responsible organization. That is why we are moving forward by focusing on the environment and volunteering, contributing to better tomorrow.

Quality

We put on our consumers table what we put on our own. Everyday we produce food of high quality and nutritional valu, using all of our know-how, modern technology and will.

Innovation

We continuously invest in research to develop innovative, cutting-edge product that meet modern nutritional trends and ever-changing needs of our consumers.

Development

We support our vision and operate wisely and boldly, aiming for continuous development and progress. We make significant investments, most of which are financed with our own capital, making a practical contribution to the country economy.

Consistency

We create long-term trusting relationships based on professionalism and reliability in every business operation, building strong foundations with customers, consumers, partners and colleagues.

Our Activities

Consumers

We believe that consumers determine our value. We always try to develop in line with their changing needs and offering highest quality Mediterranean products at affordable price.

Wheat Academy

At Melissa we believe in young farmers and the significant work that they can offer this country. However, we believe that with our support they can achieve even more. That is why we created the WHEAT ACADEMY. An academy for all wheat producers. An academy that aims to provide not only theoretical knowledge in the classroom but also practical experience in the field. By this way, we achieve improvement of quality but reduction of production cost of durum wheat.

For more please visit: Quality.

We care about the environment

Being aware of the use of our globe’s natural resources, we feel obliged to protect the environment. Our goal is always to adopt the best production methods to minimize the negative impact on the natural environment.

For us, protecting the environment is a basic prerequisite for Sustainable Development and a key pillar of our operations. Our goal and priority is to adopt production methods that minimize the ecological footprint of our activity, operating with responsibility, sensitivity and increased ecological awareness.

We are socially active

Voluntary actions

Commitment to substantial social contribution. We offer substantial contribution through organized volunteer activities, in which our employees actively demonstrate their solidarity by giving back to society. Since 2015, Volunteer Week has been successfully organized, reflecting the sense of responsibility and awareness of our employees, through coordinated teamwork and cooperation actions.

Blood
Bank

In 2016, in collaboration with National Blood Donation Centre, we proceeded for the first time with the creation of the Corporate Blood Bank. In 2017 and 2018, this effort continued with the organization of voluntary blood donations in our company.

Support for Institutions

Expressing absolute respect for people and society, we seek to contribute and support our fellow human beings by any means possible, providing long term support to social organizations and NGOs.

Melissa and Melissa Primo Gusto key historical facts

2023 r.
New products

Melissa - Pasta Kids and Melissa Primo Gusto relaunch with new packaging design

2022 r.
New line pasta

Launch of a new line of pod pasta with 50% pod flour

2021 r.
Terra Creta

Acquisition of Terra Creta S.A. Producer of highest quality extra virgin olive oil

2020 r.
Vegetarian pasta

Launch of a new line of vegetarian pasta with 30% vegetable puree

2019 r.
Construction of a new mill

Construction of a new mill ensuring maintaining the high quality of products

2015 r.
Melissa Kikizas Wheat Academy

Establishment of the Melissa Kikizas Wheat Academy with the aim of educating young professionals

2013 r.
Polish market

Launch of Atlanta company as distributor of Melissa products on polish market

2010 r.

Completion of the second application at the plant in Larissa, with a target • production capacity of up to 90,000 tons. Launch of a range of gluten-free pastas

2009 r.
Pasta kids

Launch of an innovating range of pasta for children "Pasta Kids"

1980 r.
First production

MELISSA KIKIZAS holds the first vertically integrated pasta production

1974 r.
Construction of a semolina mill in the Factory
1947 r.
Melissa

Founding of the MELISSA pasta company in Athens by Alexandros Kikizas