Fage
 | |
| Company type | private |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1926 |
| Headquarters | Athens, Greece |
| Products | dairy, yogurt, ice cream |
Number of employees | 1200 |
| Website | http://www.fage.gr/ |
Fage S.A. (Greek: ΦΑΓΈ, pronunciation: Fa-ye) is a Greek dairy company and one of the major dairy brands in the country. It is headquartered in Athens in the Athens Industrial Area west of downtown. It manufactures dairy products including milk, yogurt and ice cream.
History
Early history
On September 1, 1926, Father Filippou opened a small dairy in Patissia and its yogurt became well known. In 1954, they created the first network of mass produced yogurt in Attica. In 1964, the first yogurt-producing factory opened in Galatsi.
Yogurt
In 1974 the current FAGE factory was built. In 1975, Fage perfected the standardization of yogurt making, which radically changed the Greek market. This made the yogurt have a consistent taste and longer shelf life. New varieties and flavors were introduced shortly after. In 1981 exports to the European market began. TOTAL, the first strained yoghurt, was introduced becoming a huge success.
Cheese
In 1991 Fage entered the cheese market, mostly manufacturing traditional Greek cheese. It produces, packs and supplies to consumers in Greece and abroad a variety of cheeses including its trademark Feta cheese. Today, FAGE has a large range of cheeses including: Feta, Graviera, Trikalino, Trikalino Light, Gouda, Edam, Plagia, Regato, Sandwich Cheese, Junior portions, Junior slices, Junior Meridoules, and Flair.
Milk
In 1993 Fage entered the fresh milk market, introducing FAGE Fresh Milk all over Greece. In this same year, the company built new factories exclusively for fresh pasteurized milk, a new line of pasteurization, homogenization, new machinery, and packaging.
Additionally, after a significant investment in research and machinery, Fage presented a new innovative product to the Greek market, High Pasteurized Milk, which created a new category of milk.
Today, Fage offers a wide range of milk including its most popular Farma Milk.
Current operations
In June 1999, the dioxin problems that plagued several milk exporters from Belgium started a public scare that resulted in the disposal of all dioxin-affected milk. Several months later by the Fall, Fage's dairy products became free of dioxins and the company began to use milk exported from decontaminated countries.
In the late-1990s, with its popularity, Fage began marketing its products and began selling in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. From 2001, its immense popularity even outside the worldwide Greek community and diaspora led to its introduction in the United States where it has located its headquarters in Johnstown, NY. There are no plans on introducing Fage to other countries. The yogurt was later featured in Saveur magazine.
In the USA, it is featured in many magazines and books promoting healthy eating. In 2007, it won the "Superior Taste Award".
Logo
Its logo has its lettering in blue. It also has two chevrons, the top is colored red and the bottom blue circle with a red rectangle which features its name at the middle. On all of its products, the logo is feature on one side with the Greek lettering, and on the other side with the English lettering.