On the second floor of a small workshop at 103 Thessaloniki Street in Moschato, a new chapter of Greek business history was beginning.

That workshop housed Chipita, the snack company that would become a household name. It was there that a collaboration grew into a deep friendship — and eventually into a group of “fellow travelers” who went on to build new ventures together. Though Chipita’s story as a Greek multinational closed a few years ago, its legacy continues through ambitious new projects. Among them: Wonderplant.

A New Kind of Investment

Wonderplant is rewriting the rules of primary production in Greece. On the rocky soils of Petrousa, Drama, the company has built a massive complex of active greenhouses covering 400 acres — and expanding each year. This year alone, production will reach 22,000 tons.

So far, investment has reached €180 million. But Wonderplant is more than a farming project: it is an industrial-scale ecosystem that researches new varieties, experiments with crops like potatoes, and even operates a model bee-breeding center for natural pollination. All of this takes place in a fully controlled environment designed to tackle the challenges of climate change.

At the same time, the project is transforming the local economy. It employs more than 400 people in a region suffering from depopulation and has built its own power substation, helping to relieve pressure on the weak local grid. And this is just the beginning. A similar-sized project is planned in Ptolemaida, which could make Wonderplant the largest hydroponics operation in Southeastern Europe.

Science Meets Tradition

The project is led by Themis Makris, who oversees operations and often gives visitors tours of the impressive facilities. Walking through the site feels like stepping into the future of farming:

• Self-produced energy and advanced cooling/heating systems

• Rainwater harvesting and treatment plants

• Drainage networks and automated climate controls

• Cleaning robots and bee colonies for natural pollination

• Fully integrated packing stations and worker facilities

“Everything has to work perfectly,” Makris explains. “It’s a very demanding process, but that’s the only way to achieve the yields we need.”

Even the surroundings are carefully designed. The latest greenhouse, which opened last March, is landscaped with transplanted olive trees from Thassos to harmonize the massive facility with the local environment.

Roots in the Chipita Years

Before Wonderplant, there was Chipita. It was there that the group of partners — Spyros Theodoropoulos, Michalis Arampatzis, Stavros Nendis, Achilleas Folias, and Nikos Pappas, later joined by banker Nikos Karamouzis — first came together.

“With Spyros, we’re celebrating 40 years of working together,” says Makris, who was Chipita’s deputy managing director for many years. “We met in the early ’80s, when I was distributing Chipita products in Northern Greece. When he bought the company, I was already there. From then on, we became best friends and business partners.”

The idea for hydroponics first appeared in the early 2000s, when Chipita experimented with growing potatoes for snacks. “The technology wasn’t there yet,” Makris recalls. “But the idea stuck with me. When we sold the company, I decided to dedicate myself to it. The rest of the group supported the vision as co-investors.”

The decision to build in Northern Greece came down to climate, land, and infrastructure. “Heat is the real problem for crops, not cold,” Makris explains. “Drama had the best microclimate, plus access to gas, water, and roads. We looked everywhere in Northern Greece — Petrousa was the best choice.”

A Growing Footprint

From its first 110-acre facility to today’s 400-acre complex, Wonderplant has become a fully vertically integrated agribusiness. It employs more than 420 workers and, according to ESG standards, indirectly supports nearly 22% of Prosotsani’s population.

A 2023 Grant Thornton study highlights its impact:

• €84.3 million total contribution to the economy

• €6.2 million in tax payments

• €5.8 million in employee salaries

• €38.1 million in purchases from Greek suppliers

• For every €1 Wonderplant generates, €7 are created in the Greek economy

The environmental impact is also notable:

• 40% less water use (saving nearly 2 million cubic meters since 2015)

• 18.8% fewer CO₂ emissions (10,640 tons)

• 94% less land use compared to traditional farming

Looking Ahead

With the latest facility now operational, Wonderplant produces 22,000 tons annually, with plans to double that to 44,000 tons by 2027. A new plant in Ptolemaida — pending EU approval — is expected to drive this growth and bring real jobs to the region.

The company is also building a 20-acre greenhouse dedicated to potatoes, fulfilling a long-standing dream from the Chipita days. A new 3,000 sq.m. R&D center supports collaborations with universities on varieties and new technologies.

And then there are the bees. “Pollination here is done naturally,” says Makris. “It’s not only the ecological way — it’s the only way to get the best results.”

As Makris puts it: “We didn’t just copy the Dutch model. We learned from it, but we’ve evolved. We brought an industrial mindset to agriculture. This sector can absorb huge investments — as long as there are ideas and people ready to make them real.”