In the early 90s, a group of entrepreneurs, in collaboration with local cheesemakers from Arta, founded EPIRUS. Their vision was to combine the art of local cheesemaking and traditional recipes with technology, in order to produce feta and other traditional cheese products, ensuring the stability of their taste and superior quality.
In 1997, all 100% of the shares of EPIRUS were acquired by OPTIMA S.A., a Greek family business with a long history in the field of cheese products.
Since then, EPIRUS has been operating and evolving based on a dynamic investment plan, which includes investment in equipment expansion, innovative processes and strengthening of human resources.
Some milestones in the history of EPIRUS:
1994: Founding of EPIRUS in Ammotopos in Arta. Initially, the cheeses produced are: Feta, Kefalograviera and Mizithra.
1995: The exclusive distribution of EPIROS products is assigned to OPTIMA S.A. of the P. Panteliadis group. At the same time, we have the beginning of EPIROS products exports abroad.
1997: EPIRUS is fully transferred to OPTIMA S.A.
EPIROS becomes the first company in the sector to be certified according to ISO 9001: 2000. In the years that followed, the company also received other important certifications such as: ISO 22000, IFS, BRC, FMSA, ISO 14001.
1999: Epiros Gidotyri, a 100% goat milk brine cheese, is launched.
2007: Milk collection is done exclusively with 100% privately owned tank trucks, in pre-cooled milk tanks, that EPIROS has distributed to all cooperating farmers.
The 1st photovoltaic plant in Western Greece, that use photovoltaic for energy used in production and sale of it.
2008: Beginning of production and distribution of Epiros Light Cheese, a goat and sheep soft brine cheese, with only 12% fat.
2007-2009: The production & packaging department is re-organized (an investment of 17M €).
2014: Epiros Malaki is launched, made from 100% goat and sheep milk and a softer texture than feta cheese.
2015: The innovative Epiros Feta PDO Reduced Salt cheese is launched, (40% less salt versus Epiros Original Feta PDO cheese).
2017: Epiros Zemytha, an innovative product with 27% whey protein and at the same time only 1% fat, is launched
Launch of Epiros Organic Feta PDO cheese.
2018: The EPIROS family of goat cheeses grows, with the launch of Epiros Semihard Goat cheese for toast.
2019: The operation of the model farm “EPIROS Farm” begins, with the aim of developing and transferring expertise and know-how to Greek livestock farmers.
EPIROS acquires the production equipment of VIGLA (traditional production of semi-hard cheeses in Elassona).
Epiros Spread with feta is launched. It is a spreadable cheese with pieces of Epiros Original Feta PDO cheese.
2020: Epiros Triangles, the first soft cheese in portions containing Greek Graviera and Kaseri cheese, are launched.
EPIRUS enters a new category, launching the first cereal bars with Zemytha cheese, Epiros Zemytha Protein Bars, in 2 flavours.
2021: EPIRUS enters yet another new category, that of frozen traditional pies, launching the EPIROPITA series. The series includes country style cheese pie with Epiros Original Feta PDO cheese, country style cheese pie with spinach and Epiros Original Feta PDO cheese, country style cheese pie with Kaseri PDO cheese, as well as EPIROPITAKIA – triangular cheese pies with Epiros Original Feta PDO cheese.
2021: DOMOKOS S.A. (traditional production of spread cheeses) merges with EPIROS.
2022: The Epiros Triangles range expands, with the launch of Epiros Triangles Light.
The EPIROS Zemytha Protein Bars range is expanded with the launch of the new bars with NO ADDED SUGAR.
In the same year, EPIROS Fit & Slim is launched, another innovative brine cheese product, rich in protein (21%) and at the same time low in fat (6%).
Finally, in 2022 EPIRUS enters yet another new category, launching Epiros Traditional Yoghurts, in two versions: Sheep and Goat.
