Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited several prominent companies across Northern Greece as part of a pre-DETH (Thessaloniki International Fair) tour, highlighting investments, industrial revitalization, and regional development—particularly in Western Macedonia’s post-lignite transition.
Wonderplant: A Landmark Investment in Hydroponic Tomato Farming
The centerpiece of the visit was Wonderplant, a privately held agri-tech company based in Mavropigi, Ptolemaida. The firm recently inaugurated a major investment in hydroponic tomato cultivation—a project supported by national incentives and aligned with Greece’s strategic shift toward renewable energy and sustainable agriculture. Wonderplant is co-owned by entrepreneurs Spyros Theodoropoulos, Michalis Arambatzis, Themis Makris, and Stavros Nendos.
Speaking from the site, Prime Minister Mitsotakis emphasized that Western Macedonia’s future lies not in returning to lignite but in embracing clean energy and industrial diversification. “Anyone telling you Western Macedonia can go back to lignite is lying,” he stated. “We have turned decisively toward renewables and natural gas—and we will mobilize every available resource to support this difficult yet necessary transition.”
He noted that the Wonderplant project exemplifies this new direction, aiming to create more jobs than those previously tied to lignite mining. He also praised the government’s newly adopted Special Spatial Plan for Industry—developed after extensive consultation with the Greek business community—as a cornerstone of its pro-industry, pro-manufacturing, and export-oriented policy.
Other Key Business Visits
In addition to Wonderplant, Mitsotakis toured three other significant enterprises:
TOTTIS Group
The TOTTIS Group—comprising TOTTIS PACK and TOTTIS FOODS INTERNATIONAL—received over €1.8 million in state support under the Development Law. This includes €469,686.60 for packaging infrastructure and €1.34 million for expanding croissant production capacity, with tax relief applied. Headquartered in Florina, the group operates in 40 countries, posts annual revenues exceeding €160 million (including €30 million in exports), and currently employs around 1,000 people—600 of them in Florina. It plans to hire 20% more staff and invest €45 million between 2026 and 2028, with €27 million earmarked for its Florina facilities. The company is also modernizing equipment to strengthen its export footprint in the Balkans.
Xino Nero (Sour Water) Municipal Enterprise
Mitsotakis visited the municipal enterprise Xino Nero in Amyntaio, which has received more than €5.6 million in Development Law funding. Established in 1958 and wholly owned by the Municipality of Amyntaio, the company bottles natural mineral water from the ‘Poïro’ spring—a source officially recognized as therapeutic. A master plan is underway to develop a dedicated balneotherapy facility at the site.
GREKA
The family-run GREKA business—also part of the PM’s itinerary—represents another example of long-standing local enterprise with growing national and international reach.