History
The history of the collective organisation of livestock farmers in the area goes back to 1959 when they decided to join forces and produce cheese products themselves, using their own milk. This is how the Dairy Cooperative of Mandamados came to be, starting out as a small cheese dairy in the village, only to expand later to the existing building opposite the Monastery of Pammegiston Taxiarchon (Archangels).
The next step was taken in 2018 with the establishment and recognition of the Organisation of Producers in the area of sheep and goat milk, by 28 professional livestock farmers. Every year, the organisation of producers collects more than 550 tons of sheep and goat milk from the local sheep breed of Mytilene, which feeds mainly on rich Lesvos flora.
The organisation of producers continues to invest in the modernisation of its activities and in the promotion of innovation based on the principle of producing the famous cheese products of Lesvos at the privately-owned cheese dairy.
Board of Directors
The Cooperative is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors elected every three years by its supreme body, namely the General Meeting of its members, which consists of 245 members.
Since 2018, the composition of the BoD has been the following:
- Panagiotis Stamatis– Chairman
- Ioannis Giannikas – Vice Chairman
- Stylianos Tsiknas – Secretary
- Fotios Apsokardos – Member
- Stylianos Mantzouranis – Member
- Stylianos Vasilellis – Member
- Sarantos Mystakelis – Member