Based in Kilkis, the North Aegean Sea Canneries S.A. is a native Greek company and one of the edge fish processing industries in the European Union, producing and distributing the popular canned fish and seafood brands of Trata and Flokos in the Greek and foreign markets.

Gikas family, founders and owners of NASC, have been venturing in the commercial and industrial markets of North Greece since the beginning of 20^th century.

The family members’ history dates back to 1870, when Thrasyvoulos and George Gikas opened two grocery shops in the town of Veria.

In 1910, their nephews Thomas and Merkourios created the flourishing food business Tzikas Bros Apikiaka in Thessaloniki, distributing smoked herring, salt cod, salted preserves, fish roe and a variety of canned seafood.

Later in 1945, Thomas’s children Michael and Antonios together with Merkourios’s children Antonis and Takis took over the business and relocated it to Athens to start producing canned meat.

In 1970, Gikas family strategically expanded the business to countries, like Poland for smoked herring and cooked meals, Bulgaria for canned meat and Russia for canned seafood, with factories under the direction of Greek technicians, sharing abroad the Greek know-how in food canning. In 1972 and 1978 Antonios’s children Thomas and Catherine and Michael’s children Zoe, Nikos and Thomas founded the importing companies Gentro Hellas S.A. and Trofim Ltd. in Athens and Thessaloniki respectively. Their commercial activity and the owners’ expertise and passion for their work, established the brands Trata, Flokos and Dakor in the Greek market.

NASC’s factory equipment is the latest in fish canning in Greece with:

• the first automatic production line of sardines,
• automatic ovens,
• the first automatic tuna filler.

NASC is also one of the first food industries in Greece that installed and implemented quality systems, food safety management system and environmental management system.

Currently, NASC conforms to the international quality standards ISO 9001:2007 and ΙSO 22000:2005.

Moreover, the company is IFS Ιnt’l Food Standard certified, a prerequisite for cooperating with supermarket chains in France and Germany and recently registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

NASC is located at the industrial area of Kilkis, covering 31.773 square meters, with 10.500 square meters industrial facilities of:

• production lines with daily production capacity of 40 tons of seafood or 200.000 cans,
• packaged food storage facilities,
• freezing chambers for raw materials.

In 2009, a 1.500 square meters expansion investment in industrial facilities was completed and covered the company’s needs for the installation of an edge technology robot of sorting, deboning and canning sardines. The system is based on an innovative method of combining food processing and canning supported by a robot management system for fish and shrimp. All steps of the procedure (cleaning, deboning and size sorting) are forwarded during the sorting and placement stage, mechanically transporting each item via a feed belt and into the packing. The main focus of the expansion was the well-timed and accurate assimilation of fish quantities available by the fishermen, the optimal scheduling of production and the minimisation of first material losses.

By employing edge technology equipment and personnel of expertise, NASC ensures premium product quality and competence to respond to EU’s strict quality standards.

NASC’s personnel amounts to 170 people and one of the company’s values is to support the development of the local community by employing the local population and cooperating with other local productive industries. Based on this value, 70% of the manufacturing site employees are residents of the Kilkis district and 30% come from Thessaloniki and other neighbouring areas.

The Supplies Department works with fish traders and fishermen of North Greece, supporting the social and financial consistency of the Greek province. Moreover, NASC motivates the suppliers to venture based on sustainable development, by working closely with them and monitoring their practices.

VISION/GOALS

NASC’s goals follow the steps of its founders, that is to adjust to current consuming standards, preserving the products’ Greek savoury character and premium quality.

NASC’s vision is to form the ideal environment for establishing the company’s industrial unit as a hub of fish processing and distribution in the Balkans, based on know-how upgrade, innovation and respect to people and the environment.

IMPORTANT DATES

1972 Gentro Hellas S.A. founding in Athens, trading and establishing canned fish and meat brands of Flokos and Dakor in the market.

1978 Trofim Ltd. founding in Thessaloniki, trading and establishing canned fish (sardines, tuna etc.) brand of Trata in the Greek market.

1988 North Aegean Sea Canneries S.A. founding and merger with Gentro Hellas S.A. and Trofim Ltd. During the same year, the industrial fish processing and canning unit was constructed.

1990 Inauguration of the modern industrial fish processing and canning unit, based in the town of Kilkis and production of fish brands Trata and Flokos.

2009 Completion of a 1.500 square meters expansion investment in industrial facilities to host the installation of a manufacturing robot.

AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS

• In 2008 and 2009, NASC worked together with UNICEF to support children that suffer from malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency.
• In 2010, 2011 and 2012 NASC supported Greek Red Cross’s feeding program, supplying the organization with tens of thousands of food products.
• NASC has been supporting the institution of Social Groceries since its establishment in 2007.
• NASC supports the food catering of needy social groups, like earthquake and fire victims.
• Development of environmental policy, focusing in implementing optimal practices for reducing the company’s ecological footprint (ISO 14001 production procedure certification and application).
• Cooperation with non-governmental Helmepa, supporting actions for environmental information and clean seas.