Modousa Cooperative
„The aim of the 77 members of Modousa is to pursue the common good, mainly through the promotion of products from Lesbos in accordance with the principles of Social and Solidarity Economy. Modousa also promotes trainings for producers on the culture of solidarity through environmentally friendly practices as a main feature of added value in products towards a sustainable development.“
The Modousa cooperative was founded in 2014 in the south of the island of Lesbos by nine olive growers, and today has 77 members. They try to market their products directly and avoid middlemen. Thus they are part of a local, independent economic system. The olive harvest is done exclusively by hand. The organic oil (extra virgin) they offer from Kolovi and Adramitiani olives has a special aroma and is particularly easy to digest.
With the renovation of an abandoned factory from the 19th century, the cooperative has had its own olive oil mill and bottling plant since 2017, as well as rooms that are regularly used for social events and community activities by the local population. One goal is to promote and preserve the island's local cultural and industrial heritage. For example, a larger concert took place there, from the proceeds of which a fund is financed to support young people from the area who cannot (no longer) afford visits to the doctor and medication out of their own pocket due to a lack of health insurance. Another important aspect of the work of the cooperative is further training in the form of lectures and seminars on the one hand on questions that are directly related to olive cultivation and on the other hand with topics under the heading of “promoting local economic development” and “solidarity Economy ”. Furthermore, the members of the cooperative contribute to increasing ecological awareness on the island with events and information campaigns.
In 2017 Modousa opened a neighborhood store where all local cooperatives can offer and sell their products. As a member of a newly established network of neighborhood shops to promote the local economy, Modousa also sells products from other cooperatives in the northern and eastern Aegean.
In the near future an olive grove is to be created for public research purposes. Modousa has planned a 100 hectare property of an abandoned winery and wants to carry out scientific research and experiments there to improve local olive varieties in cooperation with relevant university facilities.