staramaki SCE - Drinking straws from natural wheat stems

staramaki

staramaki

https://youtu.be/Qk6_kTzGAtA

Staramaki is a Social Cooperative based in a rural region in Greece that utilizes the most widely produced local product, wheat, to create a viable eco-friendly alternative to single use plastic straws and at the same time create employment opportunities and promote social cohesion, as well as local and regional development. Staramaki is made from the stalk left over after wheat grains are harvested. Last year’s announcement by the European Commission that several single-use plastic products will be banned has highlighted the need for alternative, more sustainable options. The issue of rural depopulation is a serious one in all of the countries of Western Europe the issue is mainly economic opportunity. The trends in Greece and the rest of Europe reflect a decades-long worldwide population movement from rural to urban areas. The problem of an ageing population is especially affecting the Greek countryside. The recent economic depression, the global pandemic and social crisis has made the need for innovation to address social challenges even more apparent and acute. It has raised debate and concern for a different approach towards achieving well- being. Staramaki, through social innovation is bringing growth and social value at the same time. Demonstrating that there is room for innovative thought in Greece, and that circular economy can become a fertile field for such innovative actions.
The recent economic depression, the climate change, global pandemic and social crisis has made the need for innovation to address social and environmental challenges even more apparent and acute. Extreme poverty in Greece nowadays affects 15% of the total population, the current unemployment level has reached 40% whereas the issue of rural depopulation is very serious.
Staramaki Social Cooperative Enterprise (Staramaki SCE) is a civil-law cooperative with a social purpose and limited liability for its members, possessing entrepreneurial capacity by law. Staramaki SCE is equally managed by its members and its purpose is to ensure collective benefits, whereas its profits come only from activities of social interest. Our aim is to serve local and collective interests and to promote employment, social cohesion and local or regional development. We are active in sectors such as the environment, ecology, culture, promotion of local products, maintenance of traditional activities and crafts.

Staramaki is a Social Cooperative based in a rural region in Greece that utilizes the most widely produced local product, wheat, to create a viable eco-friendly alternative to single use plastic straws and at the same time create employment opportunities and promote social cohesion, as well as local and regional development. Staramaki is made from the stalk left over after wheat grains are harvested. Last year’s announcement by the European Commission that several single-use plastic products will be banned has highlighted the need for alternative, more sustainable options. The issue of rural depopulation is a serious one in all of the countries of Western Europe the issue is mainly economic opportunity. The trends in Greece and the rest of Europe reflect a decades-long worldwide population movement from rural to urban areas. The problem of an ageing population is especially affecting the Greek countryside. The recent economic depression, the global pandemic and social crisis has made the need for innovation to address social challenges even more apparent and acute. It has raised debate and concern for a different approach towards achieving well- being. Staramaki, through social innovation is bringing growth and social value at the same time. Demonstrating that there is room for innovative thought in Greece, and that circular economy can become a fertile field for such innovative actions.
The recent economic depression, the climate change, global pandemic and social crisis has made the need for innovation to address social and environmental challenges even more apparent and acute. Extreme poverty in Greece nowadays affects 15% of the total population, the current unemployment level has reached 40% whereas the issue of rural depopulation is very serious.
Staramaki Social Cooperative Enterprise (Staramaki SCE) is a civil-law cooperative with a social purpose and limited liability for its members, possessing entrepreneurial capacity by law. Staramaki SCE is equally managed by its members and its purpose is to ensure collective benefits, whereas its profits come only from activities of social interest. Our aim is to serve local and collective interests and to promote employment, social cohesion and local or regional development. We are active in sectors such as the environment, ecology, culture, promotion of local products, maintenance of traditional activities and crafts.

In the past, as members of Omnes association based in Kilkis, we designed projects funded by UNHCR, that managed to provide safe and dignified housing to vulnerable groups of people and we brought together local residents and newcomers through the creation of an Inclusion Centre. Now we want to support income and skills generating activities to promote social and economic development starting from local resources. We have set up our first social cooperative enterprise with the participation of locals and recognised refugees. Staramaki SCE is composed to date of 10 members whereof 4 work full-time and 6 work part-time consisting a team of Engineers and Technicians, Economics Accounting and Law professionals together with company-specific trained workers in the production departments.

Staramaki has represented central Macedonia in European research and innovation programs nominated as Best Practice of social and circular bio-economy, it was called to participate in educational events including a TEdx talk and it is featured by UNHCR. It was recently awarded the Hellenic Initiative Venture Impact Award prize.
Successfully reaching an audience of 2,6M people through social media, staramaki hit the Greek market in 2019 and has so far sold 300 000 units, through both retail and wholesale channels, having already collaborated with global well-known brands such as Nestlé and L’Oréal.

The success of cooperative enterprises presupposes the existence of support tools and structures, non-existing in Greece, as the state of the social economy is at infantile level. The recent changes due to COVID-19 put on ice most economic activities. As the virus stands firm, the uncertainty about the future of the hospitality industry, the main revenue channel of drinking straws, increases, casting doubt upon the market’s capability to absorb production.
We believe and we actively try to raise awareness towards socio-environmental impact, the benefits of circular bio-economy and the importance of labour inclusion, and demonstrate that there is room for innovative thought in rural Europe.

Integrating SDGs ensures that development shall balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Fostering inclusive labour markets contributes also to the achievement of other SDGs. Answering the need for inclusive and sustainable social economy initiatives that can offer employment opportunities for locals and recognised refugees that want to settle in, staramaki, going beyond mere profitability, sets up the first social cooperative enterprise offering labour inclusion opportunities for vulnerable groups of people. Giving a sense of belonging, staramaki SCE, upholds values of self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.
We measure impact in three ways:
1.To date staramaki SCE employs 10 people - locals and recognised refugees. Once scaled up, it will have the potential to provide a safe, horizontally owned and managed working environment for more than 20 people within a 3-year period.
2.This year the aim is to produce 1.5M straws, used to run pilot programs with strategic partners so as to understand market dynamics and product marketability. The plan is a production capacity of 2.5M straws per year by the end of a 3-year period.
3. Number of social housing units created by the SCE
All Staramaki profits will go towards funding a local social housing model to support recognised refugees no longer eligible for state support programmes as well as members of the local community at risk of homelessness and social exclusion.

The circular economy business model of Staramaki goes even further as staramaki straws are not only sold, but also traded with coffee residue collected from local cafes, in collaboration with Incommon AMKE, to create briquettes for heating. Moreover, a new straw returning to field method is tested, that is, the indirect returning of straw after subjecting it to long-term composting period, where straw is mixed with spent coffee grounds, before being put into the field.

Extreme weather events resulting from climate change can impede agricultural operations and disrupt and delay the transportation of raw materials. To overcome these pressures the supply chain will be resilient, but also increasingly diverse, ensuring that we will have multiple options and can determine the right balance between local and peripheral fields mitigating the impact that social, political and geographic incidents could have on raw material price and availability, empowering more rural regions that suffer from low value wheat monoculture.
Staramaki envisions the establishment of smaller production units wherever wheat grows and aspires to set an example for other regions to develop similar bio-economy solutions based on local characteristics in order to cover local needs in economy and society.

In the past, as members of Omnes association based in Kilkis, we designed projects funded by UNHCR, that managed to provide safe and dignified housing to vulnerable groups of people and we brought together local residents and newcomers through the creation of an Inclusion Centre. Now we want to support income and skills generating activities to promote social and economic development starting from local resources. We have set up our first social cooperative enterprise with the participation of locals and recognised refugees. Staramaki SCE is composed to date of 10 members whereof 4 work full-time and 6 work part-time consisting a team of Engineers and Technicians, Economics Accounting and Law professionals together with company-specific trained workers in the production departments.

Staramaki has represented central Macedonia in European research and innovation programs nominated as Best Practice of social and circular bio-economy, it was called to participate in educational events including a TEdx talk and it is featured by UNHCR. It was recently awarded the Hellenic Initiative Venture Impact Award prize.
Successfully reaching an audience of 2,6M people through social media, staramaki hit the Greek market in 2019 and has so far sold 300 000 units, through both retail and wholesale channels, having already collaborated with global well-known brands such as Nestlé and L’Oréal.

The success of cooperative enterprises presupposes the existence of support tools and structures, non-existing in Greece, as the state of the social economy is at infantile level. The recent changes due to COVID-19 put on ice most economic activities. As the virus stands firm, the uncertainty about the future of the hospitality industry, the main revenue channel of drinking straws, increases, casting doubt upon the market’s capability to absorb production.
We believe and we actively try to raise awareness towards socio-environmental impact, the benefits of circular bio-economy and the importance of labour inclusion, and demonstrate that there is room for innovative thought in rural Europe.

Integrating SDGs ensures that development shall balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Fostering inclusive labour markets contributes also to the achievement of other SDGs. Answering the need for inclusive and sustainable social economy initiatives that can offer employment opportunities for locals and recognised refugees that want to settle in, staramaki, going beyond mere profitability, sets up the first social cooperative enterprise offering labour inclusion opportunities for vulnerable groups of people. Giving a sense of belonging, staramaki SCE, upholds values of self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.
We measure impact in three ways:
1.To date staramaki SCE employs 10 people - locals and recognised refugees. Once scaled up, it will have the potential to provide a safe, horizontally owned and managed working environment for more than 20 people within a 3-year period.
2.This year the aim is to produce 1.5M straws, used to run pilot programs with strategic partners so as to understand market dynamics and product marketability. The plan is a production capacity of 2.5M straws per year by the end of a 3-year period.
3. Number of social housing units created by the SCE
All Staramaki profits will go towards funding a local social housing model to support recognised refugees no longer eligible for state support programmes as well as members of the local community at risk of homelessness and social exclusion.

The circular economy business model of Staramaki goes even further as staramaki straws are not only sold, but also traded with coffee residue collected from local cafes, in collaboration with Incommon AMKE, to create briquettes for heating. Moreover, a new straw returning to field method is tested, that is, the indirect returning of straw after subjecting it to long-term composting period, where straw is mixed with spent coffee grounds, before being put into the field.

Extreme weather events resulting from climate change can impede agricultural operations and disrupt and delay the transportation of raw materials. To overcome these pressures the supply chain will be resilient, but also increasingly diverse, ensuring that we will have multiple options and can determine the right balance between local and peripheral fields mitigating the impact that social, political and geographic incidents could have on raw material price and availability, empowering more rural regions that suffer from low value wheat monoculture.
Staramaki envisions the establishment of smaller production units wherever wheat grows and aspires to set an example for other regions to develop similar bio-economy solutions based on local characteristics in order to cover local needs in economy and society.

www.staramaki.gr