Dear friends,

In a world that often feels fast-paced and impersonal, it is a rare and precious gift to have people like you by our side. Today, I address you not just as the founder, managing director, or partner of MANI-Bläuel, but as someone who feels fortunate to be able to rely on such a wonderful network like our crowdfunding community.

With a sense of gratitude and joy, I look back on what we have achieved: Over 3 million euros have been granted by more than 750 lenders – a remarkable sign of trust and community that goes far beyond just numbers. Together, you have entrusted us with almost a thousand loans, like seeds sown in fertile soil, and they are already growing strong.

Let me take you on a little journey through our shared successes of the past year:

During this time, with your help, we have more than doubled our production space to over 5000 m². This is a vibrant example of how we grow while staying true to our values. This expansion has not only allowed us to refine our production lines but also to open our doors even wider. Who would have thought that our factory tours would become so popular and that we could share our passion for sustainable production with so many visitors?

Do you remember the introduction of our new software? A giant leap for our company! By capturing our processes, we can now act faster and more efficiently, minimize sources of error, and improve our customer service.

And then our products: Not only have we refined our recipes, but we’ve also redesigned the packaging – a symbol of our constant evolution.

Or the machines we purchased to make our bottling even more precise and faster. They’re not all operational yet, but we’re working on it.

A highlight that is particularly close to my heart is our olive project. Our olives in returnable jars are not only a culinary delight but also an ambassador of our philosophy of circular economy and direct customer dialogue.

But that’s not all: With the water project, we have shown that sustainable business is no empty promise. We have succeeded in tapping a water source that not only makes our production more sustainable but also supports the local ecosystem and community by providing all the water we don’t need ourselves to the village of Pyrgos, a village that struggled with water shortages for years.

And to bring us to the present: Of course, you’ve all heard or read about the difficulties our favorite products, olive oil and olives, have faced over the past year. It is all the more gratifying that I can tell you that our order situation is excellent and we are looking to the future with confidence.

I don’t want to close without thanking you from the bottom of my heart. Your trust is both a commitment and a motivation for us. We don’t take it for granted, but see it as something very special that we must earn anew every day.

With gratitude and heartfelt connection,
Fritz Bläuel