Interview with Evanthia Zorba

By Kyriacos Nicolaou

This** year marks 50 years since the birth of Zorbas Bakery in Athienou. Looking back, what were the defining moments that shaped the company’s journey from a small family bakery to a leading group in Cyprus and abroad?**

Our story starts in 1975, when our father, Andreas Zorbas, set up the first bakery in the courtyard of our house in Athienou. I also consider 1988 to be an equally important milestone when we opened our first store in Nicosia on Iphigenias Street. This marked the expansion of the group’s business activities.

That was also my first involvement in the business when, as a primary school pupil, I would often come with my mother from Athienou to bring bread.

After the 1990s, the group embarked on new business ventures, opening its first food department in Ayios Antonios in 1999 and a new, state-of-the-art unit in Aradippou in 2002. The acquisition of Pralina patisseries in 2005 marked a new chapter in our history, while the opening of the Pralina Experience café-restaurant in Nicosia in 2017, heralded the beginning of a new journey into the culinary world.

Committed to delivering exceptional customer service, in 2016 we enhanced our offering by partnering with Coffee Berry to provide our customers with premium, freshly brewed coffee. Our culinary journey continued in 2022 with our first Italian restaurant, Pinolo, on Makarios Avenue in Nicosia.

Our latest venture is COOKNOOK, with stores in Nicosia and Protaras, which opened in the first half of 2025.

Last but not least the expansion of Zorbas Group abroad is one of our most important milestones. In 2015, we opened our first store “The French Workshop” in New York. This was a very ambitious and bold venture in an unknown market, but it was embraced by the public. Today, there are five “French Workshop” stores operating in the US, and we have signed an agreement for the first franchises.

Tradition is at the heart of Zorbas’ philosophy, yet the company is also known for its innovation. How do you balance these two elements when developing new products and concepts?

At Zorbas Group, tradition and innovation have coexisted in harmony for decades. In other words, although we continuously invest strategically in technological development and innovation, we also strive to preserve Cypriot tradition in all stages of the group’s operations. We maintain the authentic recipe for a range of products, such as some all-time-favourites as the tahinopita, eliopita, halloumoti and of course, the known and loved bread of Athienou, with which we embarked on this journey.

Zorbas bakeries are present in every corner of Cyprus and have expanded internationally. What has been the strategy behind this growth, and what challenges did you face along the way?

The group’s growth strategy focuses on continuously monitoring emerging trends and seizing opportunities that enable us to better serve consumers. Our investment in the New York market reflects our outward-looking approach and readiness to take on new and significant challenges, which vary for each individual brand. Nevertheless, before embarking on a new venture, we conduct a thorough evaluation to ensure that every step we take is sustainable.

Today, the Group includes Pralina Confectioneries, Coffee Berry cafes, Pinolo and The French Workshop in New York. How do these different brands complement one another under the Zorbas umbrella?

All the brands under the group’s umbrella complement each other. This is something we always strive for. We recognise that every consumer is unique as are their daily needs and tastes, and we try to meet them with the high-quality and excellent service that has defined the group for five decades.

Quality, trust and creativity are values you focus on. How do you ensure these remain central as the company continues to expand and diversify?

Quality, trust and creativity are part of our DNA and are primarily ensured through our corporate culture and human resources. They are the best ambassadors of the values of Zorbas Group.

With over 100 points of sale and three production units, how does Zorbas maintain consistency and freshness across its product range?

We adhere to strict safety standards across our operations and continuously conduct rigorous quality controls at every stage, from the selection of raw materials to the distribution of our finished products.

We always pick high quality raw materials from suppliers in Cyprus and abroad, use state-of-the-art equipment such as specially cooled fermenters that ensure a stable temperature throughout the fermentation process, and utilise safe drinking water that is filtered and sterilised to remove all impurities.

One of our key ingredients – flour – mainly comes from local certified mills that produce flour exclusively for us, meeting our own high standards. For example, the single-variety bread, which was added to our product range last October, is unique in the Cypriot market. Its variety is selected based on climatic conditions. All the products we use, such as butter, chocolate etc., are of high quality and are chosen according to each recipe.

Philanthropy is also part of your mission through the MAZI Foundation. How important is social responsibility to the group, and what impact has the foundation made so far?

We implement a comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility programme aimed at giving back to the Cypriot society that places its trust in us every day, while also safeguarding the environment. The pinnacle of our activities is the MAZI Foundation, an important initiative whose objective is to raise awareness, train and educate the public on issues related to eating disorders and obesity, as well as to conduct research with a view to promote public health.

Within this framework, we carry out events and presentations with specialist doctors and mental health professionals, who inform the public about anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and obesity. The MAZI Foundation plays a key role in this effort, and we are delighted that our initiative has been embraced by professionals who contribute to our work, as well as by ordinary people who seek solutions to many of these challenges, either for themselves or for their families.

The food industry is evolving with changing consumer preferences, including healthier choices and sustainability concerns. How is Zorbas responding to these trends?

We constantly monitor new trends and developments in the food industry, while sustainability issues are one of our top priorities. Consumer preferences are changing, and we are seeing a shift, especially among the younger generation, towards healthier eating habits.

Zorbas bakeries offer a range of products with high nutritional value, such as carob syrup or chia seeds, as well as gluten-free and wholegrain options with a low glycaemic index, which meet the needs of modern consumers.

The company is now a household name in Cyprus. How do you see the next 50 years for Zorbas, both locally and internationally?

Our goal is to continue this wonderful journey, with respect to our history, while keeping an open mind, so that we remain the top choice for Cypriot consumers, while strengthening our international presence, which will contribute to the group’s further growth.

On a personal level, what does it mean to you and your family to see Zorbas reach this milestone and become such a trusted part of everyday life in Cyprus?

Our 50-year anniversary is a very important milestone that fills the entire Zorbas Group family with pride and joy, yet humility at the same time. We are now counting 3,500 colleagues. This is a big celebration for us, as our lives are intertwined with the group, our people and consumers.

We feel grateful for the journey so far and eagerly anticipate the promising future ahead!

Kyriacos joined the Cyprus Mail in 2020. He moved to the paper’s business & finance section a year later, focusing on local firms, up-and-coming startups, broader economic matters, and technology.