A new take on Latvian buckwheat: the Griksi startup success story

Latvian company Griksi started out from the simple idea of creating a healthy product for the family. Today, they offer natural and healthy buckwheat products not only on the local market, but also internationally. Founded in 2020, Griksi mainly uses organically and locally grown buckwheat to produce bars, crackers, and other snacks, which not only taste great, but are also natural and healthy.

Buckwheat, which, as it turns out is a seed rather than a grain, is often called a superfood due to its high nutritional value; it is gluten-free and abundant in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, Griksi manufactures their products using green buckwheat which has not been heat-treated and is therefore healthier. Some of the company’s products are made from sprouted green buckwheat which is even more nutritious. 

Initially, during the first year of operation, the company focused on planning and purchasing the necessary equipment. Product testing was done in 2021 and finally, in January 2022, the company commenced full-scale production. Today, the Griksi factory in the Rēzekne District can produce up to 3000 buckwheat bars per day. 

Immediately after the company was founded, it entered the incubator established by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), where it gained the mentoring, funding and knowledge it required. However, Griksi especially highlights the preincubation programme (PINK) which helped Jūlija Danilina, CEO of the company, to get a grasp on the fundamentals of business and define the unique features of their product, as well as acquire skills in sales, marketing and export planning. In the first years of operation, co-funding for purchasing manufacturing equipment, ingredients and developing packaging, as well as taking part in international trade fairs was also of great importance. 

“International expos allowed us to establish our most important contacts that opened the door to exporting our products. Communicating by phone or e-mail doesn’t work; trade fairs are the places to show yourself and network. But just participating will not get things done – you must put in the work afterwards as well. The contacts you make at expos can be used and benefited from for years to come, and that is precisely what our company is doing,” Jūlija Danilina explains. 

The company produces products under its own brand, as well as the private labels of other European companies. Products produced by the company are marketed in Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Germany, Estonia, Sweden and Scandinavia. 

Since 2024, the Business Incubation Aid Program has been implemented by LIAA representative offices in Latvia and any company up to the age of 5 operating in the supported sectors can apply for the programme.

This article has been produced with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund, Small and Medium Enterprises Programme, Incubator Subproject.