From Olive Grove to Your Kitchen
Ever wondered how olive oil is made? At its core, olive oil is simply the pressed juice of olives. With a history spanning over 6,000 years, its production process is as fascinating as it, we proudly partner with local farmers who produce their extra virgin olive oils with care and expertise. Let us take you through the journey of how our olive oil is created—from the grove to your table.
The Growth of the Olive
The story of great olive oil begins with the olive tree. Each spring, from April through June, the trees bloom with delicate white blossoms. By June, these blossoms transform into young olives, which gradually grow plumper.
As the olives ripen, their color changes—from bright green to softer green—marking the start of their maturation. During this ripening process, acids and natural juices are converted into oil. The olives eventually change completely in color, signaling they are nearly ready for harvest.
Harvesting the Olives
It’s time to pick the olives! Did you know that olives are harvested just once a year? This makes high-quality olive oil a rare and precious product. For farmers, harvest season is an exciting time, as they reap the rewards of their year-round dedication to nurturing the trees.
For our oils, only the finest olives are handpicked while they’re still slightly unripe. At this stage, they’re packed with antioxidants and vitamins—delicious and incredibly healthy!
Although early harvesting yields less oil, it results in the highest-quality olive oil imaginable.
Pressing the Olives
Oil & Vinegar partners with farmers who oversee every stage of production—from grove to pressing to packaging.
To preserve the exceptional quality of the oil, the time between harvesting and pressing is kept as short as possible—often within 12 hours! This swift process is possible because many of our farmers operate their own presses directly on-site.
Olive Oil in Stores
After pressing, the olive oil is immediately packaged in light- and oxygen-resistant bottles or pouches to protect its fresh, rich flavors.
Soon after, it arrives in our stores, ready to be discovered by someone looking for a fresh, premium-quality bottle of olive oil.
Explore Our Single Estate Olive Oil Collection Here »
Did You Know?
- Store your olive oil in a dark, cool place to maintain its flavor. That’s why our extra virgin olive oil comes in green, dark glass bottles.
- There are over 1,550 varieties of olives, each with its own unique flavor profile.
- The taste of olive oil depends on the type of olive and the soil where it’s grown.
- It takes 5 to 15 kilos (11 to 33 pounds) of olives to produce just 1 liter (34 oz) of olive oil.
- Olive oil has been produced for over 6,000 years!
