The olive grove of Marina Colonna is a place with a rich history. The estate in the mountains of San Martino (southeast Italy between Puglia and Abruzzo) has about 20,000 trees and has been in the family for more than 200 years. Marina, daughter of the noble Colonna family, produces extra virgin olive oil from more than fifteen varieties of olives, such as the Leccino,Itrana, Peranzana, Gentile di Larino and more experimental varieties. And she does this with love for nature and product: more than half of the olive grove is now certified organic.

Marina also makes fantastic types of citrus oil: the organic peels of the citrus fruit are pressed during the pressing of the olives. The result is a delicious olive oil with a balanced hint of lemon, bergamot or mandarin. The Granverde lemon oil is a big favorite with the restaurants we supply.

A Dutch producer Marije Passos is behind the helm of the Passeite family. She moved with her Portuguese love to Coimbra in central Portugal. There she has her own olive grove with currently more than 1200 trees. It is still picked by hand by family and friends and you can taste that in its olive oil. She makes several ‘olive oil blends’ from different types of olives that grow on her land, including the Galega (typical Portuguese variety) and young Picual and Cobrançosa olives.

She also shares her knowledge about olive oil by giving workshops and tastings. She is committed to sustainable production and stands up for small producers. A highlight every year is when its olive oil and the olives and oil from other small producers in Portugal come to the Netherlands by sailboat.

The cooperative L’Oulibo is a cooperative of more than 800 farmers who have joined forces since 1942 to put the best quality Lucques and Picholine olives on the table. A cooperative works according to the fair trade principle: farmers share their land and knowledge in order to benefit from it together. The olives come exclusively from three French departments of Aude, Hérault and the Pyrenees and are therefore certified as a regional product (Appellation d’Origine Protegee). A crown on the hard work of the olive farmers of L’Oulibo.

The Lucques Vertes are green almond-shaped olives with a buttery, fresh taste and crunchy structure. These olives are picked by hand by the farmers at the beginning of October. The rest of the Lucques are picked only in December, when the fruit is ripe, and they brine in salt and Provençal herbs. These Lucques Noires are ready in March and have an intense and spicy flavor profile. Very special.

We are proud to be the Dutch importers of Lucques and Picholine olives. A favorite of many of our customers for years.

In the Chiaramonti (Ragusa) region of Sicily, the Pianogrillo estate has been managed for seven generations by the family of Baron Lorenzo Piccioni di Pianogrillo. The olive grove is 350 meters above sea level and there are olive trees over 800 years old. The estate has grown into a modern organic company: free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. There are pigs, chickens and geese on the farm. And so many olive trees, spread over the estate. Mainly the Tonda Iblea, a local olive variety. They surround themselves with other types of olive trees, which are necessary for pollination.

Pianogrillo olive oil is pressed from this Tonda Iblea. The olive is picked by hand by Lorenzo’s family in mid-October. Ladders go against the trees and so the family picks hundreds of kilos of olives. Ten kilos results in one liter of olive oil. We were guests of Lorenzo in October and were allowed to help with the harvest with our sons. A fantastic experience. The oldest lady who picks is 82 years old: the good life!

In addition to olive oil, Pianogrillo also produces fantastic organic wines from local grape varieties (Frappato, Grillo). We also have those in the store.

In Northern Catalonia just outside the town of Lleida, the third and fourth generations of the Veá family grow  Arbequina-olives. The olives are small, the trees robust: most are more than 200 years old. The climate is perfect for the Arbequina olive: hot in summer and cold in winter. Olive diseases therefore have little chance of survival.

Arbequina olives are ready for picking from the end of October. The day of harvest, they are immediately pressed into oil. The first harvest results in certified organic oil. The olives are still young and green. It gives the oil a fresh, fruity taste with a hint of almond, a soft bitter and sharp pepper in the ‘finish’. The oil’s name, ‘L’Estornell’, is Catalan for Starling,the bird loves the olives and “helps” the family every year during the harvest.

Our supplier of the beloved Taggiasca olives. The real one from Liguria in Italy. The olive grove of the Frantoio Bianco family has about 26 hectares and 6000 robust Taggiasca trees. Half of the olive grove is certified organic. The other part in the next two years too. The small, ripe, dark olives are sorted by size immediately after picking; part goes to the mill for the Taggiasca olive oil. The other part is preserved and after six months of fermentation it is ready to use as a table olive.

Taggiasca olives are characterized by the thin skin, a slightly salty taste with at the same time the sweetness of Ligurian extra virgin olive oil. They are great to cook with. Delicious in pastas, salads, with fish and  in stews. It enriches and deepens the dishes through its ripe taste. A favorite of many restaurants we deliver to.