Abandoned Grove the beginning

In parallel to my ever-growing love for the olive tree, its oil and the art form, I became saddened and, at the same time, fascinated with the state of abandoned groves across Italy. 

We focused on the importance of a community maintaining its connection to the grove. We hypothesized that by restoring and preserving the groves to produce an uncompromising premium olive oil season after season, we could add value to our kitchens and the community, conserve the heritage and biodiversity of the land and transmit a region's experience, personality and unique terroir.

So on top of working to create an incredibly delicious, healthy, fresh and seasonal ingredient, I started to see olive oil as a vehicle for positive change. 

But the last thing I set out to do was start an olive oil company. I had no intention of entering a market where quantity over quality and cost-cutting were rewarded. All I wanted to do was create opportunities to share the exact a-ha moment when I first experienced a properly produced oil and, indirectly, raise awareness of the other positive benefits of olive oil production.

We started narrating the seasons, honouring the land and producing the best expression of each harvest and bringing it back to North America via dinners, talks, and classes. We even made a documentary about the olive oil obsession, won an award, and year after year our production would sell out.

To this day, I still don’t feel like we’ve ever sold a bottle of oil; instead, we've shared experiences and started conversations.