About us
In most of the Mediterranean region, olives and olive oil constitute an essential part of the daily diet and have done so for centuries. Our olive oil is the result of the cooperation between two families that have been cultivating olives and producing olive oil for generations. Many of our olive trees were initially planted by our forefathers for their own consumption as well as for trade. As our ancestors lived in the village of Athienou, Cyprus, our trees are situated in several locations around the village. We continue our families’ traditions respecting the knowledge that was bestowed upon us.
During the past few years, as the global demand for olive oil has increased, we decided to expand our fields and our production. We presently have tens of thousands of olive trees in our fields increasing our production of quality olive oil. We strive to deliver to the consumer olive oil of the highest possible quality. To that effect, during the past few decades we have concentrated our efforts on organically cultivating our trees. We have excluded all synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and now rely entirely on biological pest control methods. Our production is based on a profound respect for nature and tradition.
Our History
Life under the muslim Turks was very hard for the Greeks of the island of Cyprus.
The rules were changing every year. The bottom line was that you produce, give a share to the turks and they let you keep the rest. Sometimes the collector of the tax would make a favorable decision depending on what baksheesh was given. Olive oil was always sought after as it was more valuable, easier to transport and not easily spoiled compared to a sack of potatoes or a sack of perishables.
Our forefathers and specifically our great great grandfathers, of both families involved in the cultivation of olive trees, were well known for this particular practice in the village of Athienou Cyprus.It was customary to invite the tax collector into your home and offer him bread usually baked in the outdoor oven of the house and dip it in olive oil to taste. If the olive oil was of good quality then an arrangement was made. If the olive oil was superb you made a friend and sometimes your olive oil would be purchased to be sent to the court of the Sultan in Constantinople (Istanbul). If the oil was not very good, you risked getting beaten up by the guards of the tax collector.So over the years our forefathers learned the best ways to cultivate the olive trees; where to plant them, which varieties are better, how to best extract the olive oil and how to best store it.
Our grandmother had very large containers that still exist. They are made of dark green colored glass enclosed in rattan made from canes. The name they used was “lamijanes” and it is derived from the Italian demijohn that is still used today in Italy.
From the moment our olive oil is extracted at the olive oil mill, we transport it and store it in stainless steel containers. The temperature under which we store our olive oil is below 20 C. We avoid using plastic containers because plastic reacts with the olive oil and reduces its quality.
Our great great grandfather was married to a beautiful woman and the tax collector was attracted to her. As the legend goes in the village, after several repeated visits there was fear among the family that the wife could be abducted and never seen again. There were no laws protecting the christians, especially women. But suddenly, the villagers were surprised when a month later a new tax collector arrived at the village. This was quite unusual as there was no reason for the authorities to fire the other one.After several months went by, there was a rumor that the old tax collector disappeared, never to be seen again in any of the villages. Perhaps he was transferred out of the island. Perhaps he met with an accident in the mountains.