Celebrating Our California Growers
We talk a lot about our company's role in the olive industry here in California given we are the largest farmer of olives for extra virgin olive oil in the state. But California Olive Ranch wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for the hard work of the nearly 50 family farmers we partner with across California.
These grower partners are really the key to our success and we are truly grateful for their hard work and shared passion for quality.
100% California is where it all started
Over 20 years ago, we planted our first orchard in Northern California with the goal of cultivating olives at scale, with a quality unmatched by the big brands in the olive oil aisle of grocery stores. When we started out, there were only 900 acres of olive trees planted for EVOO in the state. Most that acreage was farmed by boutique producers charging $100 a liter for oil. We wanted to make our oil more affordable for Americans. Our goal was to make award-winning oil at a great price - so that's what we did. As our idea started to catch on and media, professional chefs and home cooks fell in love with the quality of our 100% California olive oils we needed to recruit trusted partners to help us expand our supply to allow us to reach stores across the country. Today, there are over 15,000 acres of olive trees dedicated to EVOO in California; California Olive Ranch and our partners make up a big chunk of that!
Our California Partners Share Our Values
Our partners here in California share our passion for quality and care for the land. One of our largest grower partners, Frank Olagaray, is a great representation in all that we strive to achieve here at California Olive Ranch. From the care of his trees, to the meticulous research and innovation he puts into his regenerative agriculture practices, his dedication to not only growing quality olives, but also his efforts to do his part in cultivating healthy soils, is nothing short of inspiration. We learn so much from him just as he has learned from us and our 20 years of experience in growing olives.
In California, we all believe in maintaining the beauty of this great state, and that belief is instilled from our soils to our mills. Our 100% California Olive Oil is a reflection of all of the time, energy, research and care that our team and growers put in. So when you buy one of our bottles, know that you are supporting an ecosystem here in California and supporting family farmers who have been working our lands for generations and we hope will continue to do so for generations to come.
