ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
MOUNTAIN GROWN IN SPARTA, GREECE
How We Got Our Name
Inspiration
In 2011, Lonely Olive Tree Organics™ Founder, Dimitri Kallianis, a successful chef and restaurateur in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois traveled back to his father’s birthplace of Sparta, Greece in a quest to bring his family’s historic, unique single-origin olive oil to America. Until this time, his family’s olive oil was only provided to an exclusive list of friends, relatives and professional chefs. Nearly a decade later, Lonely Olive Tree Extra Virgin Olive Oil is used and appreciated by many of America’s best chefs and is distributed nationwide by retail and food service distributors. In late 2020, The Kallianis family will be launching a natural olive oil skincare line called nota™ by Lonely Olive Tree Organics. Their collection of natural skincare products combine their early harvest Greek organic olive oil with American personal care chemistry.
Our Story
Kallianis olive groves peak at the highest elevation in the mountains of Sparta, Greece. The high altitude offers ideal growing conditions for superior quality organic extra virgin olive oil. All of our family’s olives are picked by hand in the early winter crop season when the fruit is not fully mature and ripe. For generations, our family has produced a unique natural style of organic extra virgin olive oil called agourelaio meaning “unripe green olive oil.” In 1910, the Kallianis olive groves were nearly destroyed by a historic frost. Our oldest surviving olive tree stood on top of the mountain grove Monahi Elia or in English, Lonely Olive Tree. This last standing olive tree was grafted and replanted throughout the groves in the village of Kastori, Laconia. Our family is proud to offer you our first cold pressed organic extra virgin olive oil from the northeast territory of Mount Taygetus.
Organic
We added the Organic because it is, and has been for generations, certified USDA Organic, NON-GMO, DIO certified Organic, and certified that all of our olive oil is harvested from a protected geographical area.
We Take Pride in our Certifications
What Do These Certifications Mean?
USDA Organic / DIO Organic European Union Organic
Certified Organic – meaning free of synthetic additives like pesticides, chemical fertilizers and dyes. Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through natural certified approved methods.
Protected Designation of Origin
(PDO) is the name of a certified geographical region or specific area that is recognized by official rules to produce certain foods with special characteristics related to location.
Non GMO Verified
“GMO” stands for Genetically Modified Organism, and refers to plants, animals or other organisms whose genetic material has been changed in ways that do not occur naturally. The “NON-GMO” label certifies that our olive oil is harvested, pressed and cold extracted without ingredients that were derived from genetically engineered organisms.
How we get that Natural True Green Color
Our Olives
Our mountain grown Spartan olives are harvested each year in the cold winter season, between November and January. Our green olives are harvested in their purest state, when the fruits are unripe. Within 12 hours of picking, our olives are transferred to our mill and pressed. This ancient method of early harvesting and first cold pressing gives our olive oil a natural green color, complexity, aroma and flavor which stands alone. Our family’s early harvest, single origin olive oil has been cherished for generations by the local Spartan community, and chefs around the world.