We really care about the future of our planet and looking after it for generations to come. That’s why we’re committed to producing and supplying the very best food the Mediterranean can offer from the most sustainable sources and ethical means.
⇨Our Suppliers⇨Our Products⇨Our Packaging⇨Our Future⇨
Our Suppliers
Over the years we have travelled all over the Mediterranean building up a network of farmers who grow olives independently and on a small scale.
They are artisan and often organic, farmers who we have worked with for many years. Together we understand the unhurried gentle rhythms of the olive tree and know from long experience that the best olives grow where flora and fauna flourish. The organic groves help preserve a haven for wildflowers, insects and birds as they have remained for thousands of years.
With the majority of our farmers living on the land they farm, their lives and work are often entwined. Their values and passions run through their day to day lives and for them the health of the land is paramount to the well being of the groves. The result; a successful and bountiful harvest year after year.
Our Products
Our olives are allowed to take their time to ripen under azure Mediterranean skies through the sun-soaked summer months. In the autumn, when the fruit is still fresh and green, our farmers collect the first harvest, and in January the dark, fully ripe olives are carefully gathered in.
In our quest to find the perfect olive we are fully certified by Organic Farmers & Growers as a UK organic producer. When food is farmed organically, it is not ‘propped up’ by artificial fertilisers or pesticides. This means that it must be naturally resilient, and for this it must come from strong soil teeming with nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms. This is good for the plants, good for the land, and good for us.
Our farmers have taught us how to prepare olives without using intrusive modern preservatives, so you can always enjoy our olives safe in the knowledge that they are pure, natural products.
Whilst a key element of what makes us unique is understanding the importance of and using time-honoured methods, we also search out new technology where it matters, to ensure that our olives you enjoy are in the best possible condition but without compromising on quality or harming the flora and fauna in the sun-kissed groves.
Our Packaging
Sustainability is at our very core and underpins our company values. We continue to work closely with our innovative packaging suppliers with an ultimate goal of ensuring all our packaging is 100% recyclable and where possible fully compostable.
Our current retail packaging is the most green and sustainable option available. Our cardboard sleeves are fully recyclable and our pots are RPET 1 meaning they’re made of 90% recyclable material and 10% virgin material.
In light of recent media coverage, plastic can be portrayed as having a really negative impact on the planet. It does however solve a lot of problems in the food industry including safe storage and keeping things fresher for longer.
To ensure we stay true to our values, we have recently made the decision to remove the clip lid from our deli pots. We hope the move will be welcomed as it saves over 5 tonnes of unnecessary plastic per year as well as more than 45 pallets of transportation.
Whilst investigating the packaging options available to us, we are confident that our deli pots have the smallest carbon footprint and overall impact on the planet, when you take into consideration transportation, production and recyclability.
Packaging is rapidly improving though and we are 100% committed to moving to a more environmentally friendly option as soon as it becomes available. Our partnership with the Sustainable Soils Alliance (SSA) also ensures we have the most comprehensive information and resources when it comes to sustainable packaging for the future.
Our Future
We strongly believe that a bright and positive future for us all on this beautiful planet is well within our reach. We are committed to building a business that puts the welfare of people and planet above all else for generations to come.
As part of our commitment to sustainability and protecting the planet for future generations, we have recently partnered with the Sustainable Soil Alliance (SSA). We have pledged to give them 1% of our profits to invest in their work to improve soil health for the future.
You can find out more about our partnership with the SSA – https://therealolivecompany.co.uk/a-new-partnership-with-the-sustainable-soils-alliance/