• Castelvetrano olives history

Challenge:
Olive Bars

  • Safety (COVID-19 ALERT)
    Studies confirm the disease spreads with droplets released by nose and mouth. Transmission is possible only through direct contact with the surfaces where the droplets land.
  • Store Footprint
    Valuable retail space missed for cross-merchandising.
  • Labor
    Deli managers waste time and money to setup, refresh and take down.
... as well as on each autumn season, the new "Castel Vetrano" crop is ready for our customers. This olive, which is the most popular and appreciated
all around the world, also has the fastest debittering process: it is
ready in 3, utmost 4 weeks after the harvest. Two varieties are
processed under "Castel Vetrano" method: the Sicilian Nocellara del Belice (below)
and the Greek Halkidiki

(above).



Castel Vetrano olives history.

The first document we found about these olives is the scientific treaty "Naturalis Historia" written by Plinio during the I century A.D.
In this treaty, Plinio writes about these olives which departed bitter
from the east Italian coast and arrived in Rome, sweet and debittered.

Another ducument we found is dated XIV century A.D.
written by the Olivetans Benedictine Monks. They were the firsts to
pickle the immature and cruncy olives with an alkaline liquid ("Ranno")
obtained by dissolving in water one part of lime and 4-5 parts of wood
ash. The rapid alkaline fermentation pulls out, in few days, all the
bitter oleuropein contained into the drupes, leaving intact the deep
green color and crispness of the olives. Today nothing has changed,
except for the "Ranno" which was replaced by a caustic soda solution.