Welcome to Merkado Olive
At Merkado Olive, we believe that the finest olive oil is a perfect blend of natural heritage and absolute technical discipline. Nestled deep within the rolling, sun-drenched Alentejo hills in Colos, Portugal, our organic farm is dedicated to preserving the land and sharing the rich flavors of traditional Portuguese olive oil.
We are not a brand in a warehouse. We are not an industrial farm.
We are a small family run organic farm in the south of Portugal that runs one mill on harvest mornings and closes the rest of the year.
Our Heritage and Groves
Here is the story of how Merkado Olive came about…..
Deep within a landscape etched by time stood an abandoned plantation of nearly 300 ancient Galega olive trees.
For years, they were neglected, choked by undergrowth, and left to the whims of nature. To most commercial farmers, this grove was a liability. The Galega variety is notoriously unpredictable- surrendering a bountiful harvest one year, only to rest completely the next. Its delicate branches fiercely resist the brutal shaking of modern mechanical harvesters. It is a tree that demands a relationship, not a factory line.
When we first stepped onto the soil of Merkado Olive, we didn't see an abandoned farm; we saw a heritage worth saving. It took four gruelling years of clearing brambles, precision pruning, and restorative care to awaken these 300 giants from their slumber, bringing three distinct lineages of Galega back into a state of vibrant health. We approach our farming with a unique philosophy: our olives are harvested with love and milled with aviation precision. By combining meticulous, technical care with a deep respect for organic farming practices, we ensure that every single olive is processed at the absolute peak of its quality.
At Merkado Olive, we do not force the tree to give up its treasure. We wait.
We listen to the rhythm of the grove. When the first dark fruits begin to drop gently to the earth, it is the tree’s quiet signal that it is willing to let go. Only then do we lay our nets beneath the canopy. Every single olive is picked by hand with absolute reverence.
The moment an olive leaves its branch, a invisible clock begins to tick. Exposure to air triggers decay, threatening the pristine quality of the oil. Because of this, time is our fiercest competitor. We rush our hand-picked crop from the field to the estate mill, ensuring the fruit is pressed either the very same day or within 24 hours of harvest.
We manage the entire lifecycle of our products right here on our eco-friendly property:
Cold-Pressed Milling: We press our olives locally at our own farm mill, capturing the pure essence, health benefits, and aromatic notes of the fresh fruit.
Artisanal Variety: Beyond our signature extra virgin olive oils, our passion extends to creating gourmet cured olives and custom, handcrafted olive wood products.
Sustainable Future: We strictly maintain an organic, pesticide-free ecosystem to preserve the local Alentejo wildlife and soil health.
The Willing Harvest
Aviation-Grade Precision in the Mill
How to know it's real:
Pour a sip of Merkado oil. Trust your palate. The distinct bitterness on your tongue and the peppery, spicy "kick" at the back of your throat are the physical proofs of alive, active polyphenols working to protect your health. Check out the differences
This isn't just olive oil.
This is a labour of restorative love, engineered with aviation precision, from our ancient grove to your table within 4 hours.
“Truly the best olive oil I’ve ever tasted, with early, mid and late season oil available, something for every taste. Their dedication to producing top quality olive oil is impressive, Haim is constantly looking to improve by even the smallest margin through strict temperature control. Sue and Haim are a very hard working couple and it shows in the product, you won’t be disappointed buying their oil.”