Our Story

150 Years of Extra Virgin Olive Oil History: The Passion of the Dell’Orto Family

The family’s olive groves thrive in the hills of Oliveto Citra, Italy and the olives are milled in the historic olive mill. For 150 years, this green excellence has been a story worth retelling. Today, brothers Polidoro and Sergio, along with the prestigious Dell’Orto extra virgin olive oil, are the pillars of our story—simple because it is born from the land and rich because it is nurtured by ancient knowledge.

Our History

In the mid-1800s, Vito Dell’Orto, the patriarch of the Dell’Orto family, was one of the largest landowners in the town of Oliveto Citra, in the province of Salerno. His vast olive grove covered an area of about 50 hectares.

Vito took pride in being the point of reference for the Sele Valley in olive cultivation at all stages, as well as in oil extraction.

In the Dell’Orto olive mill of the late 19th century, oil was extracted using pressure, with two manually operated screw presses. The oil flowed into a basin below, where it was scooped by hand with a plate. It was stored in large terracotta amphorae, hermetically sealed with cork stoppers.

The passion and dedication for meticulous craftsmanship were inherited by his son Polidoro, who continued to focus on the various stages of olive cultivation, particularly on the harvesting process. Keeping up with cultural and technological advancements in the industry, he introduced the use of hydraulic power in olive processing.

His son, Fiore, carried on the family’s valuable tradition. He improved the processing stages, enhancing product quality while reducing processing time. The oil was no longer scooped by hand but was extracted using modern centrifuges.

Over more than a century, the Dell’Orto family accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge about the production of high-quality olive oil. This long-standing and specialized family tradition has been passed down to Fiore’s sons, Polidoro and Sergio. Proud of their ancestors yet open to new processing technologies and the increasingly refined demands of consumers, they modernized the family oil mill in the late 1990s. They equipped it with a state-of-the-art continuous-cycle “Alfa Laval” cold extraction system, which ensures long-lasting oil with a high concentration of natural antioxidants.

The Dell’Orto Olive Mill Today

Alongside the Dell’Orto brothers, Eliana, Polidoro’s wife, also plays a vital role in the company's daily operations.  She contributes with dedication and passion, driving the company toward innovation while preserving traditional values, ensuring excellence remains the hallmark of every product.

The historic Dell’Orto olive mill produces a variety of oils:  organic extra virgin olive oil, classic extra virgin olive oil, and naturally flavored oils.

The Dell’Orto extra virgin olive oil production chain is fully integrated—from harvesting to milling to bottling. Every step is managed directly within the company and distributed both in Italy and abroad, following all regulatory standards.

Production process control is ensured not only through HACCP compliance but also through official certifications. The olive mill is authorized by the CCPB (Certification and Control Body) for milling olives from organic farms.