It is the story of a family deeply rooted among the warm winds of the Aegean. Sis Oliva is the product of a family that has grown, learned, and expanded within the realms of olives and olive oil for many years.

 As the fourth generation of our family living our lives in these lands, the creation of this brand occurred when we decided to leave our cities and professions. This decision was inspired by an olive tree we stumbled upon during our journey. What caught our attention was its unusual shape, resembling two lovers embracing each other. Upon further research, we discovered that this tree had been alive for more than a thousand years, witnessing the Byzantine era, the establishment, and the subsequent end of the Ottoman Empire. Like us, it stood tall through the War of Independence. Who planted it, and who enjoyed its fruits and oil throughout the centuries, remains a mystery. Moreover, it was not alone; there were many olive trees in our olive grove that could be considered as “monumental trees.” Other generations in our family, just like us, had been touched and caressed by them. We were deeply moved, but this realization also imposed a responsibility on us. We had to protect these trees from the rapidly approaching urbanization.

Two siblings immediately rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Over time, issues in the village began to emerge. We struggled to find workers for the olive groves during harvest time. The population of our village had aged, and they were not willing to work. The younger generation was migrating to big cities, fleeing from working in fields and orchards. The real population of the village was decreasing. However, on the outskirts of the village, newly constructed residential complexes were starting to host residents from big cities. The number of villagers selling their farms for much less than their value or making deals with contractors was increasing. If you ask any villager sitting in the “kahve” today and talk to them, you’ll get the same response: “These olive groves have no value as long as we don’t sell them.”

We realized that to protect our trees, we first had to protect our village. Here, just like centuries ago, we must establish a sustainable life. We need to convince the next generation that there is a beautiful future here and work together to make it happen. There is much work to be done, and we have many trees to nurture with love.

Sis Oliva Family