Sustainability as a minimum requirement
Anyone familiar with our setup and our projects can certainly confirm that sustainability is not just a direction or marketing feature but a minimum requirement in all of our ventures.
However, it is really just the first step, because sustainability just means maintaining the current state - but we want to IMPROVE & REGENERATE.
Regenerative agriculture
That's why we decided very early on to follow the principles of regenerative agriculture for all our produce, including olives. This approach, which we had already implemented in our self-sufficient garden a few years previously, can be described as follows:
Regenerative agriculture is a system of practices that aims to rehabilitate and improve the entire ecosystem. Most importantly, by making soil health a high priority, also taking into account water management, fertilizer use and more. It is a farming method that improves resources rather than depleting them.
In addition to a long list of benefits for ecosystems and plant health, regenerative farming methods are helping us address the climate crisis. By drawing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil.
Carbon Footprint
Of course, our sustainability balance does not just result from the management method, but from a number of other pieces of the puzzle. Here is an overview of the most important 'energy consumers':
Trips to the fields: depending on the work, they take place with our pickup, mountain bike or as a jogging tour. Not perfect (pickup truck needs petrol), but already on the right track, especially since no field is more than a 5 minute drive away and we combine routes.
Oil extraction: This takes place in a nearby olive mill that was newly built 3 years ago and optimized even further a year ago. The latest equipment, a conscientious team and bottling in the same place ensure that we operate this production step as sustainably as possible.
Storage: who would have thought it, but storage is by far the biggest energy guzzler for us. Fortunately, the electricity for cooling comes from our own solar system :-) And we are continuing to work on improvements (the remaining stocks from the last harvest have moved to an earth cellar).
Packaging: Everyone who has ever received a package from us can testify: we ship in recycled boxes (these are otherwise thrown away by the local supermarket or our bottling department) & packing paper. We use olive branches as filling material and to protect the bottles (see picture at the top)! All bottles have survived their shipment safely so far, the branches look lovely and are also a source of delicious and healthy olive leaf tea for the receiver.
Shipping: Clearly our weak point. Although we only ship with DHL Go Green (i.e. climate neutral according to the advertising promise), we know that there is still a lot of potential here! We are therefore currently looking for gourmet shops in Germany for which our olive oil range would be suitable. In order to send in bulk (of course a pallet in a truck or train has a whole different balance than many individual packages sent by airmail). Do you have a favorite shop? Feel free to send us the name & location or ask onsite whether they would be interested in selling world's best olive oils. A sustainable (even regenerative!) olive oil that is :-)
Bottle vs. Pouch vs. "Bulk": there is still room for improvement here too - glass bottles are not as sustainable as you might expect and hope. You can find out more about this on our website at www .Pangaio-Manufaktur.de/Pouch
Conclusion
We dare to honestly say that our Aoron olive oil is not only delicious and excellent but also truly sustainable and even regenerative in cultivation. We are very proud of that!
However, we don't use it as an 'advantage' but quite the opposite, we help other farmers on how to make the transition, we remind them again and again as living proof that it is possible. We collaborate with a few like-minded producers in Greece to make sure regenerative production of olive oil is no longer the exception, but a (perhaps even legal) requirement!
And you? You can now enjoy Aoron with an even better conscience and use the background knowledge to encourage friends and acquaintances to pay attention to sustainable premium products. Thank you for that!
For all the "newcomers" here who don't yet know us or our olive oil, here are the essentials:
Aoron is an extra virgin olive oil from Greece, vintage & pure!
4 International awards and listed as one of the best olive oils in the world World
Earliest harvest to capture incredible aromas with plenty of health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants (see Laboratory values)
All natural. We avoid any pesticides, insecticides and any synthetic chemicals.
Regenerative. Organic is good, but our approach goes a decisive step further.
Small but mighty. We are a micro-producer.
Transparency and participation. Whether friends or strangers, we welcome everyone who would like to take a closer look at our groves or our small donkey farm!
Do you want to know more about olive oil tasting? Here you can find our free guide to olive oil tasting:
