Most olive oil lost its story
Over time, olive oil became a commodity.
It was blended, industrialised, mass-produced. What was once one of the most valued foods in the world slowly turned into something ordinary. Sold by the litre, stripped of its origin, disconnected from the land that produced it.
Walk through any supermarket today. Hundreds of bottles, most of them blends from multiple countries, carrying no harvest date, no trace of where they actually came from.
But olive oil was never meant to be ordinary.
When olive oil was true liquid gold
The ancient Greeks called it liquid gold, and they meant it.
When Rome ruled the Mediterranean, ships left the Spanish coast carrying olive oil across the empire. It lit homes. It healed wounds. It nourished families. For thousands of years, olive oil shaped cultures, trade routes and entire civilisations.
Andalusia, the region we source from today, was at the very heart of that history. Centuries of knowledge, passed from generation to generation, embedded in the landscape and the people who tend it.
Somewhere along the way, the world forgot.
LushOlio was built to bring back what olive oil once was
We did not start Lusholio to place another bottle of oil on a shelf.
We started it because we believe that what olive oil once was, honest, expressive and traceable, is still possible. It just requires the willingness to do things properly.
Our oil comes from a single estate in Priego de Córdoba, Andalusia. A region that carries DOP certification, Spain’s highest guarantee of geographic origin, and one that has been recognised as producing the best olive oil in the world more than ten times.
We select olives at two precise stages of ripeness. The green ones are rich in polyphenols and oleocanthal, the natural compounds behind the peppery finish you feel at the back of the throat, and the ones most closely associated with olive oil’s health properties. The darker ones add warmth, depth and roundness. Together they create something balanced and alive.
Cold extracted within hours of harvest. Nothing added. Nothing corrected. Nothing hidden.
Every batch is independently tested by a laboratory recognised by the International Olive Council. Every result is published. Every bottle is traceable to its origin.
Acidity: consistently below 0.3%, well under the legal maximum. Polyphenols: above 250 mg/kg, well above the EU threshold for an official health claim.
Because when food is made with care, it becomes more than an ingredient. It becomes part of a way of living.
Foto: olijven tijdens harvest / handen met olijven
What’s in a name
The name Lusholio reflects the spirit of the oil itself.
Lush is a word rooted in Old English and Old French, once used by Shakespeare to describe nature at its most alive, abundant, rich, bursting with life.
“How lush and lusty the grass looks.”
Olio comes from the Latin oleum, the word Roman traders used when shipping olive oil across the Mediterranean two thousand years ago.
Together they form Lusholio. The oil that lives.
The people behind the oil
Manuel was six years old the first time he walked between the olive trees.
Not as a visitor. As a worker. Beside his father, in the early morning heat of Andalusia, learning to read the land before he could read a book.
That was sixty years ago. He has not stopped since.
Most people measure olive oil quality with instruments. Manuel walks the grove. He looks at the colour of the skin, the weight of the fruit in his hand, the way the branch bends. He knows which trees are ready and which ones need three more days. He knows when the season has been generous and when it has held back.
No sensor captures that. No laboratory produces it. It takes a lifetime.
When Manuel says the harvest is ready, we press within hours. That is why our acidity stays below 0.3%. That is why our polyphenols stay well above 250 mg/kg. Not because of a process. Because of a person.
Foto: Manuel in de olijfgaard
“Olive oil brings people together. Around the table, in good health, in love.”
— Manuel
FAQ’s
Lusholio sources carefully selected Spanish harvests and ensures the olives are cold extracted within hours. Each batch is independently laboratory tested.
With acidity consistently below 0.3%, Lusholio’s extra virgin olive oil reflects precision, transparency and consistent quality.
In Mediterranean dietary patterns, 1–3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil per day is commonly used as part of balanced meals. As with all fats, moderation is key within a varied diet.
Store Lusholio’s extra virgin olive oil in a cool, dark place away from heat and direct sunlight. Always close the bottle tightly after use to minimize exposure to oxygen.
Acidity reflects how carefully olives were harvested and processed. Lower acidity indicates fresher olives and precise extraction.
European standards allow extra virgin olive oil up to 0.8% acidity. Lusholio’s extra virgin olive oil is consistently below 0.3%, confirming careful production and strict quality control.
Under European law, “extra virgin” is the highest quality category of olive oil. To qualify, the oil must be mechanically extracted without chemical processing and have a free acidity of no more than 0.8%.
Lusholio’s extra virgin olive oil consistently remains below 0.3%, significantly under the legal limit.
Yes. Lusholio’s extra virgin olive oil is suitable for both cooking and finishing.
Its typical smoke point ranges between 190°C and 210°C, depending on quality. When used for normal sautéing and cooking, it remains stable and safe.
Extremely high heat — such as overheating an empty stainless steel pan — can cause any oil to reach its smoke point, which may reduce antioxidants and affect flavour. For best results, add Lusholio’s extra virgin olive oil once the pan is warm, not overheated.
When stored properly, Lusholio’s extra virgin olive oil remains stable for approximately 18–24 months after harvest.
For optimal flavour, we recommend using it within a few months after opening. As the bottle empties, exposure to air increases, which gradually accelerates oxidation and may reduce freshness over time.