A l’Olivier – Oil and Vinegar from Provence
The brand A l'Olivier is today the epitome of French lifestyle when it comes to oil and vinegar of very special quality, but the origins of this house go way back.
In 1822, the pharmacist Eugène Popelin founded the company A l'Olivier in the fashionable Parisian district of Marais in the 4th arrondissement. On his many travels to Provence, he learned about the special olive oil, also known as Green Gold, and was not only enthusiastic about its excellent taste but also studied many scientific papers on the elixir, the valuable oil, and its nutritional properties. The Maison A l'Olivier quickly became a meeting place for gourmets and lovers of the Mediterranean lifestyle. At the World Exhibitions of 1867 and 1889, the merits of A l'Olivier olive oil were honored with two silver medals.
A l'Olivier – three oil mills under one name
In 1978, the company merged with the Jean-Claude Blanvillain family. They were also oil merchants in Paris and owners of the Huilerie Bailly oil mill. Since the mid-nineties, they have also owned olive trees in the Nice region. In its own mill in Provence, the company produces not only classic olive oil but also great, flavored oils, such as basil oil with fresh basil or lavender oil. For this, a patented process called Enfleurage was developed, in which the plants release all their aromatic components into the olive oil. The fruit vinegars also come from here. In Poitiers in western France, delicious nut and seed oils, such as sesame oil, are produced in their own mill using traditional methods. In the north of Paris is Huilerie Bailly, which today houses the logistics center and bottles oils and vinegars for Parisian restaurateurs. The Baily/A l'Olivier Group is today an internationally active family business with 60 employees at three specialized locations.
