OLIVE OIL MONTENEGRO - Key Persons
The Kraja family business is located in Pistula, close to Ulcinj, a place renowned for its olive groves. The story of the Kraja family olive oil the ‘Golden Drop' began in May 2012 when 3,100 olive tree roots were planted, forming the largest new olive grove in the region. ‘Golden Drop' olives are carefully nurtured and then hand-picked before being taken to the mill. The Kraja family believe in the highest standards of quality and ensure that no damage befalls any of their yields; scientific analysis has confirmed this quality, revealing the percentage of acidity (FFA) in the ‘Golden Drop' to be less than 0.18%. The oil is stored in dark-glass bottles and kept in a dark and cool environment at a temperature of 15-18 degrees celcius.
The olive groves of Dino Radovic are located in a valley which has an olive growing tradition dating back to the Byzantium period. One particularly special tree in the Radovic family grove is over 1240 years old. The family's olive oil goes by the name of ‘Olio Deus'; they also produce green and black table olives and olive oil soaps.
The Sadiku family olive grove is situated in the famous Valdanos cove, near Ulcinj. It forms part of one of the biggest groves in the region, which has some 85,000 olive trees in total. The Sadiku family have grown olives and produced high quality olive oil for centuries. They also produce a variety of hand made objects such as tables, necklaces, holders, decorations all made from the wood of their very own olive trees.
The Jovovic family have grown olives for generations. The family grove comprises some 70 olive trees and is situated close to the old city of Bar. The family are particularly proud of their black olive liqueur. This elixir, passed down from Jovovic ancestors, has a sitting time of 9 months. This rare and unique concoction has won the attention of both tourists and olive tasters far and wide. The family also produce hand made souvenirs, furniture, ornaments and decorations all lovingly carved from the wood of their very own olive trees.
The olive grove of Ibrahim Durakovic is close to the Old city of Bar, some 250 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by the rich of cultural heritage of the eastern and western civilizations that have cohabited here for many centuries. The family grove, first planted by Durakovic's ancestors, covers an area of 4,000 square meters, with some 70 roots of the indigenous variety ‘Zutica' (‘yellow yield'). Some 1000 litres of extra virgin olive oil is produced every year from the grove.
The olive grove of Tefik Radovic is situated in Pecurice, a small village near Bar. Radovic's olive roots have been tended over the centuries by his ancestorsw, and Pecurice itself has a long and rich olive-growing history. Today, the Radovic grove covers some 8000 square metres and comprises some 145 roots. The refinery produces high quality extra virgin olive oil, which visitors are invited to sample.
The Arabelovic family inherited their olive groves from their ancestors. They have recently added to the grove by planting a new crop of trees. The main grove is situated in Utjeha and is one of the most beautiful groves in the area. Their other groves comprise 20 to 60 olive tree roots each and are in different locations in nearby villages. The family produce olive oil, canned olives and the herb-infused ‘Saint John's oil'. They also grow ‘rakija', a traditional species of grape that grows in the village of Kunje. The family also own the ‘Val Maslina' apartments, situated in the shadow of the olive trees and overlooking the sea.