Does the Congedi family history begin in 1917?

Yes it does, thanks to Luce Damiani, a tenacious and determined woman who, starting from the management of the olive groves inherited from her father, has built one of the biggest plants of the whole territory. Therefore, for 4 generations, we have been transforming the foremost fruit of the sunny and lush Salento land: the olive, the prime product of a tree that is the emblem of the magnificent Apulian land, the olive tree. Uniting authenticity and sacrifices, combining tradition and innovation, we proudly produce the purest top quality extra virgin olive oil, 100% Italian, actually Apulian.

What are your strong points?

Our mission is to enhance the traditional products of our land, in compliance with environmental protection and family traditions. In 2014, thanks to the first decanter centrifuge (which allows to avoid production waste), the company has become completely eco-sustainable, in addition, with our modern plants we have managed to reduce the water consumption necessary to produce extra virgin olive oil, whilst improving the quality of the final product. Tradition and cutting-edge technology have led us towards new goals: Congedi is recognized and mentioned in the most prestigious guides in the sector.

Can you briefly tell us about the production cycle?

The harvesting of olives in Apulia generally starts from October until December, when the olives reach the right level of ripeness, called veraison. The harvesting of olives is followed by defoliation and washing. The pressing, which is a very important phase for the quality, is mechanical, which allows to obtain a high quality product, leaving its organoleptic properties unaffected, thereby preserving high qualitative and hygienic standards. The kneading operations come next, at a controlled temperature, and finally the extraction. Our continuous centrifuge process allows us to obtain a high presence of phenolic substances, which are important for our body, and also thanks to a careful and accurate separation of extra virgin oil carried out by constantly monitored machinery, we manage to achieve a high quality product, authentically from the Salento land.

Our oil comes exclusively from typical cultivars of our territory, because it is the local varieties that make our work meaningful and our product unique.