AFTER 20 years of bringing back olive oil in their suitcases for friends and family, a couple have turned their passion into a business.
Ben and Lola Knowles have set up Two and One Olive in Cheriton, commercialising the premium extra virgin olive oil from their family’s olive groves in southern Spain.
Mr and Mrs Knowles, along with their three children who have inherited the passion for olive oil from their grandfather, gave locals the chance to try their oil for the first time at the Alresford Show in September.
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Now, Two and One Olive is available from retailers such as Westlea Farm Shop and Raimes Tasting Barn in Alresford and The Pie Man in Chelsea.
Ben, who also works as a chartered accountant, said: “The Alresford Show was a soft launch. It was really successful and we got lots of interest, it gave us the push we needed.
“It’s been in the making for 25 years. I fell in love with how Lola’s family produced olive oil and always thought there was something we could do with this, something that English people would really enjoy.
“We want to have our olive oil on everybody’s kitchen worktops in Hampshire. We are so excited we can’t sleep. It’s amazing to be fulfilling this dream of ours and the reaction and the interest we’ve gotten so far is fantastic.
“Our kids are also immersed in olive oil, they take it to school in their sandwiches instead of butter. They cook with it too and use it all the time.”
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The new business couple have been busy travelling back and forth from Spain, with the olive groves needing harvesting three times a year.
Lola, who teaches part-time, said: “We invited people round to our house for a meal and created some really stunning food and everyone asked where we got the ingredients from.
“We have always gone to Spain two or three times a year as a family, we really enjoy going back. Covid is what made us make that switch to creating a business.
“We have grand plans. We want to provide something good to the community. Our olive oil is full of health benefits. We are amazed by the support of the local people.”
The Two and One Olive website at twoandoneoliveoil.co.uk/ will be ready soon. In the meantime, for more information go to facebook.com/twoandoneoliveoil.
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