Meet Carol Saadé | Founder & Chief Science Officer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carol Saadé and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carol, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a Lebanese, olive oil has been a fundamental part of our culture for centuries. My ancestors planted olive trees and I wanted to honor them by bringing our oil to American users and to preserve our heritage. I am a food scientist with an entrepreneurial spirit, and I loved the challenge of creating something combining my background and skills.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
For five generations, my family has been producing the world’s most luxurious, aromatic, and flavorful olive oil. With Oleavanti, we wanted to share our green gold with American consumers. Similarly to wine, olive oil’s attributes depend on the varietal, terroir, agricultural practices, harvesting method, and pressing technology. Our olive varietal, the Souri varietal, shares similar characteristics with the original varietal. Our olive oil flavor profile and texture make it stand out from the rest of the olive oils out there.

What I pride myself in is using the latest technology to produce our olive oil. As a food scientist, I was able to apply my scientific knowledge to optimize the harvesting practices and processing conditions to obtain a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Traditional stone-pressing does not produce an oil with much longevity. To make a product that would work in the US, I needed a process that produced a stable oil that kept its fresh flavor for at least 18 months. We combine technology and tradition to produce the world’s most luxurious olive oil.

Running a small business is all about risk-taking. You are juggling all aspects of the business all the time. Some of the tasks I find challenging while others I just love doing. Given my background and experience in food science, leading the harvest and running the press is my most anticipated time of the year. I love being in the grove, interacting with the team, processing the olives and tasting the freshly made olive oil every day. As to challenges, I try to learn from situations and tap into my team’s skillset and assessment for support.

At Oleavanti, we combine the stability and sustainability of our centuries-old Mediterranean olive groves, ancient Phoenician pressing techniques, and today’s state-of-the-art production practices to bring to our consumers an olive oil that cannot be equaled.

We deliver authenticity, excellence, and uniqueness in every product we sell. Since we oversee the process from beginning to end, our consumers are getting oil from the source without middlemen and fraud. We make what we sell. Because our products are so good, our core customers keep coming back for more. They are the heart of our business.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
To spend the day where I live in the South Bay, we’d first visit Adore Dessert Café in Redondo Beach to get coffee and French pastries. After that we’d take a long walk along the Strand in Hermosa to people watch and enjoy the ocean. The Green Store is a great place for lunch with outdoor seating and a nice, local vibe. For dinner, we might go to Chef Melba’s Bistro north of the pier in Hermosa Beach or to Nomad in Manhattan Beach.

I love the museums and gardens of Los Angeles, I’d certainly take my friend to the Huntington Library for the beautiful gardens and paintings and then walk around Pasadena. Another day, we might hike up in Topanga Canyon and after visit the Getty Villa. One night for sure, we’d visit Bavel in the Arts District after stopping by Hennessey + Ingalls to look at books.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A big shoutout to Tony Gualieri, Oleavanti’s Co-founder, for his optimism, strategic thinking, great wisdom and unlimited support. Boutros, my brother and Oleavanti’s Chief of Operations, who makes things happen under the most difficult and challenging situations. My dad, Oleavanti’s patriarch, for believing in my dreams. Marie, my sister and Oleavanti’s Artistic Director, for her being there every single time. My family for their encouragement and love. Last but not least, a huge shoutout to our loyal customers without whom Oleavanti wouldn’t have existed and continued to exist.

Website: https://www.oleavanti.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oleavanti_/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Oleavanti

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@oleavanti

Image Credits
Hollis Conway Photography Tony Prince Photography