Losada

ACEITUNAS LOSADA is a family business with deep agricultural roots, founded in 1961 by Mr. José Losada Villasante in Carmona (near Seville), Spain.

Today, the company is headed by the second generation, Luis and María Losada, who have decided to adopt traditional olive growing methods.

In order to obtain olives of an exceptional quality, the harvest on the estate is carried out entirely by hand. This has a major impact on the final product and is key to producing gorgeous olives with a unique taste! Truly passionate about their craft, the Losadas have studied natural fermentation processes. This allows them to put two traditional techniques into practice, to offer consumers products featuring a range of flavours, textures and colours:

Sevillian style, for olives harvested while still green

After the olives have been picked, a first processing step, called curing, is needed to rid them of their naturally bitter taste. The olives are first treated with a sodium hydroxide (lye) solution, a compound used since ancient times, to lower the acidity. They are then washed and transferred into brine, a solution of water and sea salt. This is the stage where fermentation begins. It takes three months to rid the olives of their bitter taste. The fruit then takes on the even green colour and distinctive texture prized by consumers.

Natural fermentation, for olives that are turning colour

Since the olives are already at a later stage of ripeness, the treatment begins right away by soaking them in brine. They will then undergo natural fermentation during 3 to 12 months. Olives fermented in brine are firm, with a soft texture, a shiny skin and an exquisite fruity flavour !