In our "Meet the Producers" series, where we bring you closer to the artisans behind the exceptional foods we offer. Today, we’re spotlighting one of our long-standing partners, Frantoio Galantino.
If you visited our stand at Atlanta Market in January, you had the pleasure of meeting Maurizio Cortese, brand ambassador and export sales manager for Galantino. I first met Maurizio in 2014, during a B2B event in Bari. Visiting their frantoio in Bisceglie, I saw for myself the process behind their unique fused, or “agrumato” extra virgin olive oil - from crushing the fresh citrus, peperoncino, garlic, or herbs directly with the olives, fusing the juices into a vibrant, deeply flavored oil.
If you visited our stand at Atlanta Market in January, you had the pleasure of meeting Maurizio Cortese, brand ambassador and export sales manager for Galantino. I first met Maurizio in 2014, during a B2B event in Bari. Visiting their frantoio in Bisceglie, I saw for myself the process behind their unique fused, or “agrumato” extra virgin olive oil - from crushing the fresh citrus, peperoncino, garlic, or herbs directly with the olives, fusing the juices into a vibrant, deeply flavored oil.
But I am getting ahead of myself. I’d like to share more about the Galantino family and their commitment to extra virgin olive oil in Puglia. Now in its third generation, Frantoio Galantino is led by Gianvito Galantino. The family dedicates the utmost care to the over 15,000 olive trees on the 47 hectare estate, “La Fenice,” where they harvest their prized Ogliarola and Coratina olives. These native Apulian varietals make everything from their blends to the Gran Cru and Affiorato, the latter made using a centuries–old technique of hand-skimming a very small percentage of oil (about 2-3%) that forms spontaneously on the olive paste before pressing. Galantino has also been recognized globally by some of the most prestigious competitions and guides including Ercole Olivario, Montiferru, Orciolo D’Oro, Olive d’Or Montreal and Shanghai, Los Angeles Competition.
In another innovative move that further exalts the tradition of their land, Galantino produces beautifully hand-painted ceramic bottles, created in collaboration with local artisans. As they are made by hand, each ceramic is unique with variations in form and the splatter-painted design–still applied the old way, using olive branches as brushes.
The story of Galantino is one of tradition, creativity, innovation and passion. These qualities come through in every product: traditional extra virgin olive oils, their “agrumati,” and their now-iconic ceramics that celebrate both authentic extra virgin olive oil production and local craftsmanship.