The Origins
In 1963, Giuseppe Oliva and Maria Perniola's dedication and passion led to the creation of our first olive mill, which exclusively produced extra virgin olive oil using the cold pressing method. Over the years, the family business continued its project, involving new protagonists such as their daughter Patrizia and her husband Biagio. Today, along with their three sons Nunzio, Giuseppe, and Domenico, they produce Perniola extra virgin olive oil using cold extraction and state-of-the-art machinery.
Three Generations Compared
The story of a family that has turned its professional project into a life project. Three generations face different approaches, thought patterns shaped over time but with the same goal: to carry on the company that was founded on the love, traditions, and hard work of a strong and united family. All the emotions that make up this story can be found encapsulated in the flavor of Perniola oil: decisive, charismatic, unforgettable.
Production
ATTENTION AND QUALITY: OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Collection
Harvesting generally begins from October until December, depending on climatic conditions. This phase is critical and delicate because if the olives are not picked at the right time, there is a risk of maceration. Hand-picking, known as "brucatura", is the best method, albeit very expensive and slow, because it ensures the integrity of the olive. Our company has always harvested by hand or by combing, which involves running special automatic rakes along the branches and allowing ripe olives to fall spontaneously, to obtain an oil without organoleptic defects and with very low acidity.
Deramification
The olives are taken to the oil mill and placed in special containers commonly called “cassoni” or bins. Before the crushing phase, they are placed in a steel hopper and transported to a machine called a defoliator, where any branches, leaves, stones, and soil are removed. Subsequently, the olives are washed by a special machine that removes all impurities and placed in a second steel hopper, ready for the crushing phase.
Crushing
The olives are automatically transported by a stainless steel auger into a knife crusher, which breaks down the olives and their pits, creating a homogeneous mixture, the so-called "olive paste." The resulting paste passes through a heat exchanger that cools or heats the paste before malaxation, depending on the temperature of the raw material.
Malaxation
The resulting paste is gently and slowly stirred for about 30-40 minutes, with certified devices ensuring the temperature is always below 27°C, in order to unify the oil molecules separated from the water. This process must be carried out perfectly, as correct malaxation promotes the uniformity of the oil droplets, which is essential for the subsequent processing phase.
Extraction
The olive paste goes through a three-phase horizontal centrifuge, called a decanter, which, through the rotating action of its drum, divides it into 3 products: virgin olive pomace, a by-product sent to the pomace oil mill for processing into pomace oil and fuel; vegetation water, a by-product used as agricultural fertilizer in our olive groves; and the precious oily must.
Separation
The oily must obtained is separated from any water particles still present using a vertical centrifuge, the separator. Once this last processing phase is completed, the extra virgin olive oil is ready for use.
Finished product
The oil obtained is stored in stainless steel tanks, equipped with a nitrogen system, located in a temperature-controlled warehouse to preserve the organoleptic and chemical characteristics of our product.
Our OIL
Choose the fragrance and lightness of our product.
It is the basis of the healthy Mediterranean diet and the key ingredient in every dish. Here are four reasons to bring it to your table:
- Features
- Quality
- Nutritional Values
- Packaging
