Why Dafni?

Dafni’s main strategy adheres to three principles

• Customer support before and after the sale.
• Distribution of quality Greek olives and olive oil.
• Preserving the family tradition.

KALAMATA OLIVES

Dafni’s unique soil of its semi-mountainous and coastal area, rich in minerals, in combination with suitable climatic conditions give the olive a unique taste, aroma and consistency of the fruit. This is the reason why the company specializes in Kalamata Olives.

Olives are harvested from November until March; six to eight months after their spring blossoms appear. They require very warm average temperatures, and cannot tolerate cold below 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The olive tree prospers in very dry climates, and can tolerate droughts and high wind. Therefore it is not surprising that olive trees grow beautifully in the Mediterranean, with its mild winters and long, hot summers.

In our region, olives are beaten from the tree with poles and caught in large nets. Some Olive farmers with the latest technology use machine harvesting, including trunk and branch shakers. Then they pass through the “dialogea” machine, which separates the different sizes. And then from there, the olives are hand selected and put in the brine. The olives are kept in this carefully watched brine, until they are ready to be consumed, which is about 4-5 months after they are picked.

Olives are selected based on three factors; the year of harvest, the type of olive, and the size. Olives should be eaten within 18 months of their production date. The olive size varies from very small to giant known as the “Colossus”. Olives are measured by their number per kilo of net content. One kilo of net content can hold 80 to 400 olives depending on the size.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The olives are hand picked, cold pressed, and then tested at a state of the art laboratory. Dafni olive oil is extra virgin, solely produced on the family estate, and not blended with other oils. It is unsurpassed for its exquisite and flavorful aroma, and possesses organoleptic qualities. It has a fresh fruit-of-the-olive taste and aroma with hints of fruit, pepper and grass.

Chemical analysis shows that Dafni Extra Virgin Olive Oill has a low acidity of less than 0.04%, and high levels of antioxidants. This contributes to its long lasting shelf life.