Company

Innovation built on the Apulian olive oil tradition. We build relationships with our growers, select olives at the ideal stage of ripeness and process them in our olive mill under controlled conditions to offer an extra virgin olive oil with authentic character.

Sun-drenched Apulia, hay bales and endless olive groves.

Pietro Leone collection, Cericola oil mill

The year is 1998 and we are in Borgo Incoronata, not far from Foggia, in the so-called Tavoliere, a vast plain rich in agricultural resources, shaped by history and by the work of generations.

It is in this setting that Pietro Leone founded the “Cericola Emilia” olive mill, then still a small agricultural company with approximately 15 hectares of olive groves, driven by the dream of creating a pure extra virgin olive oil produced exclusively from olives grown on his own trees and guided by a precise philosophy: combining centuries-old Apulian olive oil tradition with technological innovation.

The territory: Borgo Incoronata

We are in the Lower Tavoliere, between Borgo Incoronata and the countryside surrounding Foggia: a landscape of wheat fields and centuries-old olive trees, where olive cultivation has been documented for millennia. This is where our oils are born, the result of a rare balance between climate, soil and agricultural know-how handed down through generations.

fratelli leone raccolta michele leone veronica leone luigi leone oleificio cericola — Michele, Veronica and Luigi Leone

At the helm of the olive mill is a family that has transformed a vocation into a business, where agronomic expertise and artisanal sensitivity combine with the use of advanced technologies.

The team follows the oil from grove to bottle: those who care for the trees, those who oversee the extraction lines, those responsible for quality control and packaging, and those who share the story of the products and the territory.

Today, the olive oil company extends over approximately 115 hectares and guarantees organic management throughout the entire production process, from cultivation to packaging.

The olive mill covers an area of approximately 300 square metres and features two continuous-cycle, two-phase cold extraction processing lines, equipped with a leaf-removal machine, washer, de-stoner and a bank of enclosed malaxers designed to protect the olive paste from excessive exposure to air. The amount of air present in the headspace of the malaxers ensures the correct quantity of oxygen required to trigger the biochemical reactions responsible for developing the characteristic aromas of high-quality olive oil.

The drive to explore and innovate within the sector soon led the olive mill to become a research and development hub for new processing techniques, an activity further strengthened through collaboration with the University of Foggia, the University of Bari and Alfa Laval Spa.

veronica e pietro leone oleificio cericola

History and innovation

Since the late 1990s, the olive mill has invested in research and development, establishing collaborations with the University of Foggia, the University of Bari and technology partners such as Alfa Laval. In 1999, de-stoning was introduced directly into the processing line: a pioneering choice that directed the olive mill towards oils with a distinctive identity and even stricter control of processing parameters.

dettaglio olive oleificio cericola square

Olive trees, from 15 to 115 hectares: tradition and innovation

The story began with 15 hectares and the decision to dedicate ourselves to olive cultivation with method and patience. In 2009, the company invested in high-density olive groves alongside traditional cultivation systems, combining yield, quality and sustainability. Today, the company extends over approximately 115 hectares, with organic management throughout the entire production process, from cultivation to packaging.

One hectare, an ambitious dream, and the courage to believe in it.

Harvesting is the most delicate stage of the year: it takes place when the olives are at an intermediate stage of ripening in order to preserve aromatic freshness and sensory balance. The olives are delivered immediately to the mill and milling takes place within two hours, safeguarding the oil’s aromas and its chemical and organoleptic characteristics.

This is one of Oleificio Cericola’s key strengths, as the olive groves are located on land adjacent to the mill.

Harvesting

Love for his land led Pietro Leone to establish his own olive mill, beginning with his first 15 hectares of olive groves. The business initially began almost as a hobby and developed alongside his 25-year professional collaboration with Alfa Laval, a company specialising in the manufacture and supply of olive oil processing machinery.

The care devoted to the olive trees to produce healthy olives, together with the establishment of the olive mill in the 1990s, led to the production of extra virgin olive oil of exceptional quality. In 2009, Pietro and his family decided to invest in the new “super-intensive” or high-density olive cultivation system. They therefore planted the first area of approximately two hectares, an undertaking that proved highly rewarding.

This was followed by years of further investment, including the acquisition of new land, the expansion of production activities and the planting of super-intensive olive groves with different cultivars.

Today, the total area of the olive groves extends to approximately 115 hectares, divided between traditional groves (Peranzana and Coratina) and super-intensive groves (Arbequina, Coriana and Oliana), combining Apulian tradition with global innovation. The entire production process is managed under organic farming practices, from olive cultivation to the bottling of the oil.

precision_manufacturing

Technology at the service of quality

Two-phase continuous-cycle processing lines, cold extraction and targeted de-stoning.

biotech

Applied research

Protocols developed in collaboration with universities and technical partners to improve product quality.

eco

Organic identity

Cultivars and olive groves that express the character of the territory, cultivated using an environmentally responsible approach.

The olive trees receive all the care needed to satisfy the expectations of quality conscious consumers

De-stoned oil is obtained exclusively from olive pulp: removing the stone reduces bitter and astringent notes, resulting in a finer, fruitier and more harmonious extra virgin olive oil. This process also limits certain oxidative phenomena, helping to preserve polyphenols and natural antioxidants while improving the oil’s stability over time.

In a Bag-in-Box system, the oil is contained within a sealed food-grade pouch placed inside a protective box that shields it from light and air. As the oil is used, the pouch gradually collapses, preventing oxygen from entering. In this way, the extra virgin olive oil remains fresh, protected from oxidation, and preserves its aromas and nutritional properties for longer.

Cold milling takes place at a controlled temperature (≤ 27 °C) during the malaxation and extraction phases, in order not to stress the olive paste. This helps preserve aromas, polyphenols and nutritional properties, reducing oxidation and ensuring a more fragrant, balanced and consistently high-quality extra virgin olive oil over time.

The Team

The people behind our excellence

Pietro Leone

Founder

He devoted his entire professional life to Alfa Laval, collaborating closely with the company for many years. A promoter and technical specialist of its most advanced technologies at both local and national level, he represents the driving force behind the olive mill. Its development, growth and reputation for producing extra virgin olive oil of outstanding quality are closely linked to his expertise and vision. His passion has been passed on to his wife and children.

Luigi Leone

Field manager

Under his father’s guidance, he has gained many years of experience in the olive-growing and olive oil sector. Specialised in the cultivation of traditional and high-density olive groves, he oversees all agricultural operations and field activities.

Veronica Leone

Commercial director

She is responsible for the company’s commercial operations and client relations. Her expertise ranges from managing relationships with suppliers and customers to overseeing packaging and the marketing of the company’s extra virgin olive oil.

Michele Leone

Production director

He oversees the entire production process, from raw material selection to the mechanical and technological management of the processing facilities. Together with his father Pietro and his brother Luigi, he actively collaborates with Alfa Laval in the installation and maintenance of olive oil processing plants and contributed to the patenting of the Moliden-Leone de-stoner.