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The story of our olive oil
The story of our olive oil
Our olive oil
Story from
Story from
Memmas Knossos extra virgin olive oils have charmed Finns for decades, and have also established themselves in many kitchens. Now we tell you where the story of our quality Cretan olive oils began.
A small Cretan olive oil producer - quality with a big heart
The story of the beloved Memmas Knossos olive oil brand began in 1995, when a food entrepreneur, Aki Morikka, with the support of its Cretan contact, found a small olive oil producer in Crete. Morikka was convinced - the extra virgin olive oil produced by the Cretan family business was second to none in terms of both quality and taste. The following year, Morikka started importing olive oil from Crete to Finland under his own Memmas Knossos brand.
"A funny memory from our early days was taking olive oil to the shops behind my Sierra. At that time, olive oils were delivered in 24-bottle boxes, so the Sierra's rear end was pretty low from the weight of the oils. This soon led to the purchase of a larger van."
Aki Morikka, Memmas Knossos - founder of the brand
However, the activities soon began to expand. The tasty and high-quality extra virgin olive oil became very popular and was offered in more than 1000 grocery stores around Finland.
The best olive oil begins with the esteemed Koroneiki olives
The secret behind the rich taste of Memmas Knossos' Cretan olive oil was already the first-class Koroneiki olives, which derive their distinctive flavour from the favourable Cretan climate and soil. The picking and preparation processes for Cretan olives were also carefully honed. The hand-picked olives were cold-pressed fresh in a Cretan olive oil mill - mechanically and without chemicals. These elements are still the cornerstones of the quality of Memmas Knossos extra virgin olive oil.
The legacy lives on with the new owner
In 2011, Morikka recognized that it was time to pass on the olive oil brand and began searching for a new owner capable of taking the brand to the next stage of growth. After getting to know Arho Foods , the decision was confirmed: Memmas Knossos olive oils and their importation joined the ranks of our other prestigious food brands. However, the pillars of the iconic brand remained intact. The partnership with the Cretan producer continued and was expanded. Our extra virgin olive oil, which soon became a household name, was followed by a high-quality organic alternative. Memmas Knossos extra virgin olive oil has also received international recognition. The German EliteOliveOils organises an extensive olive oil evaluation every year, and in the 2023 taste tests, Memmas Knossos Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil was awarded a gold level certificate.
The range is expanding to new flavours of Mediterranean cuisine
Today, these two classics are still a familiar sight in Finnish kitchens. Since then, they have been joined by new oil favourites - mild olive oil for frying and chilli olive oil for those who love the spicy taste. Our love of Greek cuisine and a healthy Mediterranean diet has also led us to expand our product range to include more and more Greek products: delicious Greek olives from Memmas Knossos are great in salads or as snacks, while oven feta with Greek spice mix offers an intriguing flavour for warm dishes.