We Don't Say 'Cold Pressed.' Here's Why.

If we've ever met at a market, or if you've sent me a message online, you might have asked me this at some point:

"Is your olive oil cold pressed?"

"Is this the first pressing?"

And I love that you ask. It tells me you care about what you're eating — and that you're savvy enough to look beyond pretty labels.

But here's the honest truth, farmer to you: those words don't mean what they used to. And that's exactly why Petros and I made the call not to put them on our bottles.

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A little history lesson (the short version)

Back in my grandfather's day — and I mean way back — olive oil was made in giant presses. Layers of olive paste stacked high, then squeezed with serious muscle. The very first oil that dripped out? That was the prize. Rich, peppery, packed with phenolics. Then they'd tighten the screws and press again — and again — each time getting oil that was thinner, more bitter, more pulp-filled.

Those old presses also had a problem: they got hot. By mid-morning, temperatures would creep past 26°C, and once that happened, the oil's quality started to drop. The good stuff — the antioxidants — literally cooked away.

So producers would bargain like crazy for the first slot of the day, or the one right after aftrrnoon siesta, just to keep things cold. Handshakes, winks, the whole deal.

Funny thing, though: being first meant your olives had probably sat overnight in bags. And any grower worth their salt will tell you — olives should be milled within hours of picking. Not the next morning.

So even that "first press" gold standard? It had its flaws.

How we do it today—and why it's better

Modern olive oil making has come a long way. We don't press anymore—we use decanter centrifuges. Fancy name, simple result: consistent, clean extraction without the heat spikes. Our ISO-certified equipment keeps temperatures never above 26°C, from the first drop to the last.

That means every batch from Papa's Grove is cold—and there's no "first" or "second" because it's all one continuous, careful process.

So when you see other brands still shouting "cold pressed" or "first pressed" from the rooftops? That's old-school marketing doing what it does best—selling a feeling, not a fact.

We chose a different road.

Why we won't use those words—even if it costs us

It would be easy to slap "cold pressed" on our label. It's what people search for. It's what sells.

But we didn't start Papa's Grove to follow the crowd. We started it to honour my family's land, our trees, and the people who trust us with their food and their tables.

We made a conscious choice: no misleading terms. No riding the wave of outdated buzzwords. Even if it means some customers pass us by because they're looking for that familiar phrase — I'm okay with that.

Because the ones who stay? They're the ones who value honesty over hype. And those are my people.

What I want you to take away

We’re not here to confuse you. We’re here to earn your trust—one bottle, one conversation, one harvest at a time.

If you ever have questions, I’m all ears. And if you want the deep dive into centrifugation or polyphenol preservation, just say the word — I’ll write a part two.

Until then, know this: when you buy from Papa’s Grove, you’re getting the real deal. No shortcuts. No old tricks. Just honest, high-quality oil we’re proud to put our name on.

We're farmers. We're family. And we're here to give you the real story, not the pretty one.

Thank you for caring enough to ask. That's what keeps us growing.

Kalimera