Origins of a Love
We are in Puglia, in the Gargano region, more than a century ago producing Premium and Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
In Puglia’s stunning Gargano region, our family’s story of producing exceptional olive oil began more than a century ago. The tradition here in Southern Italy is to name the family’s first son after his paternal grandfather, a way of passing on the family name and legacy. This is how we trace our roots back to the late 19th century, when our great-grandfather, Berardino Clemente, first started trading almonds and oil.
His son, Michele, and grandson, another Berardino, continued the family trade. This second Berardino not only maintained strong commercial ties but also transformed his exceptional tasting skills into a key strength for the business. He became a trusted partner for companies throughout Northern Italy, carefully selecting the finest Apulian olive oils for them.
But Berardino was driven by a bigger vision: he wanted to share his product directly with others, honoring the hard work of his father and grandfather. This dream led him to begin bottling his own oil and pass down all his knowledge about tasting and farming to his two young sons, Michele and Antonello.
In 1983, at just 60 years old, Berardino passed away suddenly. Despite their young age—Michele was 24 and Antonello 20—the brothers, having grown up surrounded by the “strong and intense perfume of oil,” knew they had to continue their family’s work. They rebuilt relationships with producers and companies, demonstrating a level of knowledge and skill that was a testament to their father’s teachings.
Soon after, their sister, Carla, joined them to manage the administrative side of the business, and their youngest sister, Ilenia, began overseeing the international market in 2000. Over two decades, the siblings’ commitment and hard work paid off, transforming Olearia Clemente into a market leader and a key player in the global olive oil industry.
Today, Olearia Clemente has fully realised Berardino’s dream. We don’t just produce olive oil; we convey the rich value of our product and our land. By directly overseeing every step—from tending to our vast olive groves to modern, certified transformation and bottling plants—we ensure that every bottle reflects our family’s heritage and unwavering commitment to quality.
And now, for the first time, we’re bringing our authentic taste of Italy to food lovers in Australia and New Zealand. Our Premium and Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is now available online, allowing you to experience the quality that has been a century in the making.
Berardino Clemente
1895
Boats carrying the oil produced in the Mattinata plain to Manfredonia can be spotted from the shoreline. Berardino and his wife, Eleonora, hold a remarkable commercial acumen, the same flair thanks to which Antonio De Palma, Eleonora’s father, obtained enormous oil orders to be sent to the front during WW1.
Michele Clemente
1930
At the age of 35, Michele Clemente, son of Eleonora and Berardino, leaves Mattinata and moves to Manfredonia. Here he soon becomes the contact person for important Northern Italian companies. This is when he first started bottling oil on his own. Olio Clemente starts expanding into the local market.
Berardino Clemente
1950
Berardino strengthens his father’s commercial relationships and nails new agreements with the best known Italian packaging producers focusing on the trading of olive oil.
Michele Clemente
1980
Following his father’s early decease, the young Michele, thanks to the support of his siblings Carla and Antonello, re-sets the company from scratches by developing the farming sector, the processing area and innovating packaging lines. Today, thanks to their tireless work, Clemente appears in the GDO list and is ranked as the LARGEST ITALIAN OIL PRODUCER.
This is the story of an Italian Family.
Olearia Clemente, the largest Italian olive oil producer.
Michele Clemente
Antonello Clemente
Carla Clemente
