The Greek family grove behind Sabzi’s new Cornwall olive oil

The olives were picked while most of them were still green. That was a deliberate choice, and it is the reason the first bottles of Sabzi’s own oil taste the way they do.

Cornwall-based deli restaurant group Sabzi has launched its own Extra Virgin Olive Oil this autumn. Made from Koroneiki olives grown in southern Greece, it will be used in dishes across Sabzi’s menus and is also on sale in store and online.

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

An early harvest from one family farm

Sabzi owner and founder Kate Arjomandi-Attlee worked closely with Cristina Stribacu, olive oil producer and co-founder of LIÁ, and importer Issy Carey of The Oil Merchant to define the character of the oil.

They chose to harvest early, when around 70% of the olives were still green. The result is a single-estate, filtered Koroneiki extra virgin olive oil with a vibrant, expressive profile and pronounced herbaceous notes.

It is rich in natural antioxidants and stays stable when heated, so it works for cooking. But it is at its best raw, on salads or as a finishing oil for soups, stews and rice dishes.

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

“It has long been a dream of mine”

For Kate, the oil has personal roots.

“Extra virgin olive oil is a product that is very close to my heart. I have grown up with stories of the Iranian olive oil produced locally to my family in Qazvin, and I am passionate about its health benefits, and of course, its absolutely delicious flavour,” she said.

“It has long been a dream of mine to launch our very own olive oil to be used in Sabzi’s kitchens, but also to be enjoyed by our customers in their own kitchens too.

“It has been such a pleasure to work with Cristina and Issy to make this happen, and it feels all the more special knowing that the Koroneiki olives were grown using regenerative farming practices, on a single farm, by one family, in the village of Milies. The grove sits in a landscape rich in biodiversity, close to the Folóï Oak Forest (one of the largest oak forests in Greece) and to Ancient Olympia, in the Peloponnese, southern Greece.”

She added that the three of them share a belief in the importance of farmers and producers working in sustainable agriculture, and that bringing the oil to Cornwall and the rest of the UK is “very exciting”.

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

Farming a landscape hit by wildfires

Cristina said the family behind the oil farm regeneratively, partly to help the land recover from the devastating fires that have hit the region in recent years.

“This landscape is extraordinary, with ancient oak forest, olive groves and wildlife living side by side, but the wildfires have shown us how fragile it is,” she said.

“Regenerative farming, keeping the soil covered, holding its moisture, protecting the life within it, is how the family behind this oil helps the land stay resilient and to recover. For me, a great olive oil should taste of a place that is alive.

“The human element is very important to me, and with Kate at Sabzi, I know that our beliefs align: in making this oil we are supporting a community, and sharing the treasures of this area of Greece.”

Cristina was recently named one of the FAO 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, an honour from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations marking the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. It recognises her work preserving Greece’s indigenous olive varieties, promoting sustainable olive production, and supporting women and young farmers in rural communities.

The Oil Merchant is a family-run business founded in 1984 by Charles Carey. It was the first olive oil specialist in the UK and still works to champion small-scale producers.

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

What it tastes like

The oil is 100% Koroneiki, cold extracted in a two-phase Alfa Laval mill. Its tasting notes score it 5.3 for fruitiness, 3.5 for bitterness and 4.5 for pungency.

The nose opens with fresh-cut herbs and green olive, followed by chicory and artichoke. On the palate there is a creamy hint of avocado alongside a green bean freshness. The bitterness is structured, and the pungency builds gradually towards a clean, persistent finish.

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

Where to buy it

Sabzi Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes in two sizes, 100ml (£7.50 rrp) and 500ml (£15.95 rrp). It is available in Sabzi’s stores and online at sabzideli.co.uk.

• Truro: 16a Walsingham Place, Truro TR1 2RP
• Falmouth: 16 Arwenack Street, Falmouth TR11 3JA
• Padstow: 18 Duke Street, Padstow PL28 8AB
• Nansledan: Unit 1, Hub Building, Stret Myghtern Arthur, Nansledan TR8 4UX

You can also find Sabzi on Instagram at @sabzideli or email [email protected].

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

From supper clubs to four delis

Sabzi has become known for freshly prepared, daily-changing dishes made with seasonal ingredients, at prices aimed at the local community as well as visitors. It is one of the more distinctive names on the county’s food and drink scene.

Kate was born and raised in Cornwall, to an Iranian father and British mother. After years in London training and working in hospitality at Michelin-star level, she came back to Cornwall to marry and raise her family.

In 2015 she hosted a run of sell-out supper clubs from her home in Truro, introducing Iranian food to Cornish audiences. In 2018 she was picked from more than 3,000 applicants to appear on MasterChef, and reached the quarter-finals.

She opened Sabzi in Truro in 2019, followed by Falmouth in summer 2022, then Padstow and Nansledan in summer and autumn 2023.

“Being able to showcase such a beautiful olive oil that is produced in harmony with nature and the environment, is a real privilege,” Kate said, “and I am so delighted to be introducing this product to our customers at Sabzi.”

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates

📷Credit: James Ram - Chetwode Ram Associates