We are Manuel and Joaquim, born in the region of Maestrat, a Mediterranean coastal area known for its millennial olive trees. These trees have not only shaped the landscape but also our lives and the history of our families. Joaquim’s grandmother, Carmen, had her olive trees in a plot of land called El Poaig, and from a young age, Joaquim learned to value those trees and understand the deep respect for the land that she passed on to him. It wasn’t difficult to choose the name for our project: EL POAIG not only honors the place where Carmen's olive trees stood, but also her legacy and everything she taught us.
In 2007, as childhood friends, Joaquim and Manuel witnessed something we never could have imagined: many of Maestrat’s ancient olive trees were being uprooted to decorate roundabouts and châteaux in the south of France. Seeing these natural treasures treated like mere ornaments was devastating. We knew we had to act.
Manuel was already an accomplished master miller, while Joaquim was focused on other ventures, but we united in the fight, alongside the people of Maestrat, who also understood that these trees were not just part of the landscape but true treasures that deserved to be preserved and valued. Thanks to this collective effort, we managed to get a law passed to protect monumental trees. This law not only saved many of those olive trees but also set a precedent for protecting the natural heritage of our land.
For us, this struggle was not just about the trees; it was about the legacy of our families, our traditions, and the land that has given us so much. It was this fight, along with our lifelong friendship, that brought us together in a life project: EL POAIG. We wanted our extra virgin olive oil to not only be one of the best in the world but also to reflect our history and our commitment to the land.
Behind EL POAIG oils are hundreds of hours of conversations around a table, stories and tales from the lands of Maestrat, and a way of living and thinking about the land. After all, it was designed to be at the table. And it is around a table, under an olive tree, where we spend long hours, fixing the world in our own way, the Mediterranean way.
Today, EL POAIG is more than an olive oil. It is our way of honoring the heritage we received, of sharing our traditions, and inviting you to be part of this story. Because EL POAIG is not just the name of a piece of land; it is a symbol of resilience, family, friendship, love, and the fight to preserve millennial olive trees. It is a tribute to the people of Maestrat, like Joaquim’s grandmother Carmen, who made it possible for this natural legacy to reach us today.
Because we love the olive trees.