Discover Fattoria Cretarola from Abruzzo.

Fattoria Cretarola is a farm located in the heart of Abruzzo, at the gates of Penne, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy in the province of Pescara, and its products tell the true essence of the territory.
Twelve hectares that tell a story: it is precisely this vastness of land that hosts olive trees, tomatoes, grapevines and fruit trees within the green region, which is among the best for the production of extra virgin olive oil.
The oil is the flagship product of the farm: here indeed centuries-old plants of castiglionese are cultivated, which give rise to one of the four varieties of cold-extracted oils, along withdritta, leccino and peranzana.

The territory exudes tradition, the history of a family passing the baton for three generations, whose philosophy has always been to offer the products of the territory while maintaining the local tradition intact.
While tradition is the key to success, there is certainly no lack of innovation: the continuous search for modern techniques to combine with ancient customs is the engine of the farm.

Danilo and Manuel today run the business and represent the third generation of the family. Embracing the ideals of Fattoria Cretarola, in 2017 they took over the farm that was established by their grandparents. Care, attention and quality are the cornerstones on which the production is based.
It is the two brothers who handle the entire production process: Manuel is dedicated to cultivation and processing of the products, with great dedication and consistency, while Danilo focuses on promoting local excellence.

We love these realities, these producers of unique, certified and award-winning delicacies: they are real treasures nestled in our Peninsula between seas and mountains and in the most remote streets of villages and countryside. We do not stop at just enjoying their products, but we want to discover more closely the protagonists of this brand. That's why we sent some questions to those who manage communication with us.

Stay with us to learn about Fattoria Cretarola: read the answers!
 

• Who are we talking to?
  I am Danilo Cretarola, CEO.
   
• Is the company family-run? How many generations and from which year exactly?
  Yes, it is the third generation. The company was founded by our grandparents in 1958.
   
• What is the real reason or triggering fact behind the birth of this company and when did it happen?
  Our bond with the territory and especially our bond with our farm where we grew up. I still remember when we were little and "helped" our grandparents during the olive harvest. Beautiful! From here, the desire to create a unique, healthy product of the highest quality and to bring our territory through our oil to the whole world.
   
• What is your relationship with your land of origin and its uniqueness? And why do you want to tell its story through your products?
  It is a sincere and very respectful relationship; we grew up in those lands that taught us a lot, such as respect for the environment, the relationship with the territory, and the love for the products we can produce. The evo oil best expresses our territory because it can complete a dish by enhancing it, and thus our territory can enhance our region.
   
• What was the first product you created?
  Extra virgin olive oil.
   
• What is the product that you consider "flagship" today?
  Once again, extra virgin olive oil.
   
• And what is the product that has most represented the beating heart, the philosophy, and the soul of the company throughout its history?
  Always extra virgin olive oil.
   
• Let's talk about today: how much has the company grown since its inception? Can we have some numbers?
  Over the years, the company has grown in terms of hectares: today we have 13 hectares of property and the production of evo oil has quadrupled thanks also to collaborations with local farmers.
   
• At this moment: more tradition or more innovation?
  Definitely innovation.
   
• Talking about the future: what future do you foresee for the company? Is there any change or new evolutionary process planned?
  The dream of being present in all international markets so that the world can get to know our territory up close.
   
• Do you plan to create new products?
  Definitely. We are considering 2-3 paths, and as soon as possible, you will know our news.
   
• Having relied on Spaghetti & Mandolino, how important is online selling for you, what has your past relationship with this sales channel been like, and how do you see it in the future?
  Surely it is a very important sales channel and especially a very selective sales channel, but I am sure that soon people will return to buy food products in wine shops or in the reference boutiques as before the pandemic. In my opinion, the online market will succeed only for some sectors, and food is not one of these. Because our reality or wine shops, trusted shops will never change, at least that is what I hope.
   
• Value: what has it been, what is it today, and what will it be in the future for your company?
  Respect for the territory, through sustainability from cultivation to processing. For us, product quality and genuineness come before anything else, and only by respecting the territory can we achieve the maximum expression of the product.

S&M