Olives Et Al: The motorbike story behind better olives!

1 day ago
3 min read

Not every food brand begins in a factory.

The story behind Olives Et Al starts with a motorbike and a journey across the Mediterranean. Back in the early 90s, the founders travelled through Spain, Greece, Turkey and North Africa and discovered something simple.

In those places, olives aren’t an afterthought. They arrive with drinks, small plates start appearing and suddenly a quick snack turns into a whole evening.

That idea stuck. Bring those flavours and that way of eating back to Britain and start doing olives properly.

WHAT ARE YOU REALLY PAYING FOR?

Here’s something worth thinking about when it comes to buying olives.

Many olives in foodservice are sold in large catering buckets filled with brine. They look generous, but a surprising amount of that weight is actually liquid. In some cases, well over a kilo of what you're paying for never makes it onto the plate. So while the bucket might say 3kg, a good chunk of that weight is simply salty water.

Olives Et Al do things differently...

Their olives are packed in bags inside compact, stackable boxes. No oversized buckets, no unnecessary liquid, just properly marinated olives ready to use.

Once you break it down by actual olive weight, the numbers start to look very different. In many cases, the Olives Et Al range works out the same price per kilo, and sometimes even cheaper, than traditional catering olives.

So while the pack may look more expensive at first glance, what you're really getting is more olives and less liquid.

Above: Ask your Account Manager about ramekins and points of sale.

IT'S NOT JUST OLIVES

While olives sit at the heart of the range, there’s a lot more going on here.

The dressings are a real standout. Bright, punchy flavours like Shallot & Orange, Raspberry & Mint, Lemon & Dill, Beetroot & Thyme, Mustard & Herb and Chilli & Ginger bring balance and lift to dishes without Chefs having to build everything from scratch.

They work beautifully for salads, marinades, grilled vegetables or simply finishing a plate with something fresh and interesting.

Alongside them are a handful of spice rubs inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking. Blends like Souvlaki, Shawarma and Adana bring serious depth of flavour to grilled meats, vegetables and kebabs, and because they’re so concentrated a little goes a long way.

Together they give chefs an easy way to layer flavour across a menu.

THE RANGE AVAILABLE

Big Mediterranean flavour, ready for your menu:

Olives (2.5kg Gross Weight)

Antipasti Olives

Bella Di Cerignola

Pitted Kalamata

Pitted Nocellara Del Belice

Pitted Sunshine Rosemary & Garlic

Pitted Thyme, Shallot & Lemon

Stone In Kalamata

Stone In Nocellara Del Belice

Sunshine Rosemary & Garlic

Dressings (1 litre Drizzle)

Beetroot & Thyme

Chilli & Ginger

Lemon & Dill

Mustard & Herb

Raspberry & Mint

Shallot & Orange

Spice Rub (500g tub)

Adana Spice Rub

Shawarma Spice Rub

Souvlaki Spice Rub

Best tasted, not just talked about.

Arrange a quick visit with your Account Manager and ask them to bring some samples along. Not sure who covers your area? Click here to meet the team.

A STORY FOR YOUR MENU

Sometimes the simplest things on a menu are the ones people remember. A bowl of olives with drinks, something to nibble while the table settles in.

With Olives Et Al, that bowl suddenly has a story behind it. Dorset-made olives inspired by a motorbike journey around the Mediterranean, packed with bold flavour and built for proper bar snacks, sharing boards and small plates.

Shop now on our app

And while we’re on the subject of drinks… have you explored our range? You can now order your restaurant goods and drinks together, all in one delivery with a minimum order of just £50. Click to explore the range.

Discover more from Forest Produce: