The California Difference
California Ripe Olives balance mild olive flavor with a buttery texture.
Our olives are loved by families and foodies alike
Unlike olives from other parts of the world, our traditional 7-day curing process is essential to creating this unique taste experience. The California olive style was developed by entrepreneur Freda Ehmann in the 1800s and is still employed today, ensuring the olives’ unique quality, flavor and texture of California Ripe Olives.
Olives are too bitter to eat off of the tree so once harvested, they are soaked in a lye curing solution to leach out the bitterness. A series of cold-water rinses removes all traces of the curing solution before they are canned. All California Ripe Olives are picked green. Black olives are produced by constantly bubbling pure air through the olive tanks during the curing process. This air creates their rich, dark color. Occasionally, a trace of organic iron salt (ferrous gluconate) is added to black olives to maintain their deep color once stored.
California Ripe Olives: Deep Roots, Bright Future
In the 1800s, many acres of olive trees were planted because of the demand for olive oil. Freda Ehmann and her son, Edwin, purchased an orchard in the Oroville area of Northern California…
California Ripe Olives are canned in a mild salt-brine solution. As a low-acid product, they are heat sterilized under strict California State health rules. In addition, they are inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure consistent quality, color, flavor, and texture. California Ripe Olives are offered in a variety of convenient forms including: whole, pitted, sliced, chopped, or wedged. They are readily available year-round in your local grocery store. Look for them across the U.S., as well as in Canada and Japan.