We are the Piras family, a five-generation family of olive farmers in Sardinia, Italy.
Obìa was founded by Enrico, who grew up in the olive groves, and Kate, a second-generation Italian-American. From harvest to bottle (and even shipping), we work as a small family team with full control over every step. No middlemen. No shortcuts.
As a young family with small children, we understand how hard it is to find food you can truly trust. That’s why every bottle of our olive oil is fully traceable and produced in small batches from our GMO- and pesticide-free family groves.
Our EVOO is family-made, but it’s also crafted to the highest standards we know. When you pour it, you’re getting the kind of olive oil we believe every kitchen should have, one that reflects the values of our ancient island: honest, vibrant, and made with genuine pride.
In the center of the Mediterranean Sea lies the island of Sardinia, home to the longest-living men on Earth. Sardinia is Isolated far from the pollution of the major cities of Europe — having the cleanest air in all of Italy.
The warm climate boasts an ideal environment for growing olives, meaning we don't need to use any special treatments. The Nuragic populations of Sardinia cultivated and extracted oil from the natural wild olive trees since 4000 years ago.
Our town of Villacidro is located high above sea level and is nestled in a valley below the nearby mountains, providing protecting from wind and natural underwater irrigation.
Sardinia is classified as one of the world's five blue zones - an area of the world where people live longer lives than average. Sardinia boasts 10x more centenarians than the United States, and is particularly known for having the highest concentration of male centenarians. Enrico's own great-grandfather, who passed down his own olive grove (Seddus) to us lived to 101.
Enrico's family has farmed olives around Villacidro for more than a century. It was never a big business. For most of that time, the groves simply made oil for the family’s own table. Each generation has taken on the same responsibility: to care for the land and leave it better for the next.
Enrico’s great-grandfather, Giuseppe Muscas, bought the family’s first olive grove. Its olives made oil for the family, and that was enough
Enrico’s grandparents, Antonio Piras and Giovanna Muscas, bought more olive groves, enough for their seven children. Around then, incentives encouraged farmers in Villacidro to replace their vineyards with olive trees, and some of our ancestors took advantage of them.
Enrico’s parents and uncle planted more trees and invested in more land. They grew the farm a little, and it stayed small and family-run. Although they did it out of passion, they dreamed of one day turning it into a business.
After some years in Pisa studying at university, Enrico came back to Sardinia and participated in the olive harvest again, with new eyes. He re-discovered his love for it. When he sent Kate a bottle of oil from the family farm, they both realized the United States was missing oil of this quality. So we set out to bring Sardinian olive oil to America, and became the first Sardinian extra virgin olive oil company to sell directly to customers.
Our children, Cesare and Valerio, are the fifth generation of our family to grow up with these olive trees. For now, their contribution is mostly running through the grove, gathering whatever catches their attention and picking olives by hand.
