GIORGIO FRANCI 

Olive Oil Manufacturer

The story of Frantoio Franci olive oil starts in 1958 with my father Fernando and his brother Franco who were both born and raised in Montenero d’Orcia. For them the oil mill activity actually came as a secondary one, as they were mainly dedicated to earthmoving jobs. Since they found a “downtime” in autumn-winter months, they made the decision to give continuity to their work by buying an old barn and turning it into an oil-mill, as well as an olive grove called Villa Magra. Here they started pressing olives for local families and customers and the activity proved a solid one. 

“In 1995 my father was not feeling well and his elder brother wanted to quit the olive oil making so I decided to stay home for two or three months to contribution. The first oil to be born in 1996 was Villa Magra- a very powerful, aromatic, spicy product which instantly surprised and pleased judges, tasters, connoisseurs and possible customers. 

In the years that followed we created different profiles and intensities and from here the company and the production has steadily grown. Today, after almost 20 years, we are one of the most awarded producers worldwide, with 306 prizes, something I could hardly have anticipated in the 1990s.”