Domaine Fendri’s organic olive grove is located in Maknassy in the region of Sidi Bou Zid, the birthplace of the Tunisian “revolution” and a particularly dry and sunny part of Tunisia. The roots of the estate date back to 1911. Slim Fendri, the current manager represents the third generation in a family which has always been passionate about the olive tree. He joined the family business in 1995. After meeting some of the most advanced producers in Italy, he decided to radically change his production methods by focusing on small quantities and continuously increasing the quality.
A series of major investments were carried out in the period leading to 2006, including an advanced irrigation system aimed at a higher stability in the production levels and the sustainability of the quality levels. A modern 2 phase extraction system was introduced to preserve the highest proportion of the natural components of the oil to give it a “fresh from the mill taste”. At this stage, Domaine Fendri started to be recognised on the international markets. Slim Fendri also initiated a close collaboration with agronomists to closely monitor his production and joined QvExtra, an international association of premium producers.
The modern approach is combined with a very natural and traditional way of harvesting the olives by hand. This allows to select the healthiest fruits and protect the trees, some of which are several hundreds of years old. The olives are milled shortly after the harvest, giving the chemlali (the local olive variety) unique aromas and flavours. Domaine Fendri currently stands as the most awarded Tunisian olive oil and is regarded as a role model for organic farming in Tunisia.
