Citizens of Soil, a UK-based olive oil company, has managed to secure its place as a champion of sustainable farming and premium quality. With £1.8 million in Seed funding now under their belts—that includes backing from FIGR Ventures and a private family office—they’ve proved that olive oil doesn’t have to be dull or mass-produced.
A Venture Born on a Boat to Crete
It all started, as many probably wouldn’t expect, with a boat trip between Santorini and Crete. Michael’s encounter with Maria—armed with her signature Cretan hospitality—formed a friendship and an unofficial delegation of olive oil enthusiasts. London visits followed, as did return trips to Crete, where Sarah eventually joined the mix. Slowly, bottles of olive oil began travelling back too, initially destined for family dinner tables in London and the US.
But this seemingly innocent taste of Maria’s grove soon uncovered a bitter truth: the olive oil industry thrives on mass production, prioritising volume over quality. This means degraded soils, underpaid farmers, and olive oil stripped of its taste and nutritional potential. It wasn’t just an oppressive marketplace; it was, as the founders came to believe, a fundamentally broken system.
The obsession with Maria’s superior-quality olive oil wasn’t just culinary—it connected them back to Crete’s culture, its people, and its land.
Figures and a Purpose Larger Than Profit
- Amount Raised: £1.8 million
- Key Backers: FIGR Ventures, private family office, strategic investors
- Focus: Sustainable farming, female empowerment, regenerative agriculture
- Next Steps: Scale business operations, roll out new products, expand internationally
Shoppers are no longer satisfied with faceless products wrapped in greenwashed promises. As co-founder and CEO Sarah Vachon put it, “Shoppers are increasingly looking for high-quality, nutritious food experiences that offer total transparency, and we are committed to bringing the best extra virgin olive oils directly to their kitchens.” Their aim is simple: elevate what olive oil can mean and represent, from its flavour to its origins.
Fiona Humphries of FIGR Ventures highlighted the company’s craftsmanship and ethical edge, stating, “The team’s innovative approach, combined with a genuine passion for creating the best-tasting, most sustainably-produced oil, sets them apart in a sector currently dominated by mass-produced, blended oils.” The investment provides a stepping stone to transform a niche offering into a brand known far beyond the borders of the UK.
Citizens of Soil doesn’t ask anyone to pick between good taste and good ethics. Instead, they merge the two, one bottle at a time. From small family-run farms to international tables, their work showcases what happens when passion and effort meet a purpose.
Curious? Visit Citizens of Soil to learn more about their approach to olive oil that bridges cultures and prioritises sustainability.
