Olea has one primary focus - the production of premium quality EVOO. Olea does not produce EVOO by blending high quality EVOO with lesser quality oils to meet production specifications. Our oil is and stays EVOO from the minute the olive is crushed.

As an emerging producer, Olea is able to implement all that is currently known about optimum oil production and combine this with modern farming techniques. The vast majority of current olive oil production occurs using grove and processing technology that is rapidly going out of date.

Olea has invested heavily in a 385 hectare state of the art plantation and production facility each designed to ensure the consistent supply of a high quality product at globally competitive prices.

This integrated approach allows Olea to minimise supply chain risk while allowing it flexibility to participate in those markets that maximise return.

Olea is Australia's only single purpose, stock exchange listed producer of olive oil. This listing provides Olea with the financial security needed to commit to meeting long term supply contracts. While many other Australian producers are privately owned and dependant on further private funds to operate, Olea has public financial backing and capital to continue creating assets of the highest quality.

Yates Limited, a 100 year old company with an entrenched history in Australian agriculture is one of Olea's largest shareholder. Olea's Directors also hold a substantial equity interest in the company.

Olea has also invested in a management team with the experience to grow the company globally while ensuring that it is able to consistently supply quality product cost efficiently.

As with any primary production endeavour, the issue of yield is critical to success. The more fruit that a single tree can produce, the greater the value. One of the most crucial issues affecting yield is climate.

Dandaragan is within the Southern Olive Growing Band, being the band equidistant south of the equator as the major growing areas of Southern Europe and the Middle East are north of the equator. While average temperatures and rainfalls are very similar there is one major exception - the rate of seasonal change.

Unlike Southern Europe where seasonal change can occur overnight, Dandaragan experiences a gradual seasonal change. Gradual seasonal change substantially affects fruit yield as it:

• Increases the length of the growing season;
• Reduces the risk of snow and frost that can destroy olive trees;
• Reduces competition for tree nutrients between flowering and new shoot growth; and
• Results in fruit setting at an earlier age.

Australia also has a greater level of light intensity than Europe primarily due to the high number of cloudless days and minimal industrial activity. This results in denser fruit tree canopies and higher fruit yields.

Olea has already evidenced the above factors with one year old trees, planted 12 months ago, starting to flower and bear fruit.

Dandaragan represents an excellent location for the large scale growing of olive trees. Not only are the climatic conditions ideal, but Dandaragan is predominantly a broad acre farming area (wheat and livestock) with an abundance of available land in average farm lots in excess of 1,000 hectares.

As a result, Olea is confident that its farm operations at Dandaragan will emerge as a significant production base for the large scale growing of Olive Trees, capable of cost efficient expansion to meet increases in demand.

^ top