Face to face with: GNAVOLINI | SANA Partner

February 2026

We are Gnavolini Raccolta Sapore, an Umbrian olive oil company that brings together olive growing, milling, and olive oil culture within a single supply chain: from our olive groves to the bottle. Our uniqueness stems from a simple yet radical idea: placing the miller (and processing expertise) at the center of quality, because it is there that the fate of an extra virgin olive oil is determined. For this reason, we have invested in a state-of-the-art mill, designed to operate quickly and with the utmost care, reducing oxidative stress and preserving aromas and polyphenols. Our mission is to produce and share a “conscious” extra virgin olive oil: good, clean, traceable, and the expression of a specific land and a transparent method. We believe in an agriculture that is not merely the “absence of chemicals,” but the presence of responsibility toward the soil, biodiversity, people, and community. This is where organic farming becomes a long-term project: a technical, ethical, and cultural choice.

What inspired your participation in SANA Food 2026, and what goals or expectations are guiding you in this new edition?

SANA Food 2026 is the natural setting in which to present our vision: an extra virgin olive oil born from sustainable agriculture and perfected through rigorous processing. We are participating because we want to engage with an audience that is not simply looking for “an oil,” but for an identity-driven, healthy, certifiable product aligned with environmental and social values. Our objectives are concrete: To build qualified commercial relationships with buyers and distributors focused on the premium and organic segments, both in Italy and abroad. To present our integrated supply chain approach — olive groves + mill + traceability — which allows us to ensure consistent standards and enhance origin, also with a view to DOP Umbria. To strengthen brand perception as an “out-of-the-box” company: technologically advanced, yet deeply rooted in Umbrian agricultural culture. To promote education and awareness: explaining why truly credible organic production is not measured solely by the label, but by process quality, plant hygiene, time management, and daily care. For us, SANA is not only a product exhibition but also a content platform: we aim to move beyond the concept of oil as a commodity and restore it to its role as a cornerstone of Mediterranean well-being.

Today’s consumers are increasingly conscious about health and well-being. How has this awareness influenced your production choices or inspired new product concepts?

For us, health is not a slogan: it is an operational criterion. The growing attention of consumers has led us to make our attention to detail even more “scientific,” because in extra virgin olive oil the difference lies in minutes, temperatures, and line hygiene. In practical terms: Agronomic choices focused on soil vitality: we work toward olive growing practices that promote biological balance, biodiversity, and resilience. From this perspective, organic farming is not an endpoint but a method: it means preserving fertility and reducing long-term environmental impact. Processing that preserves bioactive compounds: rapid timing, thermal control, and rigorous cleanliness enable us to obtain oils with clear sensory profiles and medium-to-high levels of polyphenols, combining taste with nutritional value. Clearer and more useful communication: consumers seek transparency and practical tools. For this reason, we aim to make origin, harvest year, variety, and quality parameters immediately understandable, avoiding generic claims. Our new proposals follow the same logic: not “superficial innovations,” but products and formats that facilitate proper daily use (dosage, storage, freshness) and present extra virgin olive oil as a functional ingredient as well as a gastronomic one.

Tradition and innovation often go hand in hand in a company’s growth journey. How do you manage to honor your roots while giving them a contemporary interpretation?

Our roots are Umbrian, and they are clearly reflected in our work: historic varieties such as Moraiolo, Frantoio, and Leccino, rolling valley landscapes, and agricultural knowledge passed down through generations. Yet the way we preserve them is contemporary: tradition is not repetition, but fidelity to the meaning of what we do. The key is this: Tradition = identity (territory, cultivars, mill culture).Innovation = precision (measure, control, improve, guarantee). We have chosen a mill designed for high quality and efficient volume management because we believe excellence should not be accidental: it must be repeatable. Innovation enables us to respect the olive, reduce errors, increase cleanliness, and ensure consistent quality. There is also an element that truly represents us: what we call “olive oil humanism.” In a sector that sometimes speaks only of machines or, conversely, only of romanticism, we place the skilled individual back at the center: the miller as interpreter, responsible figure, and guardian. An ancient root expressed in a contemporary language.

Transparency, sustainability, and traceability have become essential values in today’s market. How do you bring these principles to life in your distribution practices?

For us, these values translate into procedures and supply chain choices, not declarations. Distribution represents the last mile of quality: you can produce a great oil, but if it is poorly managed afterward, its value is lost. 

Here is how we put this into practice:

• Traceability as a guarantee, not bureaucracy: we aim for an increasingly certified and transparent supply chain, with clear data on origin, batch, harvest year, variety, and process. Traceability must provide customers with proof, not promises.
• Transparency toward the channel: we collaborate with partners (food service, specialized retail, distributors) who share our vision of value, because a premium extra virgin olive oil must be properly communicated and stored.
• Sustainability in logistics as well: we prioritize organization, planning, and flow management to reduce inefficiencies, waste, and unnecessary handling. Packaging and shipping must protect the product and respect the environment: less marketing, more substance.
• Quality all the way to the shelf: we provide training and guidelines on proper storage (light, temperature, rotation), because sustainability also means preventing the degradation or waste of a high-value product.

In summary, our concept of sustainability is comprehensive. It begins in the field, continues through processing, and extends to distribution with the same coherence — measure, respect, demonstrate.