Oro del Desierto

What Oro del Desierto does

Oro del Desierto (legal entity RAFAEL ALONSO AGUILERA SL) is a family-owned Spanish producer of premium organic extra virgin olive oil (AOVE), operating from Finca El Vicario, a roughly 100-hectare organic olive grove in the semi-arid Tabernas Desert in Almería, Andalusia. Founded in 1999 and stewarded by a family with seven generations of cultivation in the Tabernas terroir, the company runs a fully vertically integrated operation covering cultivation, milling, and bottling on site, using 100% photovoltaic energy and a zero-waste production cycle where pomace is reused as biomass and animal feed.

The product portfolio centers on the Oro del Desierto brand and includes a flagship Coupage blend plus monocultivar EVOOs from Picual, Hojiblanca, Arbequina, and Lechín olive varieties, supplemented by limited editions such as the 1/10 early harvest (8,000 bottles in 2022/23) and a 2026 Podium Edition developed for the South Korean market. Secondary brands include Valle de la Luz and Los Albardinales. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer sales via an in-house e-commerce storefront and an on-site restaurant-museum at the mill with export to distributors and importers in 32+ countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time sales of bottled EVOO plus professional services revenue from oleotourism and the Los Albardinales themed restaurant. The company has invested in R&D through EU-funded consortia, notably the Extraoil eco-sustainable extraction project (2018) and the VITA-TERRA soil microbiota initiative (2024), and has earned sustained recognition including 11 consecutive years in the World's Best Olive Oils TOP 10, multiple FLOS OLEI 99/100 scores, NYIOOC #1 and #2 rankings, and AEMO recognition as Best Olive Mill of Spain in 2019 and Most Sustainable Olive Tree Estate in 2023.

Name

Oro del Desierto

Legal name

RAFAEL ALONSO AGUILERA SL

Website

https://orodeldesierto.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oro del Desierto is a family-owned Spanish producer of premium organic extra virgin olive oil, vertically integrated from grove to bottle at its 100-hectare farm in the Tabernas Desert, selling globally via e-commerce, export distributors in 32+ countries, and an on-site restaurant-museum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

NAICS

Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225), Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122)

SIC

Fats & Oils (2070)

akta.pro primary industry

Olive Oil Production & Bottling (AFAKAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Olive Groves (Olives for Oil & Table) (AFAGACAG), Virgin & Cold-Pressed Culinary Oils (AFAJALAB)

Keywords

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Organic olive oil
• Single varietal olive oil
• Premium Mediterranean oils
• Limited edition olive oil

Headquarters

HQ city

Tabernas

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sales: Production, bottling and sale of organic extra virgin olive oil through direct sales, online store, and export to 32+ countries worldwide
2. Oleotourism and Restaurant Services: Guided visits to the ecological farm, themed restaurant (Los Albardinales) at the mill, and rural houses managed by the company

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Oro del Desierto produces and sells certified organic, premium extra virgin olive oil from its single estate in the Tabernas desert (Almería, Spain), under the Oro del Desierto and Valle de la Luz brands. The portfolio spans single-varietal EVOOs (Picual, Hojiblanca, Arbequina, Lechin), signature blends (Coupage, Podium), and numbered limited editions (1/10), supplemented by an on-site restaurant (Los Albardinales).

Product overview

Oro del Desierto is an agricultural company producing premium organic extra virgin olive oils (AOVE). The product portfolio centers on the Oro del Desierto brand featuring four core monocultivar EVOOs: Coupage (blend), Picual, Hojiblanca, Arbequina, and Lechin. The range includes limited editions such as the 1/10 early harvest edition and Podium Edition for South Korea. Secondary brands include Valle de la Luz and Los Albardinales. The company operates from the Tabernas Desert in Almería, Spain, with seven generations of farming heritage, and also offers oleotourism through a restaurant-museum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Oro del Desierto Coupage: Premium blend organic extra virgin olive oil, flagship product of the company
• Oro del Desierto Picual
• Oro del Desierto Hojiblanca
• Oro del Desierto Arbequina
• Oro del Desierto Lechin
• Valle de la Luz
• Los Albardinales
• Oro del Desierto 1/10
• Podium Edition

Products and services

• Oro del Desierto Coupage Signature blended organic extra virgin olive oil from the Oro del Desierto estate in Almería, sold to consumers and gourmet retailers worldwide.
• Oro del Desierto Picual Single-varietal organic extra virgin olive oil made exclusively from Picual olives grown on the family estate, marketed to premium EVOO consumers and specialty retail.
• Oro del Desierto Hojiblanca Single-varietal organic extra virgin olive oil produced from Hojiblanca olives, sold as a distinct varietal expression for premium consumers.
• Oro del Desierto Arbequina Single-varietal organic extra virgin olive oil made from Arbequina olives, marketed for its milder flavor profile to gourmet and home-cooking consumers.
• Oro del Desierto Lechín Single-varietal organic extra virgin olive oil produced from Lechín olives from the Almería estate, offered to collectors and varietal enthusiasts.
• Oro del Desierto 1/10 Limited Edition Numbered limited edition extra virgin olive oil from Oro del Desierto, marketed to collectors and gift purchasers as a scarce, certified organic release.
• Oro del Desierto Podium Edition Premium organic extra virgin olive oil edition from Oro del Desierto positioned to highlight the producer's international award recognition for premium and gift consumers.
• Valle de la Luz brand Secondary olive oil brand operated by Oro del Desierto, offering additional olive oil products within the company's overall portfolio.
• Los Albardinales Restaurant On-site restaurant and agritourism experience operated by the company at its Almería estate, complementing its olive oil production with hospitality and brand experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 and #2 in NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition (Coupage #1, Picual #2)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tecnova (Centro Tecnológico de la Industria Auxiliar de la Agricultura)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Technology center serving as the Representative Entity of the VITA-TERRA Operational Group focused on soil microbiota in olive cultivation. Project budget of €260,174.52 funded by FEADER.
• GrodiTechcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Technology partner in VITA-TERRA project responsible for developing TIC tools to quantify soil conditions, olive tree phenotypes, and collecting quantitative data through innovative technological tools.
• InterjospalcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Producer of innovative product based on live microorganisms used in VITA-TERRA project for soil regeneration and crop fortification against soil pathogens.
• Citoliva (Centro Tecnológico del Olivar)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Olive technology center participating in VITA-TERRA project focused on evaluating soil used in olive production across Almería and Jaén provinces.
• SEO/BirdLifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Conservation organization with which Oro del Desierto signed a custody agreement as part of the Olivares Vivos (Living Olive Groves) project financed by Life EU program.
• FUNDACIÓN PARA LAS TECNOLOGÍAS AUXILIARES DE LA AGRICULTURAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partner in Extraoil project developing eco-sustainable systems for olive oil extraction. Project co-financed by EU through FEADER with private investment exceeding €100,000.
• ASAJA (Asociación Agraria de Jóvenes Agricultores)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Agricultural association partner in Extraoil project focused on developing eco-sustainable extraction methods with high polyphenol content.
• Los Albardinales RestaurantminorOthersThemed restaurant located at the olive mill premises, offering oleotourism experiences and serving dishes prepared with Oro del Desierto olive oils.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California Olive Ranch: Leading American premium EVOO producer focused on quality, sustainability, and single-varietal oils. Comparable in scale, vertical integration, and premium brand-building in a non-traditional olive-growing region.
• Lucini Italia: Italian premium EVOO brand focused on estate-bottled, sustainably produced olive oils. Similar premium specialty positioning with comparable international distribution model targeting gourmet and health-conscious consumers.
• Maeva (Greek Olive Oil): Premium Greek EVOO producer focused on organic and single-varietal oils with strong international export presence. Direct comparable in size, premium positioning, and Mediterranean origin competing in the same global specialty channels.
• Gaea (Greek Olive Oil): Greek premium EVOO producer with strong sustainability credentials and broad international export. Comparable in premium positioning, sustainability narrative, and Mediterranean origin competing in similar retail and foodservice channels.
• Castillo de Canena: Spanish premium EVOO producer based in Jaén (Andalusia) specializing in organic and single-varietal olive oils. Closely comparable in scale, family-ownership structure, premium positioning, and Andalusian origin; direct competitor in international premium EVOO competitions.

Broad incumbents

• Colavita: Italian premium olive oil company with broad US and international distribution. Comparable in premium Mediterranean EVOO positioning though significantly larger and more brand-recognized in North American retail.
• Ybarra: Historic Spanish olive oil and food brand with extensive global distribution. Same Spanish origin and EVOO category, but operates at much larger scale across mainstream and premium tiers.
• Deoleo: World's largest olive oil company, owner of brands like Carbonell, Bertolli, and Carapelli. Broad incumbent in the same Spanish EVOO category with extensive retail and foodservice distribution that dwarfs Oro del Desierto's reach.
• Sovena: Portuguese-Spanish integrated olive oil major producing bulk and branded EVOO (Andorinha, Fontoliva). Comparable vertically integrated producer with much larger scale, representing the benchmark Oro del Desierto could grow toward.
• Borges International Group: Spanish family-owned olive oil and food company with strong premium and private-label presence. Comparable Mediterranean EVOO player with broader product portfolio but overlapping premium positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/orodeldesierto
• Facebookfacebook.com/orodeldesierto
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oro-del-desierto

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oro del Desierto