Extra Virgin Alliance - The Olive Oils

Acushla

ACUSHLA, a word of Irish origin that means “beat of my heart”, ACUSHLA’s terminology describes the concept from which it sprung, the strength of an emotion that would allow several generations from the same family to bond. An idea that makes ACUSHLA an OLIVE OIL WITH PASSION.

In 2006, Joaquim Moreira, a fashion entrepreneur, launched the ACUSHLA project. This organic farming project placed a premium segment in the olive oil market destined for those with a more demanding taste.
With its beauty, spirituality, resistance, and longevity, the olive tree has always fascinated Joaquim Moreira. Having spent most of his professional life in a big metropolis, he decided to cherish an alternative project strictly connected with nature. The initiative to take this path came from the need to “temper” the everyday life with a business related to the land and the slower rhythm that it determines.

Environmental concern is one of the cornerstones of ACUSHLA. Besides the mill equipped with the most advanced technology, Quinta do Prado have two houses for an experience as rural eco-tourism and olive tourism experience.

The bet on renewable energies is one of the company’s goals, and already 70% of our energy consumption is based on solar panels. We also use the olives leftovers to do organic compost as a natural fertilizer mixed with our sheep garbage.

The ACUSHLA olive has its origin in Alto Douro, in Quinta do Prado, an estate located in Vila Flor with approximately 300 acres, which congregate a high potential for olive oil production. With 14 acres of centenarian olive trees and 200 acres of new olive trees, the farm has approximately 70,000 olive trees. The estate is the largest organic production area in the region of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro.

The growth of the olive trees is conducted with the utmost respect for the established procedures of organic production, foreseen by the European and American legislation. However, this production leads to several slow and expensive methods, mainly the maintenance of the fertilization of the soils and the respect for phytosanitary and fertilization principles; it is prohibited the use of chemical synthesis products.

From the olive grove monitoring to olive reception at the mill, through processing and packaging, all quality control operations are strictly enforced. In fact, Acushla mill is the first mill in Portugal to achieve FSSC 22000 certification (Food Safety System Certification), one of the highest international standards in food safety.