The Man Mapping the Mediterranean’s Finest Oils
Premium producers
Mediterranean countries
Countries via catalogue
Founded
Dimitris Besios — Aloades Estate, Thessaly
There’s a certain irony in the fact that one of the Mediterranean’s most passionate advocates for premium extra virgin olive oil spent the better part of his career in a world of spreadsheets and balance sheets. But for Dimitris Besios, the transition from banking to olive oil wasn’t a departure — it was a destination.
“The principles are the same. You look for quality, you build trust, and you think long-term.”
Dimitris first entered the olive oil world as a producer, founding Aloades, a premium extra virgin olive oil that quickly earned international recognition — winning awards in the United Kingdom, Canada, and beyond. It was hands-on immersion: learning the land, the harvest, the chemistry of polyphenols, the difference between good oil and extraordinary oil.
He pursued that knowledge formally, studying at the American Farm School’s Olive Institute in Thessaloniki and earning certification as a Pro Olive Expert.
But Dimitris saw something the industry was missing.
Across the Mediterranean — in Greece, Italy, Spain, Croatia, and beyond — there were hundreds of small, exceptional producers making world-class oils. Oils with stories, with terroir, with character. And yet most of them were invisible to the international market, overshadowed by industrial brands and supermarket labels.
In 2022, he founded Mediterrolio.
The name says it all: Mediterranean meets olio — the Italian word for oil. The concept was equally elegant: a curated network bringing together premium EVOO producers from across the Mediterranean basin, giving them a platform, a voice, and access to markets they could never reach alone.
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Today, Mediterrolio counts more than 150 producers and small companies from 7 Mediterranean countries. Its annual printed and digital catalogue — distributed in over 100 countries via Amazon — has become a reference point for importers, specialty retailers, and olive oil enthusiasts worldwide. Its permanent exhibition at Aloades Estate in Thessaly, housed in a restored stone warehouse within an old olive grove, welcomes tourists, students, and industry professionals for tastings and educational experiences that connect people with the oils and the stories behind them.
The network has expanded further: Mediterrolio storefronts now operate on Orderchamp and Faire, two of Europe’s largest wholesale platforms, connecting Gold member producers with buyers across the continent. A pop-up exhibition model — already piloted successfully in a major Greek hotel — is being replicated in new hospitality venues. An online store and B2B consultancy service for retailers are in development.
Mediterrolio wholesale storefronts on Faire & Orderchamp
In 2025, Dimitris was awarded for his contribution to the history and culture of olive oil — recognition that reflects not just his commercial achievements, but a deeper commitment to the olive as a civilizational symbol. He has published three olive oil catalogues and a book exploring olive oil-producing countries around the world.
For Dimitris Besios, Mediterrolio is more than a business directory. It’s an act of cultural preservation — a belief that the small producer, the family grove, the single-estate bottle deserves its place on the world’s finest tables.
Mediterrolio founded
Olive oil catalogues published
Award — olive culture & history
“Premium olive oil is not a commodity. It’s a story. Our job is to make sure the world can read it.”
— Dimitris Besios, Founder of Mediterrolio
Dimitris Besios — Founder, Mediterrolio