Coldani Olive Ranch, maker of the nationally-distributed Calivirgin olive oil, has announced their acquisition of the regional Lodi Olive Oil Co.
Coldani’s products are sold in specialty shops around the country. Lodi, while only distributed in California, has a greater number of accounts. The arrangement marks a victory for both brands: Calivirgin can make use of new distribution channels, while Lodi can enjoy a nationwide reach.
“They’re decently established locally; they’re in quite a few stores that we aren’t in,” said Mike Coldani, manager of the olive ranch’s growing and milling operations, in an interview with The Record.
Coldani added that each brand offers a different taste that appeals to different markets. While Calivirgin is harvested mechanically and planted in dense hedgerows, Lodi oil is made from a different variety of olives — Ascolano and Frantoio — and grown in traditional orchards harvested by hand.
Details of the deal were not made publicly available.
Calivirgin won a Gold Award at the 2014 New York International Olive Oil Competition in the Northern Hemisphere, Monovarietal category for its medium-intensity Arbequina.
Calivirgin also recently celebrated victory at California’s Central Coast Olive Oil Competition, where it took home four of the eight awarded gold medals, including Best of Class and Best in Show. The competition featured over 100 olive oils produced in California.
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