Our Story

Passion for sharing simple, healthy, and delicious foods and recipes is why we are here.

What We Do

We provide Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars. Our offerings include dozens of variations, from traditional EVOO's and vinegars to infused flavors using all natural ingredients.

We invite you to stop by the nearest Tasting Room whenever possible. We would love to share our obsession with you!

What Are Ultra Premium EVOO's?

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) is the highest recognized grade of olive oil and is considered the freshest juice of the olive. EVOO's must contain no more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams of oleic acid. It is high in natural antioxidants, vitamin E and phytosterols from the olive fruit.

Ultra Premium (UP) is a higher-tier category of EVOO, trademarked by Veronica Foods Company, to distinguish the highest quality olive oils in the world. The UP standard is used by Veronica Foods and its partners to identify olive oils that meet the UP standards. Ultra Premium Olive Oil exceeds world standards for olive oil quality. It is the freshest and finest olive oil in the world today.

Our olives are sourced from small regional mills across countries in both hemispheres, including local farms from the United States. They are cold-pressed within 2 hours of harvesting, ensuring the very highest quality of the fruit.

Our olive oils are considered amongst the top 5% in quality in the world and are held to the strictest standards. Lab tests are performed by the highest-certified olive oil lab in the world (voted #1 in accuracy and proficiency by the AOCS).

Where We Began

The story behind the family of Big Horn Olive Oil Company is rich with memories of family, travels, and adventures. One of those adventures was a move to Reno, NV. Mercedes Burkavage began her search for the wonderful Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars her family had grown to love while living on the East Coast. In all of her searching, the world’s finest oils and vinegars were nowhere to be found.

After much discussion one evening, and almost as much wine, Mercedes and her husband John agreed that introducing these simply delicious products to Northern Nevada was necessary. The details were worked out in 2012 and Big Horn Olive Oil Company was born. It quickly became a favorite of the community.

Where We Are Today

In 2022, Mercedes and John sold their growing company to new ownership in order to move closer to family in Washington. But, our passion for healthy, delicious foods and for our community continues!

In 2023, Devan Stormont joined as a co-owner and general manager of Big Horn Olive Oil. He brings a passion for Mediterranean cuisine and culture to the company and is continuously amazed at the passion and enthusiasm of the Big Horn community! 

A Legacy of Olive Oil Excellence: From Grove to Bottle

At Big Horn Olive Oil, we pride ourselves not only on delivering exceptional extra virgin olive oils and balsamics, but on how those oils come to us. Our journey begins with a storied, family-driven supplier who shares our commitment to freshness, purity, transparency, and taste.

Roots in Tradition: Veronica Foods & Delizia

Our supplier’s story traces back nearly a century. In 1924, Italian immigrant Salvatore Esposito founded Veronica Foods in New York, bringing with him the Delizia olive oil brand, registered that same year. From that modest founding, Veronica Foods has grown into one of the longest continuously operating olive oil companies in the U.S. and remains family owned to this day.

Unlike many bulk olive oil companies that source from intermediaries, Veronica Foods maintains tight control over origin, quality, and supply. They import directly from growers and producers in key olive-growing regions around the world.

A Global Palette of Oils

To bring variety, vitality, and year-round freshness to our shelves, Veronica Foods sources from both hemispheres and many lands: Spain, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Chile, Argentina, Australia, and more. Because growing seasons differ, this strategy allows us to have truly fresh oil even during off-seasons in one region.

But sourcing broadly doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. Veronica Foods collaborates with small regional mills (often ones without the capital or distribution networks to export themselves) and helps bring their oils to the U.S. spotlight.

In one bold move of vertical investment, Veronica Foods acquired an olive grove just south of Sicily in Tunisia and built a modern olive mill (completed in 1998), allowing them to test and refine processing methods directly.

The Freshness Imperative

Olive oil is a living, perishable product. Once it’s pressed, it begins a slow decline in flavor, aroma, and healthful compounds. Because of this, freshness is central to our supplier’s philosophy. Fresh trumps everything, including where the oil was produced.

To guarantee quality, Veronica Foods applies standards stricter than the international thresholds:

• Free Fatty Acids (FFA): International standard < 0.80%; Veronica Foods only accepts oils ≤ 0.30%, and many average ~0.19%.

• Peroxide Value: International standard < 20; the oils commonly supplied average ~6.1 (far below the maximum).

• Polyphenols and Oleic Acid: These antioxidants influence shelf life, flavor complexity, and health benefits. The oils we source often fall between 150–535 ppm of polyphenols (well above typical ranges).

By applying these strict chemical thresholds, Veronica Foods ensures that every batch meets not just the minimum for “extra virgin,” but a higher bar of excellence.

Transparency & Traceability

Because we believe consumers deserve to know more than a label, our supplier enforces full traceability: they know the exact farm, the mill, and the grower for each batch of olives. There is no anonymous bulk sourcing.

Each oil comes with sensory and chemical data (harvest/crush date, origin, and lab results) so that consumers can make informed judgments about their oils’ freshness and quality.

Diversity in Style, Region, and Flavor

Olive oil is not monolithic: each growing region, climate, cultivar, and harvest approach produces a unique flavor profile.

We celebrate the diversity and difference in olive oil styles.

This philosophy acknowledges that no single mill or country can claim exclusive superiority. Instead, excellence is multi-faceted and evolving.

Our supplier similarly offers dozens of distinct oil varieties, including multiple medal winners.

What This Means for You

By partnering with a supplier that is producer-aware, transparency-driven, and quality-obsessed, we bring:

• Fresher oils year-round, thanks to hemisphere balancing

• Higher nutritional and sensory quality, via stricter chemical standards

• Traceability and confidence, since every bottle can be traced to its source

• Variety and depth of flavor, with options from across the olive world

When you uncork one of our extra virgin olive oils or balsamics, you’re not just tasting a product. You’re connecting to centuries of tradition, global terroirs, and rigorous quality control.