Aggraria

Expanding production of a Mediterranean staple

Portugal-based Aggraria is a producer of olive oil that benefits from being near a major agricultural reservoir. The company is developing high-density olive orchards to expand production.

Location:

Portugal

Under cultivation:

~3,000 hectares of olive orchards leased and operated

(+~3,000 hectares operated on behalf of 3^rd parties)

Annual production:

3.5 million kg of extra virgin olive oil from own orchards

Nutritional experts recommend the Mediterranean diet—rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes—for its health benefits. As its main source of fat, olive oil occupies a central role in the Mediterranean diet. In addition to being versatile and full of flavour, olive oil contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and protect against heart disease and cancer. Despite these benefits, olive oil ranks 9^th among the most consumed vegetable oils globally.

Producers are poised to benefit from growing global awareness of olive oil’s health benefits and cooking attributes. One such producer is Aggraria, an olive tree plantation operator in the Iberian Peninsula in which Ontario Teachers’ acquired a majority stake in 2022.

Developing super-high-density olive orchards

Aggraria harvests about 25 million kilograms of its own olives a year, which it cold presses to produce 3.5 million kilograms of extra virgin olive oil bound for global markets. It aims to grow by acquiring more farms and boosting its existing farms’ yields through careful crop management techniques. Central to its growth plans is the development of super-high-density olive orchards, which feature trees planted close together to allow for better management of inputs like fertilizer and water and more efficient harvesting. Super-high-density olive farming is higher-yielding, meaning more production of this healthy oil.

Aggraria harvests

~25 million kg

of its own olives per year

Even though olive oil is seen as one of the most beneficial oils for our health, it is still one of the least consumed oils globally. We are excited by the tailwinds supporting extra virgin olive oil and aim to continue expanding our investment in this sector.

David Hutchinson

Aggraria board member and Managing Director, Value Creation and Analytics, Infrastructure and Natural Resources, Ontario Teachers’