This year, the team behind Queen Creek Olive Mill — Arizona’s premiere olive mill and agritourism destination — is proudly celebrating its 20th anniversary at 25062 S. Meridian Rd.
Less than two years ago, some of the Tucson Foodie team branched out, so to speak, and journeyed down to Queen Creek. We went on a tour of the mill, sipped on fresh olive oil, and met the family — you know, olive the good stuff. If you’re lucky enough to get Wolfgang as your tour guide, ask him about his secret for a long and healthy life.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our community over the years,” said Perry Rea, co-owner of Queen Creek Olive Mill. “As we look back on how far we’ve come, it’s truly amazing to think that we’ve been in business for 20 years.”
To mark the milestone, the family-owned business launched a limited-edition extra virgin olive oil. This nifty EVOO comes equipped with a throwback label design reflecting the company’s history and commitment to quality.
Made with 100 percent Arizona-grown olives, this special edition oil is crafted using fresh, mid-harvest ripe olives and offers the perfect balance of fruitiness and pungency. It is expertly crafted under the supervision of the Mill’s olive oil sommelier, estate-milled, and bottled with care.
“Our 20th Anniversary Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a tribute to that journey, and we’re thrilled to share it with our customers,” Perry added.
Queen Creek Olive Mill’s story began with a vision to provide fresh, local, extra virgin olive oil to the Arizona community. What started as a small farm shed has since blossomed into a thriving agritourism destination.
Today, the Queen Creek Olive Mill is the only working olive mill in the state of Arizona and has become a top destination for visitors from across the country.
The Mill’s grove has nearly 10,000 Arbosana and Koroneiki olive trees, grown in medium density, and this year, the farm harvested a remarkable 30.55 tons of olives. In total, this harvest produced a total of 3,579 liters of extra virgin olive oil.
In addition to the anniversary extra virgin olive oil, the Mill offers over 20 unique flavors of EVOO, 15 plus flavors of balsamic, tapenades, stuffed olives, and a range of locally made products.
Guests can also eat at Queen Creek Olive Mill!
Meals are served at the Del Piero Kitchen, Di Oliva, and the Olive Branch Outdoor Kitchen. One of the popular dishes on the menus is the kalamata sandwich, which was featured on the Food Network’s television show “Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
Again, grab one of the special edition bottles of extra virgin olive oil before they’re sold out. You can pick up a bottle in-store or online.
Queen Creek Olive Mill is located at 25062 S. Meridian Rd., Queen Creek, Arizona. For more information, call (480) 888-9290 or visit queekcreekolivemill.com.
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
