The Ligurian family that has safeguarded the Taggiasca olive for five generations

by Patrizia Ferlini

The Taggiasca olive is one of those products that immediately conjures up Liguria. A key player in traditional recipes such as coniglio alla ligure and stoccafisso accomodato, it is also the undisputed queen of extra virgin olive oil production. Widespread in the western area of the region, it takes its name from the town of Taggia. Today it is the jewel in the crown of the Roi family, who since 1900 have been producing quality olive oil while also developing innovative and original ideas. Not just oil, then, but also vegetable creams, fish-based condiments, herbal teas and even something unexpected: Taggiasco Gin.

Olio Roi across five generations

“Olio Roi was born from a family story with deep roots: we are the fifth generation of millers in Badalucco, in the upper Valle Argentina, and we have always worked exclusively with Taggiasca olives. It’s more than just a variety: it’s our genetic, cultural and emotional heritage,” Paolo Boeri Roi tells Gambero Rosso. The Taggiasca is gentle, balanced, elegant, just like the land in which they live, and for them working it is an act of daily love. The microclimate of the Valle Argentina — between sea and mountains — gives the Taggiasca a distinctive aromatic profile: sweet, almondy notes, but also a complex structure.

“What’s more, our steep slopes, dry-stone walls and heroic farming naturally reduce environmental impact, making our oil a truly sustainable product.” The Roi family’s centuries-old expertise has been crucial in combining artisanal craftsmanship with market innovation. “We innovate to enhance, not to distort. We use modern technologies, such as ultrasound extraction or self-generated energy from olive pits, but we remain faithful to artisanal principles: hand-picking, short supply chains, meticulous attention to detail. Innovation helps us safeguard the quality and sustainability of our work.”

How to explain oil to those tasting it

“We make people taste it pure, in a small glass. That’s when you understand that oil is a food, not just a condiment. We talk about its aromas, its texture, its aftertaste. It’s like wine: every oil has a terroir, a personality. Our mission is to rediscover it as a living, profound product.” For Paolo, the most fun part is making first-time tasters try “stripping”. Stripping is that noisy slurp of air taken during olive oil tasting: it oxygenates the oil and brings the aromas up to the nose, allowing one to perceive all its aromatic nuances.

“It’s a somewhat technical gesture, but very useful to really recognise the quality of an extra virgin. Above all, it’s very noisy. It fixes the experience firmly in the mind.” Olive oil is at the centre of a great rediscovery that the Roi family is experiencing with enthusiasm and responsibility. “Finally, oil has come out of its invisibility, and this allows us to engage with a more attentive audience. Our clients today are restaurateurs, curious families, enthusiasts, food tourists. Those who choose Olio Roi are not just looking for a good product, but for a story, a territory and a work ethic.”

The Taggiasca

The Roi company has fully entered the world of Ligurian aperitifs and mixology. The reason lies in the creation of a new flagship product: Taggiasco Gin, the first Italian gin made from Taggiasca olives and juniper from Alta Valsusa. “With this product, our Taggiasca olive gin, we have brought the olive from the plate to the glass. We collaborate with bartenders and chefs to create unusual pairings: from citrus cocktails with lemon oil to finger foods with dried olive powder. Olive oil is a noble and versatile raw ingredient, also in creative terms.”

This cultivar is not only the basis of unique products such as Roi oil and gin, but also a symbol of a territory where it is difficult to keep the agricultural landscape alive. “Liguria is beautiful but harsh. Olive groves are often inaccessible, maintenance costs are high. But we believe in it, and we invest every year in restoring the terraces and in organic management. Keeping this landscape alive means preserving culture, biodiversity and a healthy local economy.”

Bringing the product to life

For Paolo, bringing olive oil to life in the places where it is born is essential. “With the agriturismo L’Adagio, mill visits, immersive experiences, we want to let people touch and feel what lies behind a bottle. It’s a way to educate the palate and transmit the value of agricultural work. Seeing the olive tree, the mill, the territory completely changes the perception of the product.” But quality is not enough: it must be communicated.

“Our style is narrative but honest, popular yet rooted. We use images, videos, words to highlight the beauty of our world, without pretence. Today, storytelling is an integral part of a product’s value, and it must be consistent with who you are. Our agriturismo in Badalucco helps us in this goal. We are able to welcome clients within the narrative, to let them live it fully.” Even in this paradisiacal corner of Liguria, challenges are not lacking: climate change, agricultural fragmentation, and the globalisation of tastes are daily issues. “But there are also great opportunities: the growth of food culture, experiential tourism, research on the nutraceutical properties of olive oil.” The Roi family’s goal is to remain contemporary artisans: rooted yet in motion, guardians and innovators at the same time.

Olio Roi di Boeri Franco, via Argentina Sud 1, Badalucco – Imperia Instagram