Ranise

In western Liguria, the Ranise family grows Taggiasca olives and makes Ligurian pesto with PDO Genovese basil, without colorants or preservatives.

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About Ranise

Based in
Chiusanico, Liguria, Italy
Founded
1995
Known for
Taggiasca olive oil and Ligurian pesto with PDO Genovese basil

The Ranise story starts in Dolcedo in 1995, when the family brought back an old farm that dated to the early 1900s and had been left idle since the 1970s. The aim was to tend olive groves their ancestors had planted. The olive is the Taggiasca, the traditional variety of western Liguria, named for the town of Taggia.

The business started as a small packing workshop, moved to Imperia as it grew, and since 2013 has been based in Chiusanico. Alongside extra virgin olive oil from Taggiasca olives, Ranise makes pesto, creams and vegetables in oil without colorants or preservatives, and sells in more than 23 countries.

Its best known product is Ligurian pesto made with PDO Genovese basil. In Liguria, pesto is traditionally tossed with local pastas such as trenette and trofie.

Ranise questions

What is PDO Genovese basil?

PDO stands for Protected Designation of Origin, a European Union label for foods with the strongest link to their place, where every step of production, processing and preparation must happen in that region. Basilico Genovese PDO can only be grown on the sea-facing side of Liguria. Its aroma has no hint of mint, and its growers' consortium calls it the basis of the success of Genoese pesto.

What is a Taggiasca olive?

Taggiasca is the olive variety of western Liguria, grown throughout the province of Imperia and in part of Savona. The name comes from the Ligurian town of Taggia. It is used both for oil, a light to medium fruity oil with a sweet note, and as a table olive cured in salt water, with flesh that comes away easily from the pit. The Ranise family tends its own Taggiasca groves.

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