our story
The Mount Zero story began in 1946, when farmer and entrepreneur, Jacob Friedman, recognized the Wimmera/Grampians region as prime olive-growing country and began planting some of the first commercial olive groves in Australia. Today Mount Zero draws on produce from the Wimmera and Grampians region, as well as select olive groves across Victoria. Commitment to flavour, sustainable farming and a passion for quality ingredients defines Mount Zero and all that we gather.
our certifications
organic and demeter biodynamic
A wide range of our products carry Organic and/or Biodynamic certification from the Demeter Biodynamic Research Institute. You'll find the certifications on our labels.
haccp
HACCP stands for "Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points" and is an internationally recognised approach to the identification, evaluation, and control of food safety hazards.
halal
A number of our products have been tested and certified by the Halal Certification Authority Australia. Click the link below to find out which products carry the certification.
kosher
A large number of our products are certified by the organisation Kosher Australia. Click the link below to find out which products carry the certification.
wimmera pulse and grain farmers
Steve and Tanya Walter - Burrum Biodynamics are 5th generation farmers that have converted the family farm to certified Bio-dynamic in 2008. Steve and Tanya grow all of Mount Zero's certified biodynamic pulses & grains. Read more here.
Graham and Judith Carter - Serviceton (West Wimmera) have been certified organic farmers for more than 25 years. Graham and Judith grow Mount Zero's Organic Chickpeas that are also the base of our Organic Falafel Mix. You can read more about the Carter family here.
The Matthews Family - Rapanyup have been cropping in the Wimmera for more than 90 years. The Matthews grow all of Mount Zero's French Style Green Lentils. Read more here.
Peter Blair - Kalkee was one of the pioneering farmers in the 1980's and 90's who first started growing pulses in the Wimmera. This has lead to greater soil fertility (nitrogen) across the Wimmera and a diversification away from traditional wheat, barely and canola. Peter grows Mount Zero's Beluga Black Lentils and Persian Red Lentils.
olive growing partners
John and Marjan Symington have olive groves in the Goulburn Valley and West Wimmera. John and Marjan have been important partners to Mount Zero since 2014 and are the source of our award-winning Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Being situated in the Goulburn Valley, John & Marjan are ideally placed to draw on the bounty of citrus also grown in the region and for this reason they are perfectly suited to crushing our agrumato olive oils.
Kyriacou Family - Nick, Zac and Andrew are second & third-generation olive growers in South Australia's Adelaide Plains. With a Greek Cypriot background the Kyriacou family are passionate about table olives - Kalamata in particular. The Kyriacou olive grove is certified organic and they have been the source of Mount Zero's famous Kalamata and Mixed Olives since 2001.
pink lake salt
The Loch Iel Pink Lake is about 50km up the road from the original Mount Zero olive grove and is fed by natural salt aquifers. Mount Zero and the lake's traditional owners, the Barengi Gadjin Land Council, have been working together for more than a decade to hand-harvest a small amount of salmon-coloured pink salt from the lake each year.The partnership has developed into a business that is mutually beneficial for both the people and the land. Every year we harvest together, strengthening the respect and understanding between the non-indigenous and indigenous workers. The Barengi Gadjin Land Council give us access, instruction and consultation in ways to minimise our impact on the land, and we do our best to repay this gift through employment and payment. This enables the Land Council to direct their priorities to looking after their people and preserving their Aboriginal heritage.
mountain yuzu
Jane and Brian Casey are the expert farmers behind Mountain Yuzu, who supply the beautiful Victorian-grown yuzu fruit used in our Yuzu Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Jane and Brian own and run the citrus farm in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, where in addition to yuzu they also grow small quantities of other cool climate citruses, including chinotto, sudachi and bergamot. With a climate similar to that of Shikoku in Japan – where many of the country's yuzu are grown – it seemed like the perfect spot to begin their farm, starting with a planting of 20 trees in 2012. Today, the Casey’s have around 2000 trees on their 20-acre property, with an ever-increasing demand for their quality fruit.
Jane and Brian's premium fruit combines with our olives to make one of our favourite products: Yuzu Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We're incredibly proud of this ongoing collaboration, and we're sure you'll love it too!
