You are not alone if you have never heard of the Bidni olive. After all, this small elliptical fruit only grows on the Maltese islands. Moreover, Bidni olive oil production is very limited. But once you have tasted it, its unique spicy and fruity flavour, rich buttery texture and peppery finish are likely to leave a lasting impression. Even a panel of experts at the London International Olive Oil Competition were not immediately able to identify this variety of olive oil in a blind taste test. They were, however, amazed by its exceptional quality, and the Grima family's Bidni olive oil received a Platinum Award. Using the first cold pressing of a single variety of olive, the father-and-son team pay homage to a native Maltese cultivar renowned for its natural resilience, which means that fewer phytosanitary interventions are required. By growing Bidni olive trees, they are also fostering greater biodiversity across the Maltese archipelago.
This brings us to the origin of the name of this olive variety endemic to Malta, which turns to a deep violet colour when ripe for picking. "The name 'Bidni' refers to the valley around Bidnija, some 2km south of St Paul's Bay. This unique Maltese cultivar has been present there since Roman times," explains Immanuel Grima. We might add Romans had a prolific trade of Maltese olive oil. With his father, Joe, Immanuel planted a small olive grove in Wardija, a stone's throw from Bidnija, where the duo have been producing Bidni olive oil for several years. Immanuel Grima studied Agricultural and Environmental Science and earned a master's degree in Environmental Engineering, writing his thesis on olive oil waste in Malta. He is in charge of the commercial management of the business, along with Kurt Mifsud, CEO of Mediterranean Culinary Academy, which promotes sustainable farming in the country. "Olive trees have been growing in Malta for over 2 000 years," says Kurt Mifsud, "but after the Roman Era, there was very little interest in olive cultivation and olive oil production."
In the 1920s, the Bidni olive even featured in a research paper and was lauded for its high oil content and natural resistance to disease and insects, among other things. Nevertheless, the unique variety was overlooked by producers for a long time. "My father noticed a resurgence in the popularity of monovarietal olive oils across the globe at the beginning of this century. A growing interest in the so-called Mediterranean diet also played its part," says Immanuel Grima. Both came to understand that the Bidni olive, being rich in antioxidants and polyphenols and low in acidity, had the potential to yield a superior oil with more health benefits than other olive varieties. "As a farmer, my father was at one point also looking to diversify beyond potatoes, strawberries and tomatoes, and he was intrigued by the Bidni olive's distinctive DNA profile." The Grima family established an olive grove that first produced olive oil in 2019 and today boasts 600 olive trees spread across 1.5 hectares.
Among the olive trees in the Wardija grove, we also see other trees bearing red pomegranates that are ripe for picking. "We planted these trees interspersed with the young olive trees to create a natural barrier against strong winds," says Immanuel Grima. "We don't need any artificial pesticides for our olive trees because, fortunately, the Bidni olive is naturally resilient. But that doesn't mean our harvest is guaranteed to be a success every year." 2024, for instance, was an especially difficult year because temperatures remained high during the winter, and the relentless warm weather caused the trees to miss their resting period. Consequently, they could not regain sufficient strength for the next harvest. "2024 was not only a very hot and very dry year; at the end of April, we also faced a series of spring storms that wiped out many of the blossoms. Those powerful winds greatly diminished the chances of pollination, which is essential for fruiting," explains Kurt Mifsud. Combined with low rainfall, this resulted in a poor harvest and, therefore, reduced production.
"That's obviously disappointing for us and other small-scale producers, as well as for top-tier Maltese restaurants that like to use our olive oil," Immanuel Grima adds. Following the aforementioned success of Bidni olive oil in London in 2023 and the resulting surge in media attention, demand has grown. This includes interest from elsewhere in the world, for example from Japan, the Middle East and Scandinavia. "We could expand our acreage, but arable land is scarce in Malta and, due to the islands' rapid economic expansion in recent years, its price has become exorbitantly high, increasing fivefold in a short time. We have observed that olive tree cultivation on small-scale farms in Malta has doubled in the last decade, which has enabled this revival to gain further momentum. Demand for Bidni olive trees is also on the rise," Immanuel Grima concludes.
In any case, production of Bidni olive oil remains limited. And as it is not exported, the only way to try this amazing olive oil, is to travel to Malta. "In a normal year, our trees produce six tonnes of olives, which is enough for an annual production of 500 litres. That's a yield of 8% to 9%, which is very low, given that other olive varieties typically yield 15%," says Immanuel Grima. A tough year like 2024 means that these olive farmers will end up disappointing some of their fans. With its tangy flavour and rich mouthfeel, Bidni olive oil has won the hearts of experts in London and beyond. "Chef Simon Rogan of the two-star restaurant ION Harbour in the Maltese capital of Valletta will not be receiving the quantity we originally promised. There are chefs from other MICHELIN-starred restaurants who are keen to use our olive oil, but they will need to be patient. And that, of course, is unfortunate," says Immanuel Grima. Hopefully, in the coming years, Mother Nature will be more favourable to the revival and long-term success of this terroir olive oil made from a Maltese cultivar that is one of a kind.
