About Us

Our History

In Edremit, where Selin Ertür's oil mill is currently located, olive oil production was started in the 1800s by her great grandfather Osman Bey in a wooden screw press.

Osman Bey's son, Müderriszade Hilmi Efendi (1857-1924), continued production in the same place just as he had learned from his father, then demolished the wooden press with a new oil press for himself in the same place in 1899. This oil press was a small, single-press which extracts oil by crushing olives with stones in the bags made of goat hair. Hilmi Efendi is also an important name in the development of soap making. He received many certificates of appreciation and medals at exhibitions in Europe for the “paper soaps“ he produced and also he received Beratname (certificate of appreciation) from the Ottoman Emperor Sultan V. Reşat.

Müderriszade Hilmi Efendi wanted to build a new oil mill for his son Süleyman, but due to his sudden death, the oil mill remained unfinished and could not be completed and Süleyman Bey (1902-1979), "Selin Ertür's grandfather”, continued his production in his father's mill with his father's press in the same place.

The oil mill continued to operate with the press and water-based system by Süleyman Bey's sons for 50 years. Later, with the development of technology, it became the first oil mill in Edremit to switch from the “traditional system” to the “continuous system”. Production in this historical oil mill is still continues meticulously in a “continuous system” with Selin Ertur, the daughter of one of Süleyman Bey's son.

Atatürk's Visit to Edremit
09.02.1923

Atatürk arrived in Edremit with Latife Hanım and Kazım Karabekir Pasha. At that time, Edremit was celebrating its liberation from the Greek occupation. These photographs were taken in front of the door of the olive oil mill where we currently carry out production.

He spent the night at the house of Evliyazâde Tevfik Bey, located directly across from the olive oil mill that had been allocated to him. He left Tevfik Bey’s house — where the sons İhsan and Şakir Bey lived — upon receiving a telegram late at night from İsmet Pasha in Lausanne.

We remember him with respect and gratitude

Selin Ertür

Selin is an expert oliveoil taster, educated and licensed in the Tuscany region of Italy, with 24 years professional experience. She is continuing to produce olive oil as the 4th generation of the family in Edremit. Her expert status is officially recognised by the italian Ministry of Agriculture and the region of Tuscany. Her authority to carry out organoliptic analyses in all E.U countries, is also recognised by c.o.i/i.o.o.c. Selin additionally holds an italian and international “capo panel/panel leader” license according to the c.o.i/i.o.o.c. norms.

In Italy she has served on panels for oils coming from all regions of Italy, as well as other meditarranean countries, where she carried out analyses and passed judgement on individual, blended oils, and oils from protected regional and geographical areas. (D.O.P/I.G.P)

As there was no equivalent system in Turkey, Selin was trained by the prestigious Tuscan oliveoil experts and panels in Italy, especially trained and worked eigth years with internationally recognized agricultural scientist, engineer and pioneer olive oil expert Dr Marco Mugelli. She was trained also olive oil technologies in Florence.

After graduating from university in Turkiye, she studied in Italy and specialized in olive oil and gained her Professional experience in Tuscany and she is the first professional oliveoil expert and blendmaster in Turkiye. She is elected as a Council Member of the Chamber of Agriculture and has been providing support and consultancy to producers about olive, olive oil quality and olive cultivation for many years.

Some competitions where she was a judge

  • Athena Olive Oil Competition 2025, Greece, Crete
  • Sol D'Oro Olive Oil Competition 2025, Italy, Verona
  • Athena Olive Oil Competition 2024, Greece, Peleponnese
  • Sol D'Oro Olive Oil Competition 2023, Italy, Verona
  • Athena Olive Oil Competition 2023, Greece, Athens
  • Lodo Guide Olive Oil Competition 2021, Italy, Milan
  • Sol D'Oro Olive Oil Competition 2019, Italy, Verona
  • Evoo-iooc Olive Oil Competition 2018, Italy, Naples
  • Joop Olive Oil Competition 2018, Japan, Tokyo
  • Sol D'Oro Olive Oil Competition 2018, Italy, Verona
  • il Magnifico Olive Oil Competition 2018, Italy, Florence, Top Panel Member
  • Sol D'Oro Olive Oil Competition 2017, Italy, Verona
  • il Magnifico Olive Oil Competition 2017, Italy, Florence, Top Panel Member
  • Terra di Cicerone Olive Oil Competition 2017, Italy, Rome
  • JOOP Olive Oil Competition 2017, Japan, Tokyo
  • Domina Olive Oil Competition 2017, Italy, Sicily
  • Joop Olive Oil Competition 2016, Japan, Tokyo
  • Athena Olive Oil Competition 2016, Greece, Athens
  • Domina Olive Oil Competition 2016, Italy, Palermo
  • JOOP Japan Olive Oil Competition 2015, Japan, Tokyo
  • Sol D'Oro Olive Oil Competition 2015, Italy, Verona
  • JOOP Japan Olive Oil Competition 2014, Japan, Tokyo
  • Los Angeles Olive Oil Competition 2013, tasting for Southern Hemisphere, L.A
  • JOOP Japan Olive Oil Competition 2013, Japan, Tokyo
  • New York Olive Oil Competition 2013, NY
  • Terra Olivo Olive Oil Competition 2012, Israel, Jerusalem
  • Los Angeles Olive Oil Competition 2011, L.A
  • Montiferru Olive Oil Competition 2010, Italy, Sardinia
  • She was a judge also in many “National and Regional Cooking Competitions with Olive oil”

Selin has given many conferences and trainings such as

  • Ministry of Agriculture, Olive Research Production Station and Gene Center, December 2024, "Greek Olive Oils, Greek Olive Varieties, and Tasting"
  • Özyegin University Gastronomy & Cordon Bleu İstanbul, March 2024, “Olive oil and Food Pairing”
  • Özyeğin University Women's Entrepreneurship Association, November 2023, “Olive and Olive oil Quality”
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Olive Research Production Station and Gene Center, January 2023, “Olive oil and Quality Parameters”
  • Italian Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo, 2016, 2017, 2018
    “Italian Olive Oils, Quality Parameters, Olive Oil Tasting, Turkish Olive Oil Quality Parameters, Olive and Olive Oil Production in Edremit Gulf, Quality, Culture and History”
  • Balıkesir University, Vocational School Food Technology Department 2017/2018, “How Should We Protect the Quality of Olives from the Field to the Table? Points to Consider in Olive Oil Production”
  • Organized an “Olive Pruning Course” together with Edremit District Agriculture Directorate, 2017
  • Nar Women's Cooperative, Local Tastes Project, 2016, “Regional Olive Oils and How to Use Them”
  • Mediterranean Academy, İzmir, Olive Symposium 2015, “The Story of Boutique Olive Oil that Led to Awards”
  • Universita degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche di Polenzo, 2014, for the students of the University in İstanbul and Edremit: “Similarities and Differences Between Italian and Turkish Olives and Olive Oils”
  • Balıkesir University, Olive Cultivation Dept. 2012/2013, “How Should We Protect the Quality of Olives from the Field to the Table? Points to Consider in Olive Oil Production”
  • Culinary Arts Center Istanbul, 2011, for Executive Chefs: “High Quality Olive Oils, Tasting, Quality Parameters and Olive-Oil Food Pairing”