Lincolnshire olive grove produces UK's first commercial extra virgin olive oil

The English Olive Company has established the United Kingdom’s first commercial olive grove in Lincolnshire. Located in the Fens near Spalding, the site contains approximately 18,000 olive trees spread across ten hectares, making it the most northerly commercial olive grove in the world.

Following an initial harvest in December 2025, chemical and sensory analyses confirmed that the resulting oil meets the standards required to be classified as extra virgin olive oil. While the first batches sold out quickly, the enterprise faces challenges including high production costs, potential frost, and logistical delays.

Farmer David Hoyles, whose family has cultivated the land since the 1700s, noted that the shift toward olive cultivation is a response to changing climatic conditions. As global warming creates warmer and drier summers, traditional Mediterranean crops are increasingly viable in northern latitudes, effectively shifting the agricultural map.