Al Fornovecchio: from pasta carbonara in Rome to our first delivery
The first bottle of olive oil Virnelli ever sold came from Marco's farm. A man who said goodbye to his career as a psychologist to take over his grandfather's farm. His oil was not only the start of our company; it was the oil that taught us what truly good olive oil can be.
A problem as a starting point
Before we met Marco, we had already been in contact with another farmer. In Calabria, we had fallen in love with the olive oil from Cheda and Deborah of Timpa Bianca. We had tasted their oil during a family dinner in Italy and had decided to order one hundred liters.
But nature decided otherwise. Cheda's harvest failed completely, yielding only twenty-four liters instead of the expected five hundred. A whole summer without rain had prevented the olive trees from growing sufficiently. We were empty-handed and had to find a solution.
Pasta carbonara and a happy coincidence
Coincidentally, Freek was traveling in Italy during the same period with his girlfriend Yasmine. During her studies in London, Yasmine had become friends with Elena, an Italian friend. Freek and Yasmine visited her in Rome.
While enjoying a delicious pasta carbonara, Freek told her about the plans with olive oil and the harvest problems. Elena shrugged and asked, "But my friend also makes olive oil?"
It turned out that Elena and Yasmine had been planning this for some time, much to our satisfaction. And so began what would later be Virnelli's very first delivery.
Marco's story: from psychologist to farmer
We hadn't tasted the olive oil yet, so we didn't know if the quality would match what we envisioned. But Marco's story immediately captivated us.
Marco had said goodbye to his career as a psychologist to pursue his great dream: taking over his grandfather Dino's farm. Al Fornovecchio was in danger of leaving the family, but Marco felt the passion to breathe new life into the land. Not a large-scale production company, but a small-scale farm where quality and passion come first.
The sample package
After we had gotten to know each other and discussed the possibilities, Marco sent a sample package to the Netherlands. A bottle of his olive oil, a little fennel seed and saffron from his farm, and two bottles of wine from a befriended farmer.
We started tasting as we had learned during our olive oil tasting with the sommelier in 's-Hertogenbosch. We also took the oil to friends and befriended chefs to see if they would be as enthusiastic as we were.
It was delicious. A robust, spicy taste, full of character. Unprecedented and unique for olive oil. The verdict was unanimous: this is special.
Unique labels, numbered bottles
In the meantime, we started working on our website, wrote out a plan, and spoke with our designer in London. He became very enthusiastic about the idea that we wanted to create something special. The oil is so good; the product should reflect that.
We came up with the idea not to imitate all standard olive oils but to bring something unique. Since we bought a limited edition of one hundred half-liter bottles, twenty-five one-liter tins, and five five-liter tins, we decided to make each label unique. Inspired by an architect responsible for several buildings on the English coast, our designer created beautiful patterns.
The result: a whole series of unique bottles and tins. Each bottle was numbered, and on the back, we wrote the most important information: the lot number, the harvest time, the expiration date, and the origin.
The first delivery: May 2025
After months of emailing and calling back and forth with Marco, we received our first shipment in May 2025. The moment we had been working towards for so long had finally arrived.
We started selling and proudly presented the oil to friends and family. Everyone was enthusiastic and surprised by the taste. This only motivated us more, and we secretly began to think bigger.
Within a few months, we were completely sold out.
Finally at the farm
But first, we had to right a wrong. We hadn't yet visited Marco's farm, and it was high time.
In the summer of 2025, Onoph and his family vacationed in Italy, and there he also visited Al Fornovecchio. After a path that is very subtly described as 'bumpy,' he arrived at the property. A beautiful green environment full of olive trees and other crops: onions, garlic, saffron, all kinds of herbs, and lettuce.
The best part was hearing Marco passionately talk about his plans for the farm, how the harvest works, and everything in between. Of course, large quantities of food eventually appeared on the table, and the olive oil was tasted once again. We no longer needed convincing, but we never say no to a good meal with delicious extra virgin olive oil.
Later, friends who had bought the olive oil also visited Marco. He is open to receiving everyone so you can see for yourself where the olive oil comes from.
Floor and the 2025 harvest
When we had sold everything after a few months, it was time to think about the next order. Meanwhile, Cheda from Timpa Bianca was also ready to deliver, and we could take the next step with Virnelli. And because everyone was so enthusiastic about Al Fornovecchio's oil, we were sure: we're ordering that again too.
Marco kept us informed about the harvest, and this year it was extra special. Floor, Freek's sister and Onoph's daughter, was in Italy during her gap year and personally helped with the harvest. She stretched the nets around the trees, shook the olives loose, and manually loaded everything into crates, ready for transport to the press. She saw with her own eyes how important it is that the olives are harvested quickly and brought to the press quickly to prevent oxidation and guarantee the best quality.
Three times as much
This time, we ordered three hundred half-liter bottles and fifty one-liter tins. Again, everything was numbered, with a unique design in six different colors, created once more by our regular designer.
Proudly, we received the shipment at the beginning of December 2025. Since then, we have already received dozens of orders, bringing much joy to various kitchen tables with Marco's oil.
From the mountains of Italy to the world
What started at a farm in the Italian mountains, Al Fornovecchio's oil is now available through our webshop and at two stores in Nijmegen: Ieder Z'n Vak and Black & Blue.
Dozens of families in the Netherlands and beyond enjoy the oil. We have even sent bottles to friends in Belgium, France, Turkey, England, Germany, and Bali. Virnelli is everywhere.
Curious about Al Fornovecchio's olive oil? Check out our assortment and taste the difference for yourself. Also, read the story of our other farmer: Timpa Bianca.