Who we are

In the rugged embrace of sun, stone, and salt where Zadar leans into the western horizon of the Adriatic, a small, determined lineage keeps tradition alive. On the rocky Dalmatian coast of Croatia, OPG Ivan Atelj, the makers of DALMATIAN UNDERDOG Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, craft a product that’s as raw and honest as the land itself. This family-owned farm doesn’t operate on industrial scale. Instead, they produce certified organic EVOO in Zadar, Croatia—with methods rooted in generations of care, patience, and natural harmony.

Every olive harvested by OPG Atelj is touched only by the hands of the family. Picked swiftly and precisely in the cool shadow of autumn, the fruit is brought from branch to press within hours. No delays. No shortcuts. The olives are cold-pressed, ensuring their nutrients, aromas, and flavors are preserved. What emerges is a green-gold elixir, full of polyphenols, antioxidants, and the unmistakable signature of premium Croatian olive oil—sharp, clean, alive.

The land they work is not gentle. It’s wind-swept, rugged, and bare-boned—true Dalmatian terroir. And yet, from the brittle soil and limestone ridges, twisted olive trees endure. They produce oil that’s deeply influenced by the Adriatic microclimate, where salty air meets mountain wind and limestone earth. This natural setting gives the oil a distinctive character, shaped by resilience and time. It’s not merely olive oil made in Zadar—it’s the distilled voice of the region itself.

OPG Ivan Atelj calls this oil the Dalmatian Underdog, not out of irony, but honesty. It’s a tribute to the small, the unfaltering, and the unindustrial. They don’t mass-produce. They don’t chase fads. They’ve earned multiple gold awards for extra virgin olive oil over the years, yet they remain grounded, producing a limited number of bottles each harvest. Each one is an expression of the season’s mood—its rainfall, its sun, its rhythm.

Their land is certified organic under the strictest European regulations. No herbicides, no pesticides, no synthetic nonsense. Just soil, sun, and sustainability. This makes DALMATIAN UNDERDOG not only a top-quality organic olive oil in Croatia, but a symbol of ethical farming and environmental respect. Their method is as natural as their values.

To taste this oil is to experience layers. Notes of green almond, wild herbs, peppery arugula, and sometimes even citrus zest and stone fruits like apricot or peach, depending on the year. It’s not uniform—and that’s the point. It’s alive. Each harvest is unique, influenced by shifting climate, rainfall, and care. No two bottles are exactly alike, but each is unmistakably real. That’s what makes it one of the best extra virgin olive oils in Croatia.

DALMATIAN UNDERDOG isn’t merely a brand. It’s an eco-conscious olive oil from Zadar County, handcrafted by a family that lives and works among its trees. They don’t need to tell you it’s authentic. You’ll feel it when you taste it. Bread dipped in this oil doesn’t just satisfy hunger—it tells a story. It brings you into the grove itself, where quiet labor and old ways still reign.

This oil is for those who are tired of soulless supermarket oils—those who want to taste a place, not just a product. It’s for chefs who understand the value of single-origin flavor. It’s for anyone looking to buy organic extra virgin olive oil in Zadar, Croatia, directly from the makers. No middlemen. No warehouses. Just the grove, the family, and you.

Supporting OPG Ivan Atelj means buying more than just oil. It means investing in sustainable Croatian agriculture, in the preservation of traditional Dalmatian farming, and in a family whose livelihood is rooted in authenticity. Every bottle shipped is a gesture of trust and respect between the land and the table.

If you ever find yourself meandering through the olive-covered hills of Nadin in Zadar County, you may come across this humble farm. No signs. No gates. Just the sound of branches rustling in the wind, the warmth of limestone underfoot, and trees older than memory. The Atelj family will likely be there, still working the same groves their ancestors once did, producing the oil that has quietly become one of the most awarded and authentic extra virgin olive oils from Dalmatia.

To buy organic olive oil in Zadar, or to find award-winning EVOO from Croatia, look no further than DALMATIAN UNDERDOG by OPG Ivan Atelj. It’s more than oil. It’s heritage in a bottle.