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 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 sharp, grassy green Croatian olive oil.

The land they work is in the biggest Croatian eco village Nadin. Known for it’s organic agriculture and ancient history. 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.

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 and 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 EVOO 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 and 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 EVOO 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. That is why Dalmatians only cook with cold-pressed EVOO.

To buy organic olive oil around Zadar area, look no further than DALMATIAN UNDERDOG by OPG Ivan Atelj. It’s more than oil. It’s heritage in a bottle.