“Every bottle allows us to share a small piece of our land, our landscape, our culture, and our passion with the rest of the world.”
Llàgrimes del Canigó was officially founded in 2020, but its story begins long before the company itself existed.
More than half a century ago, the grandfather of founder Jesús Mach planted olive trees around the family farmhouse in Carmany, a small village nestled within the Albera Mountains of Catalonia’s Empordà region. At the time, olive oil was not a commercial enterprise but an essential part of daily life. The family harvested its own olives, pressed them using a traditional stone mill, and exchanged the oil with neighbors for vegetables, meat, and other local produce.
After his passing around the year 2000, the next generation continued the tradition. Jesús’ father and uncles built a small olive mill to process the family’s harvest, maintaining olive growing as a passion project rather than a business. The groves remained part of family life, cared for and preserved across generations.
The turning point came during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the loss of two of his uncles, part of the family considered selling the mill and ending the project altogether. Instead, Jesús made a life-changing decision. Leaving behind a successful career as a tax lawyer in Barcelona, he returned to the family groves with the ambition of preserving and developing the legacy that previous generations had built.
During lockdown, he spent weeks living in a small shelter among the olive trees, experimenting with olive oils, local herbs, and citrus fruits. Those early experiments became the foundation of what would eventually become Llàgrimes del Canigó.
Soon afterwards, Jesús invited his longtime friend Xavi Serra to join the project. Together they transformed a family tradition into a premium olive oil company, combining agricultural heritage with a modern vision focused on quality, design, and international reach.
Today, Llàgrimes del Canigó represents both continuity and renewal: a project deeply rooted in family history while looking confidently toward the future.
The Terroir
Llàgrimes del Canigó’s olive groves are located in the Albera Mountains, where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean Sea in the heart of the Empordà.
This landscape has long served as a natural gateway between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe. From many of the groves, it is possible to see both the peaks of the Pyrenees and the waters of the Gulf of Roses on a clear day. It is a region defined by contrasts: mountains and sea, rugged landscapes and fertile valleys, ancient traditions and modern gastronomy.
The Empordà is widely regarded as one of Spain’s most distinctive food regions. Its culinary culture has produced internationally renowned chefs and food producers, while its landscapes continue to inspire artists, winemakers, and farmers alike.
The olive groves themselves sit between 150 and 250 meters above sea level. Here, the influence of both mountain and sea plays a decisive role in shaping the character of the oils.
One of the defining features of the region is the Tramuntana, the powerful northern wind that sweeps through the Empordà. While often challenging for farmers, the wind helps reduce humidity around the trees, limiting fungal pressure and contributing to healthier fruit. Combined with Mediterranean sunshine, cooler northern influences, and relatively slow ripening conditions, the result is olives with exceptional freshness and aromatic intensity.
Llàgrimes del Canigó primarily works with two varieties. Argudell, the native olive of the Empordà protected under the D.O.P. Oli de l’Empordà designation, provides a distinctive expression of place. Alongside it, Picual offers structure, stability, and remarkable quality potential within the region’s unique terroir.
The resulting oils are typically vibrant, green, and balanced, often displaying notes of fresh grass, almond, artichoke, and green fruit. For Llàgrimes del Canigó, the goal is not simply to produce olive oil, but to capture the character of the Empordà itself; its sea, mountains, winds, and agricultural heritage.
The Harvest
Harvest season typically begins during the first half of October with the earliest and most premium oils of the year.
The timing of harvest is one of the most important decisions the company makes each season. Approximately thirty percent of production comes from completely green olives harvested during October. Although these olives yield less oil, they deliver greater freshness, intensity, and complexity, producing oils with vibrant green fruit character and elevated aromatic expression.
As the season progresses through November and December, olives are harvested at carefully selected stages of ripeness. Rather than allowing the fruit to become overly mature, Llàgrimes del Canigó aims to capture a balance between freshness and softness, preserving the green notes that define the region while creating oils with greater roundness and approachability.
Harvesting is carried out using a combination of tractor-mounted shakers, collection nets, and manual assistance where required. The olives are primarily picked by workers who have cared for the family groves for many years, bringing invaluable experience and local knowledge to every harvest.
Some of the most memorable days of the season are the family harvest gatherings. During weekends and holidays, several generations come together to work among the trees, continuing traditions that have been part of family life for decades. These days often end around a fire with large shared meals, celebrating both the harvest and the connections that make it meaningful.
In an average year, Llàgrimes del Canigó produces approximately 35,000 liters of olive oil, with production reaching around 40,000 liters in exceptional harvests.
Production & Innovation
Once harvested, the olives are transported rapidly for processing to preserve freshness and minimize oxidation.
Llàgrimes del Canigó uses a modern continuous cold-extraction system, allowing the fruit to be crushed shortly after harvest while maintaining its natural aromas, fruitiness, and sensory qualities. Every stage of production is carefully controlled to prevent excessive heat or oxidation, both of which can compromise quality.
Following crushing and malaxation, the olive paste passes through centrifugal separation systems that separate the oil from vegetation water and solid matter. The process takes place under controlled low temperatures, helping preserve the integrity of the extra virgin olive oil.
The oils are then stored in stainless-steel tanks under carefully monitored conditions before bottling.
While the technology employed is modern, the philosophy behind it remains rooted in craftsmanship. Llàgrimes del Canigó views quality as the result of countless decisions made throughout the year, from grove management and harvest timing to extraction and storage.
Maintaining exceptional standards is also the company’s greatest challenge. Every harvest is influenced by factors beyond human control, particularly weather conditions. In recent years, increasingly unpredictable temperatures, irregular rainfall patterns, and broader climate changes have made consistency more difficult to achieve.
For the team, each harvest becomes part of an ongoing learning process. Every season offers new lessons and opportunities to refine their approach, with the goal of continuously improving both quality and sustainability.
Looking ahead, Llàgrimes del Canigó plans to expand its olive groves, particularly through new Argudell plantings, while continuing to strengthen sustainable farming practices. The company also aims to increase international awareness of both the Empordà region and its native olive variety, while developing new premium olive-oil-based products that reflect the same commitment to quality and authenticity.
The People Behind the Oil
At the centre of Llàgrimes del Canigó are two complementary founders whose backgrounds could hardly be more different.
Before returning to the family groves, Jesús Mach built a career in law and international business, working for leading Spanish firms and advising family businesses, international expansion projects, and corporate restructurings. His expertise provided the strategic and business foundations needed to transform a family tradition into a modern company.
Alongside him, Xavi Serra brought experience in graphic design, branding, digital marketing, and visual communication. His creative perspective helped shape Llàgrimes del Canigó’s identity, positioning, and presentation from the very beginning.
Beyond his professional work, Xavi’s lifelong passion for gastronomy has also played an important role in product development, helping the company explore new ideas, flavours, and consumer experiences while maintaining a strong focus on quality.
Together, they have built a partnership that combines business discipline with creativity, allowing Llàgrimes del Canigó to grow while remaining true to its origins.
Yet for both founders, the most rewarding aspect of producing olive oil goes far beyond business success. It is the opportunity to preserve a family legacy, care for trees planted by previous generations, and share a small piece of the Empordà with people around the world.
Every bottle represents not only the fruit of a harvest, but also a connection between past and future, between landscape and culture, and between the people who cultivate the olives and those who ultimately enjoy the oil.
That sense of continuity remains their greatest source of inspiration. Family, craftsmanship, and territory are the values that guide every decision, driving the ambition to create oils that honour their heritage while carrying the spirit of the Empordà far beyond its borders.
“Every bottle allows us to share a small piece of our land, our landscape, our culture, and our passion with the rest of the world.”
Llàgrimes del Canigó
Enquiries
Llàgrimes del Canigó’s collection showcases the character of the Empordà through both traditional extra virgin olive oils and innovative olive-oil-based creations.
For trade, wholesale, or hospitality enquiries, please contact the cooperative directly through their official channels.
