19 July 27th–Aug 2nd, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | cONTeNTs | feeDBacK | OPiNiON | NeWs | feaTuRe | NighT+Day | culTuRe | film | cafe | music | ‘Motor Oil to Olive Oil’ How one family keeps Queen Creek Olive Mill running. BY GEORGANN YARA S ince the first bottles were sold to the public in 2005, olive oil from Queen Creek Olive Mill has become royalty in the kingdom of Arizona-made goods, capturing a loyal following and high-profile presence. In addition to straightforward and flavored extra virgin olive oils, the mill’s vast inventory flaunts infused vinegars, stuffed olives, tapenades, seasonings and sauces. Around 90% of the products are sold at the mill’s headquarters in Queen Creek, with the rest making their way to its storefront at Kierland Commons along with farmers markets, boutique shops and grocery stores like Whole Foods Market. Over the last 18 years, the once small family operation led by corporate busi- nessman-turned-olive tree farmer Perry Rea has evolved into a model of agri- tourism. According to Rea, 650,000 visi- tors flock annually to Arizona’s only working and operating olive mill. They come for tours and Olive Oil 101 classes, shop more than 500 different local items in the marketplace, and nosh on antipasti, bruschetta and sandwiches made fresh in the onsite kitchen. What started with the Reas planting 1,000 trees has blossomed into a sprawling orchard of 9,000 trees on 20 acres. Rea’s choice to go with an agritourism business model is a driver that influences his hands-on and in-depth approach to how the mill is run and the oil it produces. “We grow, we process it, we harvest it, and we market it,” Rea says. “We’re always on our toes … thinking about what the next venture is.” One such enterprise is Olivespa, the all- natural olive oil-based line of skin care products owned and run by Rea’s wife, Brenda, and the Reas’ youngest daughter, Joey. Finding a solution to the Rea family’s itchy and dry skin caused by the arid Sonoran climate was the catalyst for side of the business, which they created in 2013. However, an orchard and mill were the seeds that sprouted the thriving desert olive oil empire that would prove to become a fulfilling new calling for the Reas and a household name in the Valley. Finding a second career So where did the Reas get the idea to start an olive oil company in Arizona? In an Irish pub in Michigan, naturally. At age 40, Rea retired from his execu- tive corporate career with an international automotive parts manufacturing company headquartered in the U.K. He had run its North American operations, which were based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Rea’s parents spent their winters in Fountain Hills, and to Queen Creek Olive Mill owners Perry and Brenda Rea moved their family to Arizona in 1997 to start their business. The Queen Creek Olive Mill’s extra virgin olive oils include straightforward and flavored varieties. Queen Creek Olive Mill Queen Creek Olive Mill ▼ Chow >> p 21
