We were lucky to catch up with Rita Joubran recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rita , thanks for joining us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

Unforeseen challenges occur with any and every business and sometimes they come out of nowhere and/or when you least expect it. We are always learning and growing; nonetheless, 2021 may have been the most challenging year yet for us at Old Country Olive Oil.

Due to the long-term effects of the global pandemic (Covid-19), there was a shortage in just about everything from glass bottles to shipping containers. Not to mention, logistics was a complete nightmare! What would normally take 35-45 days took double and sometimes triple the amount of transit time. Even though this was an issue that was felt around the world, it was particularly difficult on us since were completely sold out of our liquid gold in May of 2021. Six months without inventory was rough, so we had to get creative. We focused on our pre-orders and our loyal customers did not disappoint.

Rita , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Old Country Olive Oil is a premium extra virgin olive oil of the finest quality nature has to offer. It is cold-pressed, unrefined, and unfiltered. The olives are hand-picked and carefully selected from our family’s groves in a tiny village in the South of Lebanon. The families of this village have cared for and harvested the olives for centuries, making oil and soap for their personal use and livelihood.

In today’s world where most everything is processed, it is important to our family to continue harvesting our olives in the same fashion that our ancestors did centuries ago. It is with great love, care, and pride that we promise never to sacrifice quality, and continue to provide a product that is so rare and precious. It is our ultimate goal to maintain that promise.

I am a proud Houstonian, born and raised, and the daughter of two Lebanese immigrants who came to the United States in the 1960s. Our family has been bringing culture and diversity to this great city of Houston since 1977 when we opened the very first Lebanese bakery (in our backyard) which later turned into one of the most authentic Lebanese restaurants in the city.

I have been involved in the family business for as long as I can remember and I have always been especially fond of my family’s olive oil. In fact, some of my fondest memories are of when I would travel to Lebanon on family trips and my grandmother would tell me the most amazing stories about her most prized possession – her olive trees. My parents would always bring olive oil back for their personal use and a few hundred bottles to sell in the restaurant. I loved talking to customers about the rich history and love that goes into making each bottle of Old Country Olive Oil.

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009 and I remember praying for patience (which I am still working on) and for purpose. I was frustrated and I knew that I wasn’t able to continue working the very long and demanding hours that it takes to be in the restaurant business, so I continued helping my family on a limited basis, remaining mindful of my physical limitations.

Little did I know that through my MS diagnosis came many blessings and much purpose. The idea for Old Country Olive Oil was born in 2016, when I decided to take over the olive oil business from my family, who while being very supportive, thought I was crazy to think that I would be able to take it to the next level. But I had it all planned out in my head; I would talk about it on social media, set up tastings, and I was going to add $5 to the bottle and give it directly to the MS Society.

So, that’s exactly what we did. The first year we brought 1,600 bottles and we sold out in five months! Since then, repeat customers have been reserving their bottles to ensure they are guaranteed their needs for the entire year because once we run out, they’d have to wait until the next season comes around.

“Olive” my job more than I ever thought possible. I am mostly proud of the fact that we are able to continue our family traditions of the “old country” and share them with the “new country.” I also love the fact that we are making a quality (single source) product that is delicious and healthy. The most rewarding part is that we are able to give back to a cause that is near and dear to my heart. Last year, our company gave back $15,000 to the MS Society and this year will be no exception.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Making Old Country Olive Oil isn’t always easy. It’s one thing to pick, press, bottle, and ship a few hundred bottles or so, but as production for shipping overseas increased, we had a lot to learn! Unforeseen obstacles happen every day. Some things we can plan for and others are just completely out of our hands. For example, this year I had to buy diesel fuel in the black market to fuel the generator that presses our olives due to the lack of electricity in Lebanon. Securing glass bottles and labels was almost impossible due to supply chain issues and let’s not even talk about shipping. Our container was delayed multiple times and once it arrived at the port it was pulled for 2 separate rounds of inspections. Not only did we have to absorb the fees for said inspections, but customs broke over 100 bottles causing us to have to replace over 1400 labels-by hand.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Since I am an online business (for the most part)- word of mouth is my best advertisement. We do not mass produce and you’ll never find Old Country Olive Oil sitting on a store shelf. I think being able to look every potential customer in the eye and share the process of our liquid gold really sets us apart. I am grateful to be a part of The Informal Grub family and their farmer’s markets in the Heights (2nd and 4th Sunday of every month) and Rice Village (1st and 3rd Sunday every month). You’ll also find us at some pop-ups here and there, mostly during the holidays (#bestgiftever).

Contact Info:

• Website: www.oldcountry-oliveoil.com
• Instagram: Old Country Olive Oil
• Facebook: Old Country Olive Oil

Image Credits
Megan Snell