In Milas, Ancient Memecik Trees Inspire a Modern Olive Oil Venture
- May 12
- 4 min read
After discovering the olive groves of Milas by chance, Emine Colin left behind a dental career to build an award-winning olive oil business rooted in ancient Memecik trees and rural Turkish culture.
With its layered historical heritage, the city of Milas sits in southwestern Turkey, near the Aegean Sea. Along the foothills of the surrounding mountains, ancient Memecik trees have found ideal conditions to thrive for generations, shaping a rugged landscape that remains little known compared to the region’s coastal destinations. Here, Eminems Olive Oil produces the award-winning monovarietal Oro di Milas, aiming to share the character of the region with an international audience.
“My journey into olive oil began almost by chance,” co-founder Emine Colin told Olive Oil Times. “While traveling to visit my family in December 2020, my husband Mark and I stopped in the area and completely fell in love with it. The region is deeply rooted in Turkish culture, history and traditional cuisine.”
“What truly captured our hearts were the ancient olive trees spread across the valley, many of which have witnessed centuries of history,” she added. “There is something very special and almost magical about them.”
Born in Istanbul, Colin moved to the United States at 19 to pursue her studies. There, she met her husband, and together they raised four children while she built a distinguished career as an endodontist. She later recounted her life story in her memoir, Goodbye Istanbul.
Years later, after more than three decades in dentistry, the idea of producing olive oil in her homeland continued to draw her back each harvest season.
“In fact, we had no prior experience producing olive oil,” Colin said. “We purchased the first orchards without a formal business plan. We simply followed our hearts.”
Today, Oro di Milas has earned four consecutive Gold Awards at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, and Colin said she hopes to use olive oil to share Turkish culture with a broader audience.
She explained that the name Oro di Milas, meaning “Milas’ Gold,” was chosen because the word “oro” is easily recognized in several languages.
Beyond production, the company’s long-term vision includes creating a cultural destination that introduces visitors to both olive oil and the country’s broader heritage.
“Our goal is to create a cultural space alongside the mill,” Colin said. “Many people in the U.S. and elsewhere are unfamiliar with Turkey’s history, agricultural depth and potential, and I see olive oil as a powerful bridge to share that story.”
Today, the estate includes a bistrot, a shop featuring local products and spaces dedicated to tastings, cooking classes and large events. The company plans to expand its oleotourism experiences and educational activities.
“I see education as a mission,” Colin said. “For me, this also means raising awareness about nutrition and its impact on well-being.”
Her medical background led her to focus on producing a high-phenolic oil, a subject she has continued studying through additional training.
“Educating consumers to make better choices for their health is an essential part of my work,” she said. “I realized I could help people, especially younger generations, understand how nutrition can support a better life.”
“That means eating with the seasons, avoiding harmful foods and choosing quality products that support health,” Colin added. “In this, high-quality extra virgin olive oil plays a central role for anyone beginning to improve their lifestyle.”
Colin said her passion for olive oil deepens each year. While she continues practicing dentistry in the United States, she increasingly sees olive oil as the focus of her next chapter.
Eminems Olive Oil currently manages nearly 10,000 olive trees across roughly 150 hectares. The company’s latest-generation mill, equipped with a Mori-Tem system, supports high processing standards.
“An experienced professional, Anita Zachou from Greece, has been our consultant from the very beginning and continues to guide our brand through quality control, tasting and ongoing improvement,” Colin said.
“Through our detail-oriented approach, from harvest timing to milling and storage, my vision, shared with her, is to produce a world-class extra virgin olive oil and bring Turkish oil onto the global stage with the recognition it deserves,” she added.
Colin said one of the most important lessons she has learned is the importance of working with experienced professionals while continuing to learn the craft step by step.
Most of the groves on the estate are centuries old, and the oldest tree, believed to be more than 600 years old, became the company’s emblem.
Rooted in rocky terrain that makes fieldwork particularly demanding, the orchards stretch across the valley, where variations in sun exposure and soil composition shape the aromas and character of the olives.
Zachou evaluates oils from each orchard and helps compose the final blend, using only Memecik olives to preserve the identity and natural complexity of the territory.
The hardy variety tolerates drought well, allowing the company to avoid irrigation and remain aligned with the project’s sustainability goals.
Colin said introducing new olive trees to the harsh terrain proved difficult because young plants require significant amounts of water. After experimenting with grafting wild olive trees scattered across the groves with Memecik scions, the company began expanding the practice to increase production.
“From the outset, our oil has consistently received important recognition in international competitions, which has been very rewarding as we aim to improve each season,” Colin said. “Awards like the Gold Award at the NYIOOC are invaluable feedback on our work and confirm its quality.”
Because of the uneven terrain, harvesting cannot be mechanized. A team of harvesters, mostly women, collects the olives by hand.
“We aim to give back to the community by providing good-paying jobs to workers, whose contribution is truly precious,” Colin said. “It means a great deal to us that they take pride in producing top-quality extra virgin olive oil.”
“Through my work, I consider myself, in a sense, an ambassador for Turkey,” she added. “I also hope the path I am building will inspire and support more women in Turkey to begin and continue a journey like this in the years to come.”
“I truly believe the world is ready to recognize what this country can offer in terms of quality, sustainability and women-led production,” Colin concluded.
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