Our 148 Year Story
Since 1872, our family has lovingly raised each and every olive tree in our grove. Our quest to produce extra virgin olive oil in the purest artisanal style began humbly with a primitive mill, powered by a mule. In the five generations since, we have remained devoted to producing the highest quality, most flavorful and purest organic extra virgin olive oil for our customers.
Adelaida Fernandez-Cuellar founded Garcia de la Cruz during a time when it was uncommon for women to work outside of the home. Here is the story of our company from generation to generation.
1872

FIRST GENERATION
In 1872 Federico Serrano Fernandez-Negrete and Adelaida Fernandez-Cuellar, inherited an oil mill and soon after purchased 750 acres of land, filling it with olive trees. As her husband was an attorney and public administrator, Adelaida made the courageous decision to build a national business during a time when women were often restricted to domestic chores.
S. XIX

SECOND GENERATION DATE
Federico and Adelaida had three children, and in 1.931, it was their daughter, Guadelupe Serrano Fernandez-Cuellar, who took charge of the family business when her husband passed away. Her first investment was to modernize the mill and improve the production systems.

THIRD GENERATION
The tradition of women managing the family business continued into the third generation. In 1.943 Adela Aguilar Serrano, daughter of Guadelupe, took charge of the mill and continued to modernize the facilities. She passed responsibility for the mill on to Francisco, one of her twin sons.
S. XX

FOURTH GENERATION
Francisco Garcia de la Cruz represents the fourth generation of the family business taking it over in 1.975. Due to an increase in demand and need for a larger space, the mill was moved from the center of town to its current location in 1980. By the time he retired, Francisco had planted thousands more olive trees and made sure production was handled with the best quality methods and raw materials.
S. XXI

FIFTH GENERATION
Sons of Francisco, Fernando García de la Cruz Pascual and Eusebio García de la Cruz Pascual took over the fifth generation in 2000. They expanded the family business into the international markets. Their desire to produce the highest quality extra virgin olive oils is reflected in the progressive conversion to organic farming—resulting in today’s 100% organic EVOO.