Our Story
Everyone has a story, and Ours is a love story! You may wonder, “How does an American woman born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts end up living in a small village in Delphi, Greece harvesting Olives!!?” Right? Well, here is the short version of this story.
Never in a million years could I have imagined my life would lead me here…and looking back on life it could not have been more perfect of a place to finally land. You see, my entire life I had been searching…searching for a place which felt like home. True home.
On the Summer Solstice of July 21st 2018, I landed in Delphi, Greece. I had always wanted to come here, and was always fascinated when reading about the Oracle of Delphi. Immediately upon arrival I felt a familiar feeling like I knew this place and this place knew me…and I heard the words “I’m home”.
Now, I am not one to walk into souvenir shops…however there was one shop I was destined to enter. Since it was the Summer Solstice there were some Atenians in Delphi making offerings with poetry, wine, dried fruits and nuts to the God Apollo. A few of them noticed me quietly sitting near them and invited me to join them. After some time passed, they invited me to go visit a friend who had a shop in the village. They encouraged me to come along, saying this was a local man, and he knew everything there was to know about Delphi..so I said ok. I will go to this shop with you.
And yes the owner of this shop was Kostas, who is now my husband :) There was an immediate recognition in our eyes when we first met. Even if we were total opposites~ I was in the flowery flowy hippy dress, all natural and of course smelling of wild herbs and essential oils…and he was freshly shaven, polished shiny dress shoes, fully buttoned up shirt smelling of strong European cologne. It was comical. Perfect and precise. And 10 months later we got married. And he is the absolute love of my life and he feels like home.
And guess where I met his mother for the first time? My very Greek Mother in Law? Yup. In the Olive groves, harvesting olives. And they thought it was so strange that an American woman would want to harvest Olives. And now almost 3 years later we are launching our new Olive Oil Business. HYGEIA, is the Greek word for health and she was also the Greek Goddess of Good Health. Here in Greece when we raise our glasses for a toast we say the words “Yia Mas.” This translates as “To Our Health” and comes from the Greek word HYGEIA. True Good Health is creational and generative and this is our wish for everyone.
Yia Mas!
Kostas & Naia
“It was comical. Perfect and precise. And 10 months later we got married.” - Naia
About HYGEIA DELPHI OLIVE OIL
HYGEIA is the Greek word for HEALTH. These Ancient Olive trees of Delphi Greece have kept our family alive and healthy for more than 6 generations. For the Greek people Olive Oil is life.
We are a small family business here in Delphi Greece and are very happy to share the liquid gold of this land with you.
From Ancient times to Modern day times Olive Oil has always maintained great value. I will never forget hearing my Greek Mother in Law tell me stories of how during World War 2, people would trade entire homes, villas, precious properties, corn and grain in exchange for just a couple kilos of Olive Oil.
This Oil would keep them and their families alive during those difficult times. And still to this very day Olive Oil has not lost its value. It continues to be the heartbeat at the very core of Greek culture and cuisine.
Delphi was famous in Ancient times and still is today. It was considered the Spiritual center of ancient Greece and has been given the title “The Navel of the Earth.”
Every year thousands of people would make the sacred pilgrimage to see the Oracle of Delphi in hopes to receive a prophecy. And still to this very day we have thousands of visitors continuing this pilgrimage here to the Temple of Apollo, where above the entrance the words “Know Thyself “ were written.
Delphi is undoubtedly a special place. It was back then and still is today. This is where our Olive trees grow. This is where our liquid gold is directly sourced from. Always Fresh. Always Pure.