Sustainability
At Akaki Grove, sustainability isn't simply a practice—it's the foundation of everything we do. We believe that producing exceptional olive oil begins with caring for the land, which is why we farm organically while embracing regenerative agriculture taking elements from the principles of permaculture and agroecology.
Rather than trying to control nature, we choose to work alongside it. We encourage natural ground cover to grow beneath our trees, providing habitat for insects, protecting the soil from erosion, and helping to retain moisture. We welcome birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, recognising that every living organism plays an important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. By avoiding synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and unnecessary chemical inputs, we allow nature's own processes to flourish.
Healthy olive trees depend on healthy soil. Beneath the surface lies a complex community of microorganisms, fungi, insects, and roots working together to recycle nutrients, improve soil structure, and support plant health. By minimising disturbance and encouraging biodiversity, we create a living, microbe-rich soil that naturally nourishes our trees, producing olives that are rich in flavour and quality.
Our commitment to regenerative farming also extends beyond the harvest. By increasing organic matter in the soil, we improve its ability to capture and store carbon, helping to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide while building more drought resilient farmland. Healthy soils are one of nature's greatest allies in tackling climate change, and we are proud to play our part.
For us, sustainability is not about following trends or ticking boxes. It is about leaving the land healthier than we found it, producing food with integrity, and ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy both the grove and the environment that sustains it.
At Akaki Grove, we don't just grow olives—we cultivate biodiversity, nurture healthy soils, and invest in the future of our planet, one harvest at a time.
Rescue Food. Rescue Hens. Regenerate the Land.
Akaki Grove Wins the 2026 Sustainable Development Award Photo credit: Nearchos Panayiotou / Gastronomos Cyprus (Kathimerini Cyprus)
Akaki Grove Wins the 2026 Sustainable Development Award Photo credit: Nearchos Panayiotou / Gastronomos Cyprus (Kathimerini Cyprus)
Akaki Grove Wins the 2026 Sustainable Development Award Photo credit: Nearchos Panayiotou / Gastronomos Cyprus (Kathimerini Cyprus)
Akaki Grove Wins the 2026 Sustainable Development Award Photo credit: Nearchos Panayiotou / Gastronomos Cyprus (Kathimerini Cyprus)
GROVE METHODS
At Akaki Grove our farming methods are guided by one simple belief: healthy ecosystems produce exceptional olive oil. From caring for the soil and encouraging biodiversity to harvesting our olives early and carefully extracting the oil, every step reflects our commitment to quality, sustainability, and respect for nature.
Everything starts beneath our feet
We encourage a rich community of microorganisms, fungi, earthworms, and beneficial insects that naturally recycle nutrients and improve soil structure. Healthy, living soil provides the foundation for healthy trees and exceptional olives.
Ground Cover
We encourage natural ground cover to grow between our trees rather than leaving the soil bare. This protects against erosion, retains moisture, supports pollinators, and naturally enriches the soil as it decomposes.
Biodiversity
Our grove is home to much more than olive trees. Citrus trees, wildflowers, birds, pollinators, beneficial insects, donkeys, rescued Kot-Kot Cy hens, and other wildlife all play an important role in maintaining a healthy, balanced ecosystem.
Early Harvest
Our olives are harvested early in the season, while they are still green, to preserve their freshness, vibrant flavour, and naturally occurring polyphenols. Although this results in a smaller yield, it produces an olive oil of exceptional quality and character.
Cold Extraction
Our olives are transported to the mill shortly after harvesting and cold extracted to preserve their natural aromas, flavour, and beneficial compounds. During milling, naturally occurring enzymes transform compounds within the olives, creating many of the valuable polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil.
Independent Testing
Every harvest is independently analysed by an International Olive Council (IOC) recognised laboratory to verify its quality, purity, and polyphenol content, ensuring it meets the highest standards.
From Grove to Bottle
From caring for the soil to bottling the finished oil, every stage reflects our commitment to quality, sustainability, and respect for nature. We believe exceptional olive oil begins long before the harvest—with healthy soils, thriving biodiversity, and thoughtful farming practices.
KOT KOT
The Kot-Kot pilot project creates a natural circular economy by connecting food waste, rescued hens and regenerative farming.
We rescue hens
Commercial laying hens are typically slaughtered after around two years, despite having many healthy years ahead of them. We give them a permanent home where they can live naturally.
We rescue food
Food waste from schools and partner organisations is collected before it reaches landfill.
Nature does the rest
Our hens naturally:
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convert food waste into nutrient-rich fertiliser
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reduce pests and weeds
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improve soil biology
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fertilise olive groves
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reduce the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides
Nothing is wasted.
Closing the Loop
Instead of this:
Food → Bin → Landfill → Methane → Climate Change
Kot-Kot creates this:
Food → Rescued Hens → Healthy Soil → Olive Trees → Food
One waste stream becomes multiple environmental benefits.
Why It Matters
Kot-Kot doesn't solve one problem—it solves several at once.
✔ Food waste is diverted from landfill.
✔ Methane emissions are reduced.
✔ Hens are rescued from slaughter.
✔ Natural fertiliser replaces synthetic alternatives.
✔ Olive groves become healthier and more biodiverse.
✔ Schools help educate the next generation about circular economy and sustainability.
OUR Vision
We believe waste should never be wasted.
By combining rescued animals, regenerative agriculture and circular economy principles, Kot-Kot is building a practical, scalable model that helps communities reduce landfill, improve farming and restore ecosystems.
Our vision is to expose as many people as possible to the Kot- Kot principles and ideas, and hopefully expand this model across Cyprus, proving that some of the most effective climate solutions are inspired by nature itself.
If you'd like to learn more about Kot-Kot Cy or explore ways to support our mission, please contact us. Together, we can make a difference.
Turning Food Waste into Regenerative Agriculture.
A Circular Economy Solution for Cyprus
Every year, enormous amounts of perfectly usable food are thrown away. Instead of becoming a resource, it ends up in landfill where it produces harmful greenhouse gases and contributes to climate change.
Kot-Kot transforms this waste into an opportunity.
By rescuing hens from the egg industry and feeding them surplus food, we create a circular system that reduces food waste, lowers carbon emissions, regenerates farmland and gives animals a second chance.
The Problem
Cyprus has one of the highest levels of food waste in Europe.
Every year in Cyprus:
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360,000 tonnes of organic waste are sent to landfill.
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This waste generates approximately 756,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent as it decomposes.
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That's the same climate impact as driving around the Earth 76,000 times.
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In 2022, Cyprus generated an estimated 294 kg of food waste per person, making it the highest producer of food waste in the European Union.
Food waste isn't simply rubbish—it is a lost resource with a significant environmental cost.
