Olive oil press in Hasbaya

Local International Company, a manufacturer of olive oil, will open a factory for pressing olive oil in Hasbaya, in early 2016.

Investment in the project is estimated at $4 million, with a built-up area reaching 1,500 square meters. Robert Saad, Partner and General Manager, said that the factory will be equipped with fully automated machines imported from Italy.

The factory will be ISO 22000 and HACCP certified “The new machines will enhance the quality of olive oil to meet international standards and this will help us penetrate international markets,” he said.

The production capacity of the factory will be four tons per day. The factory will be able to press around 800 tons of olives per year collected from farmers in the region. The company also has its own brand ‘Kanz’.

The factory will create six full time jobs. “Prices of squeezing olives will be lower than using the traditional way, as it does not require a large number of workers,” said Saad.

The company already owns a traditional olive oil press. The factory will increase exports by 60 percent. “We will be able to enter the European and American markets,” said Saad.