Discovery
The beginnings…
The Old Shop in Hampshire is where Two&One began. Friends were invited to suppers that Lola prepared from local ingredients together with her family’s olive oil from Spain.
In the converted village shop, with its old wooden beams and oak floors, a menu of quintessentially English food was shared… with just one difference – Lola’s extra virgin olive oil.
Stories and good times abounded, yet the conversation frequently returned to the olive oil. Guests were amazed – how cooking with one special ingredient could enhance traditional dishes they had always known and transform them into a feast!
Past and Present
Established in Hampshire by Ben and Lola in 2004, the Two&One heritage goes back further
1887
Lola can trace olive growing back 5 generations to her Great-Great Grandfather, Alfonso Rubio Perales, who bought the first family olive grove in 1887
1917
Lola’s Great Grandfather, Alfonso Rubio Soriano, acquires the olive orchard “El Rubial” which now grows 650 olive trees, after winning the lottery “El Gordo”
1956
Lola’s Grandfather, Alberto, purchases “El Plantio” field with 350 olive trees.
A few years earlier, Margarita, Lola’s Grandmother, inherits the field known as “Grandma’s Orchard” when her father dies. Margarita was an excellent cook and could make a meal with any ingredients – always cooking them with olive oil!
1981
Alfonso (seen here with his father) and Maria Cruz, Lola’s parents, buy their first olive orchard “La Fuente de la Salud” (The Fountain of Good Health) – the first of a series of acquisitions to expand the family farm.
Alfonso was meticulous in keeping records of the kilograms harvested each day and the number of people who had gone to harvest with him.
1996
Ben visits Spain for the first time during the summer when it is hot and goes to work in the olive groves with Lola’s father and brothers. Their task is tree pruning, which they do using small hand tools. Arriving early to start at sunrise, it is intense and thirsty work. They finish around noon, before the 40°C plus summer-time temperatures set-in for the day.
1997
Lola brings her family’s olive oil in her suitcase as a present to Ben’s parents and shows them how to cook “paella” and other recipes in their kitchen. Everyone is amazed by how much olive oil goes in the pan!
2004
Ben and Lola move to Hampshire where they settle down at The Old Shop. Lola immerses herself into British lifestyle and starts cooking with local Hampshire ingredients – except for her father’s olive oil which she brings back in her suitcase on her frequent trips to Spain – and begins a great relationship with local butchers and other ingredient suppliers.
2007
To highlight local ingredients, Lola starts printing menus for her guests when they come for dinner. This becomes a point of conversation that always seemed to lead to how it was that everything was tastier when Lola cooked it, bringing to light that Lola’s olive oil was the clue.
2012
When Ben and Lola’s children start school, they ask for cheese on toast and macaroni cheese. Lola unintentionally prepares both dishes with her olive oil, just the way she has always cooked. Not only did Lola cook all their meals with olive oil she also presented it to other parents and friends as her most valued gift.
At school, the children’s classmates ask them why they have olive oil in their home-made sandwiches instead of butter. Don’t they know?
2018
Ben becomes involved in the olive milling process and, three years later, he qualifies as a master miller with la Escuela Superior del Aceite de Oliva (ESAO)
2022
Ben and Lola increase the family farm in Spain by purchasing “La Atayuela” (The Hilltop) olive grove with its stunning, rugged landscapes and amazing views of Sierra de Cazorla.
2023
Two&One becomes commercially available in the UK, dotted around Hampshire in delicatessens,
farm shops and English sparkling wine cellars, as well as, in London.
Ben and Lola’s story and passion is captured and shared in the regional newspaper, making it to the
front page!
Combining British living with an authentic and healthy olive oil crafted by British hands in Spain.
Meet our team
Lola
founder of Two&One and all things social
“Our three olive oils are very sociable and inspire great conversations around the table. It’s versatility means it is suited to a range of occasions and dinner plates and suitable for paring with countless dishes. For us, it represents conversation time.”
Ben
Co-founder of Two&One & STRATEGIST
“Each harvest is different. There are many factors that create special qualities in our olive oil but one thing is constant – premium quality olive oil can only be made from premium, healthy olives. It is all about teamwork!”
Lola & Ben’s children
HELPERS AT HARVEST & ALL YEAR ROUND OLIVE OIL CONSUMERS
“Harvest time is lots of fun! It’s great climbing up the trees to pick the olives on the highest branches! Sometimes when we’ve finished, Grandad lets us drive his tractor around the olives too.”
Alberto
Olive Orchard Manager and determiner of healthy olives
“High quality olive oil starts in the olive groves. We nurture our olive trees throughout each season to ensure the healthiest possible fruit. The summers are hot and harvest time is great – you get to see the rewards for all of our year-round efforts!”.
Pepa
Agronomist and Harvest Supervisor
“Every year begins afresh and we wonder if the new season will be as rich as the previous one. The excitement builds as the olives ripen and then.. they are ready to pick… and no-one can wait to taste the new season’s harvest!”
Alfonso
Lola’s late father, “The Old Man” and former olive farmer, who we dearly miss
“Our olive oil is full of Omega-3 and packed with vitamins. It is made only by crushing healthy olives – there is no other ingredient, it is a pure juice! Es totalmente natural!”