We are Basma and Maria. We built our careers in technology, but our connection to the family groves was always there. While we worked on software, products and business decisions, our father continued the work he had known all his life: caring for olive trees and making olive oil.

Basma spent 18 years at Intel, working across engineering, management and corporate strategy. Maria developed her experience as a software engineer at several companies. Those years shaped the way we approach a problem: ask questions, look closely, learn from the people who know the work and keep improving.

Taking our place in the family story

Over time, we began thinking more seriously about the future of the groves. Our father had carried so much of this work for so long. We wanted to share that responsibility and help give the family’s olive oil a future that could continue beyond the efforts of one person.

There is a great deal to learn from someone who has spent a lifetime among these trees. His understanding of the groves, the harvest and the mill comes from doing the work, season after season. We want to give that knowledge the time and attention it deserves, and to carry it into the decisions we make.

For us, Khalaf Olives is where that commitment takes shape. We bring our experience in engineering and business to the practical questions of continuing a family enterprise, while learning from the experience that was here long before us.

Finding our grandfather in the family records

Looking into our history brought us closer to our grandfather, Khalil Khalaf, who returned from New York in the early twentieth century to build his life around this land and its groves. His story helped us see our own place in a family whose lives have crossed countries while remaining connected to the same trees.

We also rediscovered documents more than a century old describing the reputation of Rameh’s olive oil. Reading them gave another dimension to the work we had known through our father. There was a larger story behind it, recorded by earlier generations and still continuing in the village today. You can explore our family history or read about Rameh’s olive oil heritage.

Making the journey more transparent

We want people who choose our oil to feel connected to the people and work behind it. Our goal is full transparency about its journey, with information that is clear, useful and easy to follow.

To support that goal, we are developing a traceability initiative that will help customers discover more about the story behind their bottle. This work is still under development. We will share more as it takes shape, with the same care we give to the oil itself.

Asking new questions about our oil

Our curiosity also extends to the nutritional qualities of the oil. We are planning research with universities to explore these questions in greater depth, bringing scientific rigor to a subject that has long been part of our family’s daily life.

The research remains at the planning stage. As the work develops, we want to share what we learn openly and explain it clearly, including what the findings can tell us and what still needs further study.

We are building this next chapter through the work of each season, the knowledge our father shares and the relationships we make with people who welcome our oil into their kitchens. Thank you for being part of it. We look forward to sharing new harvests and the stories behind them with you.