Extra virgin Olive Oil from Samos, Greece

Gaia Iluka, From the olive grove to your table

37°45′N 26°50′E

Samos, The island that made everything.

On the island of Samos, the olive grove is part of the landscape, the rhythm of the seasons, and everyday life.In Koumeika, GAIA ILUKA begins with a connection to the land and the olives that grow there.From the grove in Greece to the table in South Korea, every bottle carries a sense of where it began.

From Samos, to your table

Discover

How does Gaia Iluka Extra Virgin Olive Oil taste?

Bright fruitiness, medium bitterness, distinct pungency. Pressed from one family's groves in Koumeika , Samos, in one season, and nothing else.

01

Dialogue

The food and the oil should speak to each other. Gaia Iluka does not sit on top of a dish — its fruit, bitterness and pepper meet the ingredients and add a dimension.

02

Aroma & Colour

Pair the character of the dish with the character of the oil. Fresh greens, citrus, herbs and ripe fruit each echo a different note in the bottle.

03

Simplicity

Use excellent ingredients and let the oil finish the dish. A few thoughtful things are enough when the oil is fresh and expressive.

04

Bitterness & Pepper

Bitterness and pepper are the character of a serious extra virgin. Use them deliberately: they cut richness, lift vegetables and add length.

05

Cooking

Think about when the oil goes in. Cook with it where it belongs, but finish with fresh oil so the aroma and fruit stay expressive.

06

Texture

Oil changes how food feels in the mouth. A final pour brings silkiness and contrast to something crisp, warm, raw or grilled.

Gaia Iluka — Family Archive

Same Land. Same Family. Same Craft.

Four generations of the Markou family have cultivated olive trees in Koumeika, Samos — a tradition now carried to Korea.

1900

1960s – 1990s

Generation III · The craft continues

The olive mill in Koumeika, Samos, worked by hand for three generations.

2005

Ioannis in the grove at harvest.

2012

Registered in Koumeika

Ioannis P. Markou & Co. is registered, formalising four generations of work.

2014

The family in the olive grove.

2025

Chef Max

Chef Max brings the family's oil into his kitchen at Restaurant Iluka, Jeonju.

2026

Gaia Iluka Korea

Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil from Greece. Crafted for daily rituals.

Koumeika, Samos — Greece

SUMMER, IN A BOTTLE

The taste of Samos summer

Sun-warmed days, good food, and olive oil poured generously over the table.

From Chef Max

A chef noticed something his guests could not ignore.

Chef Max, founder of Iluka restaurant in Jeonju, began using the Markou family's olive oil in his kitchen. The difference was immediate — not just to him, but to his guests.

They asked about it. Why it tasted so vivid. The answer was simple: it came from one place, one family, and one way of doing things.

Max · Iluka, Jeonju

Read our story

The bottle

Gaia Iluka Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil

GAIA ILUKA Original is our extra virgin olive oil from Samos, Greece. Rooted in its place of origin, it is made to be enjoyed simply — at the table, with good food and good company. From the olive grove to the bottle, and from the bottle to the table.

Shop Original