The three groves supplying Tasman Bay Olives Limited are on the Moutere Hills in the Nelson district, long recognized as ideal for growing apples and grapes. Apples have been grown since the early 20th century. The Moutere clays combine with the climate comprising long warm summers, cool winters and very high sunshine hours, to create ideal growing conditions for olives. While olives are relatively new to the area, grapes have been successfully grown for over twenty years. Recent years have seen growing recognition of the quality of the local wines.

Although the summers of the Mediterranean olive growing countries are hotter than those of the Nelson district we believe the very high UV intensity in New Zealand facilitates the ripening of the olives and the production of quality oil.

Olives were planted in New Zealand by the first European settlers in the early 1800's but the first commercial grove was not commenced until 1986 when Gidon Blumenfeld set up a grove in the Marlborough district which is a near neighbour to Nelson in the top of the South Island .This district is world renowned for its Savignon Blanc wine.

Tasman Bay Olives Limited was established in 1998 as the vehicle for processing and marketing the olives produced from three groves in the Nelson region of New Zealand.