River Grove is a family-owned olive grove nestled on the banks of the Ruamahanga River, just north of Masterton in the beautiful Wairarapa region.

About River Grove

Located along the Ruamahanga River near Masterton in Wairarapa, River Grove is a family-owned olive grove established in 2004 by Steven and Chris Price, who moved from Wellington with their three children. The property spans 36 hectares, with 12 dedicated to olive trees and the rest leased for beef grazing. Over the years, the Prices have expanded their grove, now growing 4,000 trees.

Our Olives and Oils

River Grove’s primary olive varieties include the fruity Frantoio and the peppery Leccino, along with newer varieties like Koroneiki and Chemlali. The trees bloom in November, and olives are harvested in early winter, with mature trees mechanically harvested and younger ones hand-picked. As harvests have increased, most fruit is sold to The Village Press. The grove also grows a small number of Manzanilla trees which are most suited as table olives.  Each year we harvest and press 300 – 400 litres of fruit into extra virgin oils for direct sale to our customers. Each batch is certified extra-virgin with support from Olives New Zealand.

Seasonal Rhythms

The hard work that Steven puts into the grove was well rewarded at our Olives New Zealand 2025 Awards function in early October. We entered five oils and are very happy with receiving a silver medal for our Frantoio, Picual and Koroneiki and a gold medal for our Chemlali and South Grove Blend. The evening only got better when both the Chemlali and Blend were awarded Best in Class in their categories and then the Chemlali was named Best Reserve in Boutique and the South Grove Blend, Best in Boutique. The Boutique category is for oils where the volume is between 30 and 249 litres.

In the grove, flower buds are appearing, and the growing season is about to begin. Spring has brought us pleasantly warm temperatures and moderate amounts of rain, but we have had a few periods of very strong winds from the northwest which is hard on the nerves. Steven has been pruning the trees for a few weeks now, but every time the gales come through we still seem to lose a few branches. Now we wait to see what growing conditions summer will bring…

Explore Our Olive Oils