Bill completed his studies in sensory evaluation of olive oil at the University of California-Davis and Centro Culturale Oliverte in Tuscany. He has honed his skills by going to the very people who produce the olive oil, learning from world’s finest growers. Bill has conducted sales associate and consumer education programs for retailers, importers and gourmet food distributors including Williams
– Sonoma and Safeway. He founded crushandpress.com, an online gourmet food store. In 2010 Bill was named the U.S Spokesman for 100% Tunisian Olive Oil. The culmination of Bill’s journey was the 2012 release of First Fresh, a certified California extra virgin olive oil, which has garnered several national and international awards. At the 2013 New York International Olive Oil Competition, First Fresh was listed in the “Index of the World’s Best Olive Oils.” He also launched the 3 Village Blend in 2013. Today, Bill represents Lucero Olive Oil, LLC located in Corning, California. Lucero was the grower for First Fresh - California. The Crane family which owns Lucero started with 25 acres of Sevillano olives in 1947, and today manage some of those same big old trees as well as many acres of newer plantings. Lucero uses both old world hand picking along side 21st century machine harvesting, and relay on a team of local workiers in their six orchards and mill. Lucero olive oil undergo stringent and mandatory testing by the State of California in order to make the claims that we do. They also go beyond mandatory testing by working with Kof-K to certify the oils as kosher. Finally Lucero has the honor of being members of an invitation only elite international group of like minded producers called the Extra Virgin Alliance. EVA is a non-profit organization which encourages transparency in the marketplace and puts the consumer first in matters of policy.
