Our Story: Creating the World's Highest Polyphenol Olive Oil
Working with nature, not against it.
What is Oleaphen?
Oleaphen is a Cyprus-based producer of ultra-high phenolic extra virgin olive oil, developed for wellness, longevity, and clinical research applications.
The company was co-founded by Nicolas Netien, agronomist, soil biologist, and Chief Scientific Officer, and Nicholas Schizas, who leads commercial operations and external communications. Every harvest is independently verified by LC-MS/MS at IOC-accredited laboratories and delivered in nitrogen-flushed 5ml monodoses to preserve polyphenol stability from grove to consumption. Nicolas Netien holds the world record for the highest polyphenol concentration ever measured in olive oil: 4,943 mg/kg, achieved in 2018.
The 2025–2026 harvest is verified at 2,236 mg/kg total polyphenols and 11,636 mg/kg total bioactive compounds, tested by LC-MS/MS at Universidad de Córdoba (Interreg Mediterranean ARISTOIL project, IOC-accredited methodology) and Chem Solutions Athens. Oleaphen meets the EFSA-authorised health claim under EU Regulation 432/2012, delivering 892% above the required hydroxytyrosol minimum.
Our Values
Oleaphen operates at the intersection of soil biology, food science, and clinical nutrition. The brand was built on the principle that polyphenol concentration in olive oil is a direct expression of how the grove is managed, the moment of harvest, and the precision of extraction. Each of those variables is treated as scientific work, not marketing language.
Carbon Negative
Pesticide and Microplastic Free
Vegan & Cruelty Free
Regenerative Agriculture
Traceability & Transparency
Community Engagement
Radically Different
Phenolic excellence
TERROIR
Cyprus has a geology found nowhere else in the world, combined with a Mediterranean climate and proximity to the sea. The intense heat of Cypriot summers, tempered by cooling sea breezes, produces olives with a phenolic profile that cannot be replicated elsewhere. Oleaphen's groves sit in microclimates selected for their natural stress response.
CUTTING-EDGE EXTRACTION
Olives are hand-harvested at the peak of freshness, early in the season, when polyphenol concentration is at its maximum. Mobile refrigeration units operate inside the groves, cooling olives within minutes of picking. At the mill, cold extraction with minimal malaxation time preserves polyphenols and aromatic compounds. Every step of processing occurs under nitrogen protection to prevent oxidation.
PERMACULTURE
Oleaphen practices regenerative permaculture: biodiverse polyculture, integrated animal systems, zero synthetic or organic pesticides, and a zero-kill policy. The result is a living soil microbiome that delivers nutrient density into the fruit and, by extension, into the oil.
CARBON NEGATIVE
Oleaphen olive oil is not carbon-neutral, it is carbon negative. From cultivation to distribution, the groves sequester more carbon than the operation emits. Each litre represents 16 kg of CO₂ sequestered, verified by the International Olive Council CarbonBalance methodology.
Meet the Team
Nicolas Netien
Nicolas Netien is a renowned expert in the field of olive oil production, particularly celebrated for his work on polyphenols. He has dedicated his career to advancing the quality and health benefits of olive oil. Nicolas holds the world record for the highest concentration of polyphenols in olive oil, achieving a remarkable 4943 mg per liter. This achievement has set a new standard in the industry, highlighting the potent antioxidant properties and health benefits of high-polyphenol olive oils.
In 2024, Nicolas became a founding member of Oleaphen, a company dedicated to making high-phenolic olive oil accessible to a broader audience. Oleaphen aims to educate consumers on the health benefits of polyphenol-rich olive oil and ensure that this superior quality product reaches as many people as possible. Through his pioneering work and commitment to excellence, Nicolas Netien continues to be a leading figure in the olive oil industry, promoting better health through his innovative and high-quality olive oil products.
A passionate teacher and lecturer, Nicolas’ mission is to help speed up the world’s transition towards sustainable and circular production systems.
He has been awarded the rank of Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit by the French Republic for his work in the field of agro-ecology.
Nicholas Schizas
Coming from the UK, producing olive oil was the last thing Nick ever thought he would be involved in. However, when studies came out in 2011 about all the health benefits High Phenolic Olive Oil offers, it grabbed his attention to the point that he had to follow his past generations and set his focus upon the olive oil industry.
Nick originally worked in the football industry and was a licensed FIFA agent to professional football players across major leagues in Europe, Asia, North and South America.
Since giving some High Phenolic for players to try and the positive response they gave, in addition to the feedback from friends and family, he had to turn his focus on naturally developing high levels of polyphenols in olive oil.
Nick has maintained olive groves in the Solea region of Cyprus since 2013 and sharing the strong values of the Oleaphen team, is now focused on helping people to develop their whole wellness spectrum in order to get that competitive advantage in life.
Scientific Verification
Oleaphen is tested every harvest by two independent laboratories using LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry) and HPLC, the analytical gold standard recognised by the International Olive Council and the European Food Safety Authority.
Laboratories:
-Universidad de Córdoba, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Spain. Analyst: F. Priego-Capote. Project: Interreg Mediterranean ARISTOIL.
-Chemical analysis Chem Solutions Analytical Laboratories, Athens, Greece. IOC-recognised accreditation.
Standards compliance:
EU Regulation 2022/2104 (EVOO quality parameters), EU Regulation 2022/2105 (EVOO classification), EU Regulation 432/2012 (EFSA Health Claim), IOC Official Methods (COI/T.20/Doc series), Codex Stan 33-1981.
A note on methodology HPLC is the only analytical method recognised by the IOC and EFSA for polyphenol quantification in olive oil. NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance), used by some producers, is not an accredited method and tends to overestimate polyphenol concentration. Oleaphen's published numbers are verified, accurate, and legally defensible.