The argan tree paints an imposing picture in Morocco’s red landscape. With its wide, spreading crown, the tree is shrouded in incredible charisma and mysticism. It has grown wild for millions of years, its range limited to the southwestern part of the country.

The argan (Argania spinosa) is one of the world’s oldest trees. It has grown wild only in the southwestern part of Morocco for millions of years. Its oil-rich fruit resembles a cross between an olive and a yellow plum. Its flavour is bitter, making it inedible to people. But the nut in its centre contains a treasure: one to three seeds, which are pressed to extract precious argan oil, also known as “Moroccan gold.”

The argan tree’s range is near the cities of Agadir and Essaouira. This is the home of the Amazigh Berber tribes, who have centuries of experience with extracting and processing argan oil. Following scientific research into the effects of argan oil, UNESCO designated Morocco’s argan-growing region the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve in 1998. This designation helps better protect the Amazigh’s unique culture, which arose around the argan tree at the edge of the Sahara – and with it, the traditional knowledge of Morocco’s prized argan oil.

Argan oil, also known as Morocco’s liquid gold due to its prized ingredients and remarkable effects, is extracted from the fruit of the thorny argan tree. First, the pulp is removed by hand. The hard nut in the centre is then cracked open between two stones, and the seeds inside are carefully removed by hand, gently roasted and pressed.

We wanted to introduce machinery to handle the hard physical work, the hand-pressing of the oil. This not only relieves women of the most difficult part of the work; it also ensures the same high quality while meeting optimal hygiene requirements. Our oils are cold pressed to fully preserve the various active ingredients and to allow us to share the natural flavour of Moroccan argan oil in its purest form.

Oil for cosmetic use is extracted from unroasted seeds.

Gertraud Völkl, the founder of LEMAROC, chose the area around Essaouira for her luxurious LEMAROC argan oil. After months of searching and sampling, she found argan seeds near Essaouira that are especially rich in flavour. They convey the particular nutty nuances of Moroccan organic argan oil with a superior subtlety.