The moment customers step inside The Anointed Olive’s new Ormond Beach location, they know it’s not a typical specialty shop. It’s set apart by the polished stainless-steel fusti tanks that line its walls, each filled with ultra-premium extra virgin olive oils or aged balsamic vinegars ready to be tasted.
The Anointed Olive moved into this new space in October 2025 when it relocated from 203 E. Granada Blvd. to 240 N. Nova Road. This new location is more open and designed entirely around tasting and education.
“The Anointed Olive is not just a shop—it’s an experience,” Owner Wendy Caroen LaRocca said. “You can taste everything. We have over 84 extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars available to sample, as much as you like. We want people to go home with things they know they enjoy.”
Their philosophy of “taste first, decide later” guides every customer’s visit. Guests are invited to explore the full range of flavors, ask questions, and learn how to use oils and vinegars beyond the salad bowl.
“If someone comes in and says, ‘I’ve got a dinner party on Tuesday, and I don’t know what to serve,’ we can help them build a whole meal from what they already have,” LaRocca said. “The oils and vinegars can be marinades, finishing oils, flavor boosters – even drink mixers.”
Yes, drink mixers!
“The balsamic vinegars can replace simple syrup in cocktails,” LaRocca explained. “And olive oil itself is incredibly versatile. I even put it in my coffee. Starbucks finally caught on, but olive oil has been used this way for generations because of its health benefits.”
The story of The Anointed Olive began in DeLand in 2017 when LaRocca and her husband explored retirement options. However, the business soon became LaRocca’s full focus.
“This has always been my baby,” she said.
And over the years, The Anointed Olive has grown. LaRocca purchased the Ormond Beach Olive Oil Company in October 2019 and brought it under The Anointed Olive umbrella. Today, she oversees both stores while her son, Matthew Gray, manages the DeLand flagship.
And no matter what location customers visit, they will obtain a deeper understanding of olive oil. LaRocca’s 20 years of experience as a paralegal shaped how she built the business.
“Research is what I do,” she said.
That research led her to an olive oil supplier in California with Italian roots dating back to the 1920s, who helped establish the industry’s standards.
“They do everything naturally, no chemicals, no additives, and they hold themselves to the strictest quality measures. That mattered to me,” LaRocca said.
One of the most common questions customers ask is about olive oil’s phenols, an antioxidant compound linked to health benefits. The store offers oils across a full spectrum, from lower and mid-level phenol oils that are smooth and approachable, to high-phenol oils prized for wellness, LaRocca said.
“The higher the phenol content, the stronger the health properties,” she says. “We absolutely have customers who come in specifically for our high- phenol oils because of brain health, inflammation, and overall wellness. But the bottom line is always taste. You choose the olive oil that you enjoy, because if you like it, you’ll use it, and that’s how you get the benefits.”
Fresh oil is also important to The Anointed Olive. There are two annual olive harvests, one for each of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere seasons. The Anointed Olive rotates its olive oil selection every six to nine months to have oil from those harvests.
“We source oils from places like Italy, Spain, Chile, and the U.S.,” LaRocca said. “The country matters less than the harvest and how fresh the oil is. Every harvest produces a different flavor profile.”
All oils and vinegars are hand-bottled and corked in-store to ensure freshness. LaRocca also recommends enjoying these products within 12 months, she said.
As for LaRocca, her favorite olive oil is their Wild Mushroom and Sage.
“It was the first oil I ever used, and it’s still dear to my heart,” she said.
The store also carries both white and dark balsamic vinegars that can be paired with an oil or enjoyed on their own. Naturally aged and imported from Italy, these vinegars’ flavor and wellness benefits are similar to olive oil.
The Anointed Olive can be a thoughtfully curated gift destination with an emphasis on community and craftsmanship. They offer a variety of goods, from hand-crafted wooden flower arrangements and cutting boards to local honey, coffee beans, and more.
“We can also create personalized gift baskets,” LaRocca said. “We try to keep it local, and we make it fun to shop here.”
And underlying everything LaRocca does is a quiet, but steady, faith. It’s not something she puts on display, but it guides her decisions and her approach to business. Faith, family and integrity are constants that are present in how she sources, teaches, and connects with her customers, she said.
The Anointed Olive Ormond Beach is in The Trails Shopping Center, 240 N. Nova Road, Ormond Beach. Its DeLand location is at 118 N. Woodland Blvd. For information, visit shop.theanointedolivellc.com
Correction: Upon initial publication, this article stated “The Anointed Olive moved into this new space in January.” However, The Anointed Olive moved to the space in October 2025. Hometown News Volusia strives for accuracy and clarity in all matters.
Dining and Cooking