Today we’d like to introduce you to Malatrice Montgomery and Ayanna Carver.
Malatrice and Ayanna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We are Malatrice Montgomery (Mali) and Ayanna Carver (Nikki) co-founders and business partners. We’re two longtime family friends and food lovers who believe the everyday should taste extraordinary. One afternoon several years ago, I (Mali) walked into an olive oil shop and walked out obsessed asking “Why doesn’t Atlanta have something like this?” This question became the spark that eventually led to Vine & Olive.
We didn’t start with investors or corporate connections. We built this brand during late nights, after-work hours, and during long weekends, while still holding down full-time careers. As a certified Physician Associate (PA) and Assistant Professor, I saw the health and wellness side of premium olive oils. As a General Sales Manager in news media, Nikki saw how access, education, and storytelling could bring people in. Together we saw an opportunity to make learning about high-quality gourmet oils and balsamic vinegars less intimidating, more joyful, and more accessible, especially in communities that rarely get invited into these spaces.
So, we built a tasting-forward model rooted in fun, hospitality, and discovery. Every bottle comes with a suggestion, every tasting comes with a spark of creativity, and every customer becomes part of our story.
Over the past two years, Vine & Olive has grown into multiple retail locations across Atlanta from Ponce City Market and the Krog Street District to the westside trail of the BeltLine. We have a growing community of home cooks, foodies, and flavor explorers who return for the oils, the education, and the joy. We’ve hosted tastings, mocktail workshops, TV cooking segments, and even collaborated with Pastor Sarah Jakes Roberts’ Woman Evolve Conference. And we’re just getting started!
Vine & Olive is more than an olive oil store – it’s a space to gather, learn, taste, experiment, and elevate the everyday.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building Vine & Olive meant creating something that didn’t exist in our community, and that comes with learning curves. We don’t have investors or free time to waste. We are literally building this business with our own money one day at a time. As Black women in a corner of the gourmet food world that has very little representation, we didn’t have a roadmap. We had to figure out sourcing, importing, retail, regulations, staffing, merchandising, marketing, logistics, tastings, and education — all at once. But those challenges forced us to ask for help from family members, mentors, and other entrepreneurs whose insight and guidance have helped us tremendously along the way.
We have struggles just like everyone else. Since the pandemic, we’ve had to navigate career changes, surgeries, difficult family dynamics, and the loss of beloved family members. In the last 2 years, both of us have been involved in serious car accidents that threatened to derail our progress. In addition, there are many days spent labeling bottles by hand at 1am, and weekends spent hosting tastings instead of resting. However, the challenges have made us resilient and more rooted in purpose than ever before. Seeing customers light up when they taste or learn something new reminds us of the positivity we want to put out in the world – that’s what keeps us going.
As two Black women entering a $17B global olive oil industry, sometimes it feels too big and scary to handle at times …but we have each other, our family, and a community that shows up for us – and that’s the real fuel behind our growth.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Vine & Olive?
When someone first encounters Vine & Olive, they often think it’s “just” about olive oil and balsamic vinegars, but that’s only the surface. At its heart, Vine & Olive is an invitation: to taste more boldly, to slow down, to gather around flavor, and to re-connect with what’s real and good in your life.
What do you do, what do you specialize in / what are you known for?
We specialize in offering flavored extra virgin olive oils, premium olive oils, and aged balsamic vinegars sourced from family-owned groves and small-batch producers around the world. Our tasting experiences allow people to awaken their palate and explore flavor profiles in a way that is both educational and fun.
What sets you apart from others?
What sets us apart is twofold. First, we are one of only a handful (7 to be exact) of Black-owned olive oil brands globally, which means representation isn’t just a talking point, it’s part of the legacy we’re building. Second, we treat olive oil and vinegar not just as ingredients, but as a lifestyle. There’s a huge difference between buying a bottle off a grocery store shelf and actually understanding how freshness, harvest timing, and pressing affect flavor and health benefits. Once people experience that difference firsthand, it changes how they cook and how they gather around food.
What are you most proud brand-wise?
Aside from being proud of ourselves for learning how to do something we’ve never done before…Brand-wise, we’re proud of the reactions people have to our products and tasting experiences. Guests often tell us that they learned something helpful that they never knew before, cooking feels more fun, or they’re excited to experiment in a new way. We love that because flavor isn’t just about what’s on the plate; it’s about how people live and connect!
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc?
In terms of offerings, we have seasonal releases of olive oils and vinegars, curated tasting experiences, gift sets, and subscription boxes. We invite everyone to come out to one of our four locations in the Atlanta area where we offer free samples daily. Ultimately, we want readers to know that Vine & Olive is about elevating everyday food into experiences that feel beautiful, delicious, and shared.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Mali – Inspiration doesn’t have to come from within the same industry. Nikki and I pull from a mix of business, culture, and wellness to keep our creativity sharp. On the business side, I love the book We Should All be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers. It’s really helped shift my money mindset and create systems for our daily operations. Culturally, it’s been so great seeing Tracee Ellis Ross and even locals like Dr. Key Hallmon build their brands in real time. Their paths serve as inspiration for what we’re trying to create in the world.
Nikki – I truly believe in the power of manifestation and speaking life into what I want, both personally and professionally, and a lot of the content I consume reflects that mindset. One podcast that really resonates with me is Sisternomics with Monique Caradine Kitchens. She is constantly dropping gems around money, financial literacy, and the real-life journeys of Black women entrepreneurs, which inspires me on so many levels. Mental health is also a huge priority for me. After losing my son in a car accident in 2020, therapy became an important part of my healing and growth. The podcast Therapy for Black Girls continues to support me in that space through conversations around mental wellness. These resources help keep me grounded, motivated, and aligned with the life and career I’m trying to build.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vineandolives.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vineandolives/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@vineandolives
Image Credits
Monique Caradine-Kitchens
Constance Grant
Raymond Carver
