Ruth Hajioff started her professional career as an acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist. In 2000 she visited Morocco to study with a famed herbalist, based in Agadir. It was he who introduced her to argan oil and its amazing health giving properties.

Doing background research into the oil she found that the argan tree falls under the protection of UNESCO, who have designated the trees as a World Heritage site. The oil is harvested and pressed using traditional methods by Berber tribeswomen and preserves an ages old way of life which has all but disappeared in more developed areas.

As a result of the trip, Ruth made the life-changing decision to pursue a new career, developing and selling argan in the UK and Europe. Her goal was to promote the benefits of argan, both for good health and as a delicious food. The key for Ruth was being able to do all this whilst still remaining true to the conservation of the argan tree and the lifestyle of the Berber tribespeople who make their living from it.

Back in the U.K. she visited the Centre of Economic Botany at Kew to find out more. She met Dr. Mark Nesbitt and his team of botanists who were very encouraging about her plans to import the oil into the U.K. and gave her invaluable advice about the balance between the needs for commercial yet ethical oil production and conservation of the trees. Ruth also received excellent advice from Trade Partners UK and the British Consulate in Casablanca.


Back on a fact-finding mission in Morocco, Ruth spent time with experts at the Ministry of Water and Forests, The Agronomic Institute and the Faculty of Medicine in Rabat. She also forged an alliance with Moulay Hassan Daoui, an argan expert based in the area in which she wished to build. Together they set out to develop an ethical-trade production centre, Bab el Oued d’Argan, between Agadir and Taroudant, in the heart of the Souss argan region.
 

Work at the centre preserves the traditional methods of production. The preparation is still carried out by hand, and it can take up to ten hours to crack enough nuts to produce one litre of finest quality oil. The work is continued by the Berber tribeswomen who work and are paid in line with fair trade standards. Moulay sources the best local fruit and supervises production and Ruth works tirelessly to promote both the oil and the region she loves.

Their efforts in quality control have been rewarded by Wild Wood Groves argan food oil receiving a ‘Gold’ Great Taste Award in August 2005.

Ruth and Moulay’s plans for business growth include a thriving tourist centre which supports rather than exploits local expertise. They do not have sufficient funds yet to open the centre to the public and pay the women full time, or organise publicity.
Profits will be ploughed back into the local community to provide education and health care as well as a multitude of jobs for those people wishing to stay in the area in which they were born.

Since starting Wildwood Groves Ruth has become the UK expert on argan and its production. She developed ties with the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI and took part in a video interview for him which was aired on Moroccan television in 2001. This endorsement has led to good relationships with the Moroccan National Tourist Office and Embassy in the UK and Ruth’s involvement in projects to strengthen the image and relationship of Morocco with the UK. Her work has recently been rewarded with her election to the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Preservation and Research for the Argan.

Ruth regularly contributes her time to non-profit making ventures which promote and explore the conservation, growth and development of argan, and has been invited to several symposiums dedicated to exploration of the benefits of argan. She has helped documentary makers and film crews with research and footage for their programmes including working with Blue Peter on a series of films they made about Morocco and its culture and one of the Heritage series for BBC World.
Dr. Mark Nesbitt has referred several Masters students to Ruth who has helped them with their work on argan related subjects. She has also collaborated on a joint Israeli/Moroccan book to be published by an American University.

Ruth is also the proud owner of a fine home in the historical Moroccan town of Essaouira. A traditional Riad, beautifully restored using traditional building methods and finishes, Ruth likes to spend as much of her time there as she can. In the times it is unoccupied she rents it out to those people who are interested in immersing themselves in the Moroccan culture and lifestyle.

Visit our links page for information on travelling to Morocco, see these beautiful trees and the production or argan oil for yourself.