Berjé Trakia

Berjé Trakia demonstrates our sophisticated approach to the time-honored practices of regional growing communities and is emblematic of our reverence for the artistry held within essential oils.

Roses have played an integral role in Bulgarian culture since the days of Ancient Greece and the Odrysian Kingdom, with references to their use in homes and bathhouses dating back centuries, if not millennia. Orpheus, the legendary Greek poet, is believed to have lived in Bulgaria during this era of antiquity, drawing inspiration from the verdant landscapes that surrounded him to write some of his most venerable poems and songs.

Much of this reverence towards Bulgarian roses has carried on throughout history, and the flower remains one of the region’s most treasured botanicals. Each year, dozens of villages in the Kazanlak region hold a Rose Festival, during which local communities come together to pick roses, parade in colorful pink costumes, and crown the year’s “Rose Queen” in a glamorous ceremony that embodies the timeless elegance of the flower.

Processing Rose & Lavender

Berjé Trakia processes a remarkable quantity of rose and lavender flowers each year. Rose is a particularly delicate and time-consuming botanical to cultivate – each rose flower must be hand-picked during the early hours of the summer months, when the sun is just beginning to rise, and the essential oils held within the petals are at their highest concentrations. It requires more than three tons of these petals to produce a single kilogram of Bulgarian rose oil, which is roughly equivalent to the body mass of a fully grown African elephant.

Bulgarian lavender oil is also remarkably gorgeous and unique, bearing a distinct aroma that separates it from other regions. Unlike rose, lavender was a relatively recent addition to Bulgaria’s essential oils industry, though the botanical has quickly risen to become one of its most important exports. Our lavender oil is sourced from the Bulgarian village of Starosel, which is renowned for its remarkable agriculture and time-honored farming methods.