They first purchased property near Havelock North more than 20 years ago and on that property were some olive trees which went back to the mid-1950s, having been planted as a sort of trial by Sir James Wattie.
They began to check out olive growing and processing across parts of Australia as well as Israel and Italy, and their sights were set.
They brought in a specialist press from Italy and trialled various olive species.
The Village Press was under way.
The potential side of the equation has been well underlined with the company now the largest extra virgin olive oil producer in the country - and their market has expanded nationally and internationally.
At the beginning of 2015 they shifted from their processing site at Sileni Estates to the new site at Flaxmere.
"We needed more room," Mr Startup said.
They now have about 17,000 olive trees up and producing on groves off Ngatarawa Rd - in the heart of the Bridge Pa Wine Triangle.
Like grapes, olives love good ground.
In the familiar tall dark squared-off bottles, Village Press turns out wonderfully titled offerings like Frantoio Olive Oil, Manzanillo Oilve Oil and Terra Sancta Single (there's that wine link again) Estate Extra Virgin Olive oil.
They have also gone into producing avocado oils which Masterchef and My Food Bag's Nadia Lim has become their ambassador for.
The Village Press:
* Kirkwood Rd, Flaxmere
* Phone: 879 8373
* Website: thevillagepress.co.nz
