Lavender Lavender (BulgariaFrance)

Lavender Heritage in Bulgaria and France

Bulgaria is an agricultural haven for growing aromatic plants, and the people are rich in expertise. The sunny, dry climate near the Black Sea, combined with well-drained sandy soil, creates ideal growing conditions. By sourcing lavender from Bulgaria, we support local farmers near Esseterre, the doTERRA-owned distillation facility. France is famous for producing exceptionally high-quality lavender. Some historians estimate that lavender production in France dates back as far as 600 B.C.

The Production Process

While Bulgaria has historically boasted some of the world’s premier essential oil research, development, and production, the industry faced challenges in the post-communist era. The government’s financial support encouraged farmers to grow crops like wheat, sunflower, and corn. This shift affected many farmers to replace aromatic plants with these crops, reducing the focus and investment in the aromatic agriculture industry.

As a result, the industry experienced a decline in innovation, which inspired us to establish the Esseterre facility in Dobrich, Bulgaria. Although Esseterre is owned by dōTERRA, it is a Bulgarian firm built and managed by Bulgarians. Expert managers, distillers, farmers, and engineers combine their impeccable skills and a shared commitment to positively impact their communities. Lavender is typically harvested in July. While its vibrant color peaks in early summer, the plant produces higher-quality and greater amount of oil after its color begins to fade from under the summer heat. Lavender plants regrow annually and usually need replanting after 8-10 years.

After the harvest, the lavender is brought straight to Esseterre’s distillation facility for processing. The raw material is loaded into distillation bins and undergoes steam distillation to extract the essential oil, a process that takes about 1 to 1.5 hours per batch. On average, lavender yields about 1% oil, meaning 1,000 kilograms of raw material produces roughly 10 kilograms of oil.

In 2024, Esseterre worked with farmers from 65 lavender farms within a small radius of Dobrich because lavender should be distilled within one day of harvesting. The entire annual lavender oil production takes place in just 3 to 4 weeks, during which Esseterre employees work tirelessly around the clock to maintain the optimal production of our high-quality oil.

Supporting Local Jobs

The establishment of Esseterre has contributed significantly to the ongoing economic revitalization of the Dobrich region. It has brought a multi-million investment and many jobs to a country where nearly a quarter of its population lives at or below the global poverty line. More and more farmers bring their crops to Esseterre. This can be attributed to several things including the sophistication and quality of the equipment and technology, as well as Esseterre’s reputation as a consistently reliable buyer of raw material for distillation that pays fairly and promptly to contracted farmers.

At Esseterre, we can test the quality of a farmer’s crop and essential oil nearly immediately. The on-site, state of the art laboratory includes a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) machine to confirm quality and a space where farmers can watch and wait while their crops are being distilled. Having this technology on-site allows us to not only confirm, while the farmer waits, that their plants produced high quality oil, but also to pay farmers fairly and timely—usually the same day.

Social Impact

Since 2016, dōTERRA Healing Hands has funded 16 social impact projects in Bulgaria, a number only expected to grow.

In 2024, dōTERRA Healing Hands funded renovations of children’s wards in two hospitals, including one in Dobrich which serves over 8 municipalities and sees 1,800 children for treatment in the pediatric unit. The renovations included improved functionality with light, heat, and furniture and vibrant artwork to create a warm and comfortable atmosphere for patients, their families, and medical staff.

dōTERRA Healing Hands has been able to support a variety of projects and organizations in Bulgaria including a youth mentorship program, a scholarship project, and a playground project amongst others.

Here are additional some examples:

A partnership with the organization Mothers’ Care Club provides scholarships for orphans and poverty-stricken children in the Dobrich, Bulgaria area. Additionally, the dōTERRA Healing Hands Foundation has provided funding for a primary school, secondary school, and university students. After the opening of the Esseterre distillery, the mayor of Dobrich received a letter from children in the community requesting a safe place for them to play. The Dobrich Municipality immediately began drawing up plans for two children’s playgrounds (one for ages 6 and younger and one for ages 3 to 12) as well as preparing space between some residential buildings a few blocks from Esseterre. The dōTERRA Healing Hands financially supported the building and expenses of these two playgrounds for the children