The company has a humble and modest beginning, having started off as a small family‐owned business in Nyazura before a move to Harare. In 1931, Olivine purchased premises in Birmingham Road, where the company is now situated. The first plant installed was for crushing groundnuts and producing cooking oil. Olivine Industries started off by selling oil and then ventured into making soap. The first soap produced was the famous Big Ben.

In 1958 the famous Buttercup margarine was innovated. Olivine also started supplying in bulk to the baking industry. Eight years later, Olivine broke fresh ground by being the first to produce cotton seed oil which helped to satisfy the then oil hungry market.