When Sam and Spencer left Kansas City for Sarandë in 2024, they weren’t planning to start an olive oil company. They had sold nearly everything they owned, left their corporate careers, and come to Albania to build a different kind of life.

One of the first people to welcome them was Lili, a Sarandë local who helped them learn the language, understand their new home, and feel like they belonged. Lili eventually introduced them to a local olive oil producer.

Walking through the groves and mill, they learned about the Kalinjot olive, a rare Albanian variety cultivated in these hills for generations. The oil was grassy, peppery, and more alive than anything they had tasted before. Just as memorable were the people behind it and the pride they took in their land, trees, and traditions.

As Sam and Spencer built Smile Abroad and other businesses from their new home, they began sharing the Albania they had discovered with people around the world. Zemër grew naturally from that work: a way to experience Albania through what its land and people produce.

Bennett Todd joined them as a partner, helping turn that discovery in Sarandë into a company built to bring exceptional Albanian products to a wider audience.

In Albanian, zemër means “heart.” It represents the friendship that opened the door, the care behind every harvest, and the country we are proud to call home.

Every bottle begins with Albanian growers and producers who know these olives best. We simply want more people to taste what made us stop and pay attention that first time.