Time running out to enter 2025 Australian International Olive Awards

Ongoing quality improvement is one of the aims of the Olive Levy Strategic Investment Plan, which guides the industry’s R&D priorities. The resulting activities have seen the development of production practices which have dramatically increased the overall quality of Australian olive products, and contributed to the industry’s growing reputation for excellence across the globe.

Underpinning that reputation is the Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA), the industry’s major avenue for recognition and promotion of that quality improvement.

Global judging, with comprehensive feedback

A truly international competition, the AIOA is judged by expert panels across the globe, providing producers with an unequalled opportunity for quality assessment and recognition.

All entries are assessed and awarded on their own merit, and each entry receives comprehensive judging feedback. This provides not only the opportunity to benchmark your products against those of your peers, but also invaluable information to guide your grove, production and storage practices along the path to ‘industry best’.

2025 oils reflect ‘optimum quality’

AIOA Convenor and Chief Steward Trudie Michels has already overseen one Australian olive oil competition and said that 2025 AIOA winners will truly reflect the best of the best.

“This year’s oils have so much to offer on both the nose and palate, showing that producers are continuing to strive for optimum quality at both the grove and the processing stages,” she said.

“There was an abundance of fresh fruit characters with great mouthfeel, complex bitterness and pepper and lovely long finishes, with 93% of entries awarded medals and a quarter of those Gold.

“The range of aromas and flavours seen this year was incredibly diverse, from the green, herbaceous spectrum to others with ‘sweet confectionary’, tropical and citrus profiles, and included everything from intense savoury tomato paste and sugo, to spiced, malt and ginger tea characters.

“If these oils reflect the overall quality of 2025 AIOA entries, the judges are going to have a wonderful experience – and anyone achieving a major award will know that they beat an exceptional field to get there.”

Wide-ranging benefits of entry

Entry for the 2025 Australian International Olive Awards (AIOA) is currently open, with only 10 days now remaining to the closing date. So if you haven’t entered your products yet, don’t miss the chance to be named Best EVOO, Flavoured Oil or Table Olive of Show from a growing field of high-calibre international entries.

Other benefits for entrants include:

• Successful judging provides eligibility for OliveCare® certification – consumers’ guarantee of product quality and integrity;
• Unprecedented opportunity for international recognition of winning products and producers;
• Platinum Medal awarded to exceptionally high-scoring entries.
• Listing in the official AIOA Results Book, an outstanding marketing tool for all medal and award winners;
• Decals for Medals, Best of Class and Best of Show
• Professional images of award-winners at the AIOA Presentation Dinner, available free for your marketing and promotional use;
• The opportunity to purchase the professional product images from the Results Book at only $20 + GST – a fraction of the price of your own professional photography;
• Producer Index Listing in the Results Book to help buyers and consumers find your award-winning products, also accessible via the Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Everyday

The closing date of Friday, 22 August is not far away, so enter here  NOW for invaluable feedback on your products and a chance to feature on the winners’ stage at the 2025 AIOA Presentation Dinner.