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Despite a small decline during the recession, increasing consumer demand for olive oil has kept production growing over the past five years. As a result, more operators will become USDA-certified.
The September issue of Consumer Reports ranks 23 varieties of extra-virgin olive oil from the US, Argentina, Chile, Greece and Italy. According to a taste test of 138 bottles, some of the better-known brands like Bertolli scored low, while others like Trader Joe’s California Estate took top honors. Consumer Reports noted that more than half the oils tasted fermented or stale, while only nine met the criteria to be considered “flawless.”
The largest fast food chain in Greece, Goody’s, is preparing all of its meals using olive oil instead of palm oil, and only extra virgin on their salads. The company called the policy a big step forward and said its menu was characterised by “great variety and the carefully selected ingredients founded on the values of Mediterranean cooking.” The 2009 oil change took two years of preparations, and it was the first time that a restaurant chain started to use olive oil exclusively. Goody’s has become Greece’s leading restaurant chain, despite the competition from powerful multinational rivals like McDonald’s.
Entries are now open for the Royal Canberra Extra Virgin Olive Oil Show, with judging to be held on 1 September 2012. Closing date for entries and oil delivery is 15 August. Winners will be announced at a presentation cocktail and tasting function at Exhibition Park, Canberra. Pre-purchase of tickets is essential. More information https://www.rncas.org.au/OliveOil/site/ or contact Suzanne Coulton on 0415 401 541.
Import duties on a number of food items were reduced by Israel’s Finance Minister in July – but local olive producers have successfully lobbied for imported olive oil to be excluded from the list, in a bid to boost the flailing local industry. Producers put pressure on members of the Kedmi committee, the commission looking into ways to reduce the cost of food in Israel, not to cut duty on imported olive oil brands, saying that such a reduction would deliver a blow to the local industry. They claim the local industry is in a precarious state and that imported oils are 15% to 20% cheaper than local products.
There’s just one more week left for public comment on the draft Australian Table Olive Standard, prepared by the National Table Olive Committee (NTOC). The Standard will apply to all table olive products, whether from Australian or international sources for wholesale or retail trade in Australia,and will initially be voluntary and incorporated into the AOA Code of Practice. The draft document is currently open for comment prior to publication by RIRDC and implementation later in 2012. Comments and submissions on the draft Standard are invited from all interested parties, and should be forwarded to NTOC convenor Peter McFarlane via post: 33 Phillips St, Somerton Park SA 5044; fax: (08) 8376 7048 or email: [email protected]. Download the Standard www.australianolives.com.au and for further information or clarification contact Peter on 0418 839 836. Deadline for submissions is 5pm on Friday, 10 August 2012 – don’t miss your chance to input into this important industry action.
Enrolment is now open for the 1st Southern Hemisphere Olive Oil Championship, the ANZSA Awards 2012. Held in Australia in conjunction with the 7th ARMONIA International Olive Oil Competition, the ANZSA competition is open to all olive growers, olive oil producers, processors and bottlers in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Winners will be entered into the international final of the ARMONIA-ALMA Trophy and the selection process for the “World’s 100 Most Outstanding Extra Virgin Olive Oils”. Closing date for applications and oil samples is 7 September, 2012. Download rules and application forms https://www.oliveoilagency.org/2012-03-07-18-48-22/southern-hemisphere-olive-oil-championship or go to www.oliveoilagency.org for more information.
Australian manufacturers of branded foods could face strong competition over the next five years, suggests a new report, which predicts the share of private label products in supermarkets to increase rapidly over this period.
It’s time to get your entries in for the coveted Olive Grove of the Year Award, presented by the AOA and The Olive Centre. The award aims to: reward and recognise olive growers who have been successful in improving olive growing operations; promote continual improvement in sustainable olive growing and production of high quality olive oil and/or table olives; and inspire producers through the shared experience of improvement and excellence in olive growing. Judging is undertaken using a wide and varied set of criteria, from the nature of the grove, yields and quality to improvements in sustainability management practices. Closing date for entries is 1 October 2012. More information and applications https://www.australianolives.com.au/blog-detail/olive-grove-of-the-year-2012.
Tasmanian olive growers are counting their blessings after a bumper harvest. Tasmanian Olive Council president Geoff Price said some growers were reporting twice as much fruit compared with last year.
Mr Price said the industry was still modest in size, with as many as 20 serious growers producing as much as 150 tonnes of raw fruit, worth more than $1 million. He said virtually all of it was processed into olive oil.