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There’s only a week left to enter our great 2012 Quality is Clear Cut Subscriber Competition, generously sponsored by Eclipse Enterprises Australia. Just tell us about how you prune your grove and you’ll be in the running to win one of three great prizes, each valued at over $2,600. Entry forms are in the March-May and June-July editions of Olivegrower & Processor, or via the competition link in this newsletter. As growers have been flat out with harvest and production, the closing date has been extended to June 30 , so don’t miss out on your chance to win the latest new pruning equipment from Campagnola.
The Italian Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Adelaide is inviting olive oil producers to join an Australian delegation of exhibitors at Salone del Gusto 2012, a biennial international trade fair focused on “slow food” products. Being held in Turin, Italy on 25-29 October, and hosted by Slow Food Internatiuona, the event is a marketplace for small‐scale sustainable and artisanal producers. ICCI business development manager Antonio Rosato said Salone del Gusto provides a unique opportunity to represent the diversity of the Australia regional food products and cultures to an
international audience. The chamber is co-ordinating a 72sqm Australian stand, which will house nine exhibitors and include an open tasting area, and can assist with shipping of product and other practical details. For more information, or to submit a registration of interest, email Antonio at [email protected].
Hills consumers are being urged to vote with their hip pockets and discourage the influx of cheap olive oil imports by only buying local and certified extra virgin olive oil. Industry representatives say many imports are labelled incorrectly as extra virgin oil when they can be any sort of refined, bleached and deodorised oil made from olives that may have fallen from trees and been on the ground for months. Bald Hills Olive Grove owners Robert Rees and Anama Morriss believe it would send the strongest message if consumers stopped purchasing imported brands.
Piggy-backing on the discussion created by Fair Go and Paul Holmes, Olives NZ are out to raise awareness of the OliveMark and NZ EVOO, to aid confused consumers in their EVOO buying decisions. The income from the sale of OliveMark stickers has been allocated to this promotion and they have formulated some ideas but are keen to receive feedback on what producers you would like to see happen. Please contact [email protected] and/or [email protected] ASAP with your suggestions.
Katherine Rich, CEO, NZ Food & Grocery Council, examines a recent TV report. The olive oil producing countries of the Mediterranean guard their reputations very jealously; probably about as jealously as New Zealand guards its dairying reputation. To an olive oil producer in Spain, Italy, or Greece, the subject of extra virgin olive oil and how it is produced is as important as the quality of milk powder or cheese is to Fonterra.
Olives NZ has also had plenty to say about the Fair Go results. The organisation has written to food magazines and writers, along with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Consumer NZ and FGC in response to the article above. Several magazines now plan to cover the issue of mislabelled olive oil. Now ONZ are calling for the industry to get behind the charge: “Producers can help, particularly by emailing or writing to local supermarkets, magazines, newspapers, etc,” ONZ EO Gayle Sheridan says. To make it easy, they’ve provided a sample letter you can modify and send. It’s on the website https://www.olivesnz.org.nz/members-news/communications/supermarket-draft-letter/
The NZ Olive Festival will this year be held on Saturday, November 3, at the Hawke’s Bay Racecourse, Hastings from 10am-4pm. A celebration of all things olive, the event will feature the popular Chef’s Table with Dish Magazine, children’s activities, entertainment, food and wine – and of course olive and olive oil stalls. This fun, inspirational family day out has become a key event for foodies in, and visitors to, the Hawke’s Bay region, and this year is being run as part of the Food and Wine Classic weekend. To get involved, contact Vicky Rope at Food Hawke’s Bay on 06 9748931, mob: 021545159 or via [email protected].
Farm to Farm Tours is running a tour to California and Tuscany to see how olive oil producers and processors in the ‘New’ and ‘Old’ Worlds are meeting current industry challenges. The tour balances technical visits and sightseeing, and includes attendance at one of the world’s largest olive oil events in Tuscany. There are also plenty of opportunities to enjoy the wines, cheeses and regional specialties along the way. Dates are 27 March – 13 April 2013. More information from Farm to Farm Tours via [email protected]. or toll free 0800 3838747.
A new grade of olive oil is among changes that could spring from an action plan for Europe’s ailing olive oil sector. Also being discussed are measures to promote quality via better fraud detection and deterrence, such as stricter and more frequent testing; financial incentives to reduce fragmentation among producers, thereby increasing their bargaining power with large retail chains; and increasing the leadership of the International Olive Council (IOC) by admitting countries where olive oil is not produced but is consumed.
Here’s how Greece can dominate the lucrative global olive oil, feta cheese and greek yogurt business
Financial distress and political turmoil persists in Greece. And now a Greek exit from the euro is what everyone is buzzing about these days. However, there are numerous actions Greece can take to help turnaround its desperate financial position. Earlier this year, consulting firm McKinsey & Co. published a study titled Greece 10 Years Ahead: Defining Greece’s New Growth Model and Strategy, a new growth plan for the financially beleaguered country. Among other things, McKinsey argues that Greece needs to be more involved in processing foods that currently leave its country as low margin unfinished goods. Greece has some of the most amazing food commodities in the world. However, it lacks the capacity to process it and sell it at high profit margins.