Can new formats reinvent the olive oil category?

Olive oil is breaking free from the elegant but basic bottle in which it is typically packaged with the recent launch of two new formats that look more like supplements than pantry staples. At the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York City, Kosterina and Season showcased innovative formats that capitalize on modern consumers’ interest in the ingredient’s cache as a healthy fat packed with potent polyphenols as well as their desire for novel eating experiences. Another brand disrupting the category is Gold Ridge, which is wrapping its glass bottles in bright colors, bold flavor profiles and whimsical illustrations that are inviting rather than intimidating. All three companies are betting that format and label innovation can unlock new consumers, usage occasions and ultimately growth for their businesses and the category. For example, Kosterina is trying to move olive oil beyond cooking and into the daily wellness routine with a convenient shot that mimics the viral trend taking over TikTok and social media. Kosterina’s new Extra Virgin Olive Oil Shot, which recently launched at Whole Foods and Sprouts nationwide, is packed with more than 1,000 mg per kilogram of polyphenols – including oleocanthal, which the company says has anti-inflammatory effects comparable to a low dose of ibuprofen. This dose is higher than the polyphenol content in Kosterina’s core culinary products, which founder Katina Mountanos said exceed that of typical grocery store extra virgin olive oil in the US. She explained that the average EVOO in the US has 150 mg/kg of polyphenol content, but Kosterina’s olive oil for cooking and baking has more than 350 mg/kg and the dipping and drizzling option has 500 mg/kg. The shots also offer consumers added convenience and confidence, said Mountanos. “Our customers were already taking olive oil shots. They were using our white bottle [for baking]. They were taking a shot with lemon in the morning and pouring it from the bottle. But we knew that we could get even higher in polyphenol content, and we didn’t want to confuse the customer that it should be used like a culinary olive oil to pour on their salad, because in fact, as you go higher in polyphenol content, it gets a little bit more bitter, and it is not actually meant for food,” she said. “This is truly meant for medicinal purposes,” she added. The launch also leverages buzz on social media about olive oil shots for wellness – leaning on celebrities like Haley Bieber and Kourtney Kardashian who shared they take olive oil shots every morning. “We are hoping that this is a moment of mass education. A lot of people get educated on what it is to take an olive oil shot and why and then that becomes part of their daily morning ritual for health,” Mountanos said. While Kosterina is betting on convenience and the growing food as medicine movement, Season is taking a completely different approach by changing not when consumers use olive oil, but how they experience it. Season recently debuted Desert Olive Tree Pearls, which are made by a fourth-generation family farm in Morocco that uses a proprietary process to condense olive tree extract and extra virgin olive oil into tiny pearls reminiscent of boba or caviar, said Season Marketing Manager Sara Kelly. “We wanted to launch extra virgin olive oil as a complement to our sardines and our tinned fish, but we didn’t want to launch just another extra virgin olive oil. We wanted to add something that was super fun and had great functional health benefits,” she said. “One teaspoon of these pearls is actually equal to about 10 liters of regular olive oil in terms of antioxidants. So, it is super potent and super heart healthy.” The pearls are part of a trio of olive oil products launched by Season. The line up also includes a finishing oil that the company said has 10 times more antioxidants than regular olive oil. Kelly notes that the high antioxidant content results in a “bit of a peppery taste” but with a smooth finish. The line also includes a premium cooking oil that has a milder taste, but like its companion products is USDA organic, cold-pressed and early harvest – “so you know they are all very high quality products,” Kelly said. Proud of the benefits its olive oil boasts, and recognizing that many Americans are intimidated and confused by oils, Kelly said the company is actively educating shoppers by adding a neck tag to the olive oil bottle that calls out the differences between the products. They also have a QR code on the bottom of the package where consumers can find more information on the company’s website. Finally, Kelly said, “we are doing some videos, we are working with influencers just to educate people on the back of our cooking oil. We explained the suggested uses for that on the sides” of the package, as well. Finally, Gold Ridge is standing out on shelf by wrapping its bottles in vibrant colors that are eye catching and still protect the award-winning oil inside. The bottles have bright colors, playful illustrations and flavor-forward positioning intended to make premium olive oil feel more approachable. The brand offers more than a fancy package, though. Its Tuscan Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Apple Balsamic Vinegar won 2026 Good Food Awards from the Specialty Food Association in a blind taste-test. Whether olive oil shots and pearls become mainstream remains to be seen, but both illustrate a broader trend reshaping food innovation: companies creating new occasions for ingredients consumers already know. And in a mature category like olive oil, that may be one of the biggest opportunities for growth.

Can new formats reinvent the olive oil category?

Established brands are reimagining how consumers use, and think about, olive oil through wellness-focused formats and packaging innovation

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