Olive Oil

Filippo Berio USA’s new CEO sets aggressive growth strategy for olive oil focused on westward expansion, diversified consumers

18-Jan-2023 By Elizabeth Crawford

After leading Filippo Berio to become the No. 1 brand for olive oil, pesto and vinegar in more than 20 countries across Central and Eastern Europe and in Russia, Dusan Kaljevic hopes to work his magic again in the US where this month he assumed the position...

Summer Fancy Food Show

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: ‘We’ve gone past the optional phase’ -- sustainability is mandatory

18-Jul-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

As noted in the opening session of the IFT FIRST conference in Chicago last week, the food that brought us together during the pandemic and which fuels us everyday is in a crisis as climate change intensifies – pushing companies to weave sustainability...

'This is an olive oil for everyone': Graza debuts premium, affordable olive oil in squeeze bottle format

12-Jan-2022 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Graza, a new single-origin olive oil brand, is carving out a niche spot in a crowded category with premium extra-virgin olive oil products available at an affordable price point in easy-to-use squeeze bottles, a packaging first for the category, said...

California olive oil warring parties reach compromise over controversial labeling bill AB 535

10-Aug-2021 By Elaine Watson

AB 535, a California bill that would have prohibited any reference to California on olive oil bottles that did not contain 100% California-sourced olive oil, has been amended such that supporters and opponents say they can both live with it.

‘A solution in search of a problem…’ California olive oil row heats up as producers clash over labeling bill

21-Jun-2021 By Elaine Watson

California’s olive oil producers are clashing over proposed state legislation on olive oil labeling that supporters say is essential to ensure consumers are not being misled, and critics say is a blatant attempt to restrict competition.

BAPP puts out lab guidance to help detect olive oil adulteration

31-Mar-2021 By Hank Schultz

The Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program has published a guidance document for one of the most commonly adulterated ingredients of all: olive oil.

SPINS data shows sustained rise in sales of avocado oil as coconut oil continues to slide

10-Apr-2020 By Elaine Watson

New data from SPINS shows that avocado oil has continued to gain traction with US consumers, with sales in natural and conventional channels combined growing 24% in the year to March 22, 2020 on top of 28% growth the previous year, while coconut oil sales...

Olive oil sales slumped 7.1% YoY in December as Airbus tariffs prompted drop-off in promo activity

27-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

US retail sales of olive oil slumped 7.1% in December 2019 vs December 2018 as tariffs on imported packaged Spanish olive oil imposed as part of the Airbus dispute prompted a significant drop-off in promotional activity, Nielsen data* shows. Unit sales...

Paucity of testing ensures olive oil adulteration continues to plague market, BAPP bulletin says

10-Jan-2020 By Hank Schultz

The Botanical Adulterants Prevention Program has released a bulletin on olive oil adulteration that shows that the issue, though widely acknowledged, continues to plague the market.

2019/20 California olive oil harvest looking strong compared to dismal 2018/19 crop, says COOC

07-Jan-2020 By Elaine Watson

After a grim 2018/19 harvest due to poor weather, the 2019/2020 olive oil crop in California is expected to match the ‘bumper’ harvest of 2017/18, says the California Olive Oil Council.*

Extra virgin olive oil standard of identity needed to tackle 'widespread mislabeling,' claims petition

07-Nov-2019 By Elaine Watson

If the term ‘extra virgin olive oil’ is to have any meaning for US shoppers, the FDA needs to come up with a standard of identity – and enforce it – argues a citizen’s petition filed this week by the American Olive Oil Producers Association (AOOPA) and...

‘Chaos’ looms if olive oil, cheese, hit with retaliatory tariffs over Airbus dispute, warn US importers

01-Jul-2019 By Elaine Watson

As a 15-year-long dispute between the US and the EU over subsidies paid to European aircraft suppliers comes to a head, importers warn retaliatory tariffs on a host of products from the EU could wreak havoc on the specialty foods market, potentially doubling...

Turkey to kickstart US olive oil campaign: 'We need to go in with 'quality' oils...'

14-Nov-2018 By Kacey Culliney

Turkey wants to ramp up olive oil business with the US – already its biggest export destination – and sees a future in single-source, premium varietals rather than bulk. But can it spark enough interest?

Investment will help California Olive Ranch become significant global player in olive oil market

18-Dec-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

A $35 million infusion in California Olive Ranch not only will help the company double its acreage and create more jobs, but it will help the US become a significant player on the global stage for olive oil production, according to the company.

ENZO Olive Oil: California remains largely ‘untapped’ – we need to plant more trees, educate more consumers

15-Nov-2017 By Kacey Culliney

California producers have made great strides in olive oil but there’s still a way to go to before we become significant in the market, says industry executive.

'This is the end of the beverage category as we knew it'

‘Water is not water anymore’: In a new era of beverages, where does bottled water fit in?

24-Oct-2016 By Rachel Arthur

As the beverage sector continues to evolve, categories are blurring more than ever. Bottled water can either be left on the sidelines as ‘the boring choice’ – or it can embrace this new era of beverages.

Frutarom's extract line aims to bring Mediterranean diet benefits to formulators

17-Oct-2016 By Hank Schultz

Israeli ingredient supplier Frutarom Health has launched a line of extracts that offer fortification possibilities for food and beverage manufacturers.

Sweets & Snacks Expo 2016

Snack Innovations to tap key consumer trends with first organic popcorn lines

03-May-2016 By Douglas Yu

US manufacturer Snack Innovations is set to unveil its first USDA Organic snack ranges under the new Awesome Organics brand.

Wish-Bone tries to entice shoppers back to the center store with two new dressing lines

18-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

With the launch of two new Wish-Bone lines, Pinnacle Foods hopes to reinvigorate the salad dressing aisle in the struggling center-store by enticing back consumers who left to make their own dressing or to buy refrigerated options they perceive as fresher.

Olive oil sales could climb on strength of Heart-Check logo addition

15-Feb-2016 By Elizabeth Crawford

Olive oil’s already healthy image just got a boost – and so too could sales soon – thanks to the American Heart Association giving the ingredient its blessing to use its widely recognized Heart-Check Food mark on labels.

A fat lot of good: Vegetables deep-fried in olive oil are healthier than boiled or raw

22-Jan-2016 By Niamh Michail

Vegetables that are deep-fried in extra virgin olive oil contain more healthy phenols and antioxidants than raw or boiled vegetables - important properties that reduce the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes, Spanish researches have found.

Cobram Estate will enter US to fill what it says is a void in high quality, extra virgin olive oils

18-Nov-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

Award winning Australian olive oil manufacturer Cobram Estate in February will extend its reach into the competitive US market, which it says suffers a dearth of high quality, extra virgin olive oils.

Expo East in review

Mediterra expands its savory bar portfolio, welcomes competitors to the nascent category

01-Oct-2015 By Elizabeth Crawford

For years the nutrition bar category was mostly limited to sweet flavors, but now that is changing, thanks in part to Mediterra – a pioneer in making savory snack bars.

Algae oil: The next big healthy cooking oil? Products have a cleaner taste than other cooking oils, report consumers

19-May-2015 By Elaine Watson

Consumer feedback on Solazyme’s new high-oleic algae oil reveals high acceptance levels, with 98% of healthy oil purchasers sent samples for at-home testing reporting it had a ‘pleasant or no aftertaste’, 87% agreeing it had a ‘cleaner taste than other...

'70% of the products labeled as extra virgin olive oil are not extra virgin at all'

Extra virgin olive oil exec: You wouldn’t buy rotten meat or stale bread, so why are you buying rotten olive oil?

23-Apr-2015 By Elaine Watson

Claims that much of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) sold in US supermarkets is not ‘extra virgin’ at all are hardly new. But the fact that many retail buyers are effectively turning a blind eye to such widespread fraud is immensely frustrating for companies...

Olive oil polyphenol backed for selective anti-cancer potential

03-Apr-2015 By Nathan Gray

A phenolic compound known as oleocanthal can selectively kill cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells intact, say researchers, who suggest their novel findings may explain why olive oil is linked to decreased cancer risk.

Bolthouse, Plum hot spots in tepid earnings report from Campbell Soup

21-May-2014 By Hank Schultz

Recent acquisitions in the natural space—Bolthouse Farms and Plum Organic—were among the bright spots in a disappointing quarterly earnings report for Campbell Soup Company. The development points to changing sales patterns within the United States overall.

Corn oil may lower cholesterol better than extra virgin olive oil: study

11-Dec-2013 By Maggie Hennessy

Corn oil may have significantly greater effects on blood cholesterol levels than extra virgin olive oil, due in part to the natural cholesterol-blocking ability of plant sterols, according to new research from Biofortis, the clinical research arm of Merieux-NutriSciences.

How can food manufacturers cash in on the buzz around the Mediterranean diet?

11-Oct-2013 By Maggie Hennessy

The appeal of adopting a Mediterranean-style diet is no secret.

Canola oil study provides further evidence of benefits of MUFA-rich diet

28-Mar-2013 By Elaine WATSON

While extra virgin olive oil is currently basking in positive PR in the wake of the recent PREDIMED study on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, canola’s nutritional credentials also received a boost this month after new research suggested it can...

Special edition: New trends in heart healthy foods

Unraveling the benefits of the Mediterranean diet: The rise and rise of olive polyphenols

25-Mar-2013 By Elaine WATSON

A growing body of science unraveling exactly why olives are so healthy - coupled with a new wave of olive-polyphenol ingredients targeting food and beverage makers - is prompting a resurgence of interest in one of the oldest ‘heart-friendly’ foods in...

Special edition: New trends in heart healthy foods

All olive oils are not created equal, says firm seeking to break new ground in cardio health with OxLDL message

25-Mar-2013 By Elaine WATSON

All olive oils are not created equal, claims one firm hoping to shake up the ultra-traditional olive oil market with a new polyphenol-packed product. But it’s not just about the difference between extra-virgin and refined varieties.

Smells for satiety: Olive oil aroma could help boost feelings of fullness

18-Mar-2013 By Nathan Gray

Foods produced with olive oil or olive oil aromas in place of other oils or fats could help consumers feel fuller for longer, according to new research.

Dispatches from the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition

Mediterranean diet cuts heart disease risk by 30%: 'Landmark’ study provides compelling evidence that it’s the type, not the level of fat, that counts for cardio health

26-Feb-2013 By Elaine Watson, Loma Linda, California

People following an energy unrestricted plant-based diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts can reduce their risk of a major cardiovascular event by 30% compared with people following a purely low-fat diet, according to a “landmark” new...