Chaired by Fil BUCCHINO, in partnership with ABANDONED GROVE

The OLIO NUOVO DAYS Ethical Awards were created to showcase positive environmental values and behaviors to inspire others to adopt them in their own lives.

OLIO NUOVO DAYS Ethical Awards wishes to contribute to positive social change by promoting fairness, inclusion, and respect for others.

OLIO NUOVO DAYS Ethical Awards would like to highlight a more just and equitable society where everyone has a fair chance to succeed.

While winning can be a desirable outcome, participating in OLIO NUOVO DAYS Ethical Awards is ultimately about more than just the final result. It’s about personal growth, fostering a positive community, and contributing to a wider culture of fairness and integrity.

We would like to thank all the producers for participating in this new competition:

Each of them is working on ways to make the world a better place.

Each of them deserves our respect, our encouragements and support.

ETHICAL AWARDS 2024 MEDALS

We created 3 awards for the 2024 edition:

The BEST OF SHOW to recognize a Global Vision and Actions.

The GREEN GUARDIAN AWARD to recognize and reward Environmental Responsibility, Commitment and Actions.

The GREEN COMMUNITY AWARD to recognize and reward the Respect and Care to the Community.

on 5 criterias:

1. RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE
2. RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
3. RESPONSABILITY
4. TRUSTWORTHINESS
5. ETHICAL CERTIFICATIONS & LABELS

1ST PRIZE : BEST OF SHOW

To recognize a Global Vision and Actions.

DOMAINE JÒLIBOIS

GREEN GUARDIAN AWARD

To recognize and reward Environmental Responsibility, Commitment and Actions.

FURTUNA SKIN LXRO6

GREEN COMMUNITY AWARD

To recognize and reward the Respect and Care to the Community.

Frantoio Oleario GASPARE SARULLO

Olive oil is not only a staple in Mediterranean cuisine but also a versatile ingredient with numerous health benefits. While many people associate olive oil with adult nutrition, it is equally beneficial for children. Packed with essential nutrients and healthy fats, olive oil can be a valuable addition to your child’s diet. Let’s explore the wonderful benefits of olive oil for kids.

Nutrient-Rich:

Olive oil is a rich source of important nutrients, including vitamin E, vitamin K, and antioxidants. These nutrients play a crucial role in supporting your child’s overall growth and development. Vitamin E promotes healthy skin, while vitamin K is essential for proper blood clotting. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, supporting the immune system.

Heart-Healthy Fats:

Olive oil is predominantly made up of monounsaturated fats, which are considered heart-healthy fats. These fats can help reduce the risk of heart disease and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Including olive oil in your child’s diet can promote cardiovascular health from an early age and establish healthy eating habits for the future.

Digestive Health:

Olive oil is known for its mild laxative properties, making it beneficial for digestive health in children. It can help regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation. Including small amounts of olive oil in your child’s meals can promote a healthy digestive system and relieve common digestive issues.

Brain Development:

The healthy fats present in olive oil are crucial for brain development in children. The brain is primarily composed of fat, and adequate intake of healthy fats is essential for optimal cognitive function. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil contribute to healthy brain development, supporting memory, concentration, and overall cognitive abilities.

Bone Health:

Olive oil contains vitamin K, which plays a vital role in bone health. It helps in the absorption of calcium and other minerals necessary for strong and healthy bones. Including olive oil in your child’s diet can aid in the development of a robust skeletal system, reducing the risk of fractures and promoting overall bone health.

Flavorful Addition to Meals:

Olive oil adds a delightful flavor to various dishes, making it an excellent addition to your child’s meals. Whether drizzled over salads, used in homemade dressings, or added to cooked vegetables, it can enhance the taste of food and make it more appealing to children. By incorporating olive oil into their meals, you can encourage healthy eating habits and introduce them to a range of delicious flavors.

The Wonderful Benefits of Olive Oil for Kids

From supporting overall growth and development to promoting heart health, digestive health, brain development, and bone health, olive oil offers a myriad of benefits for children. Including olive oil in your child’s diet can be a simple and effective way to provide essential nutrients and healthy fats. However, as with any dietary changes, it’s essential to consult with a pediatrician or a nutritionist to determine the appropriate amount of olive oil based on your child’s age, dietary needs, and any specific health considerations.

OLIVE KIDS AWARDS, how to learn to taste with olive oil? This unique olive oil competition is open to kids from 5 to 12 to teach them how to taste and get to know better how works sensory analysis.

With OLIVE KIDS AWARDS, the kids learn, they  understand, and they can make their own choice!

We believe that when the children understand what they like, they also understand what is good.

Congratulations to:

Nicolas, Romeo, Lorenzo, Anselm, Anton, Clémence, Nils, Victoire, Roxane, Issa, Rita, Odisseas, Iassonas, Benjamin, Daniel, Matilda, Adam, Claire & Braulio from the following teams:

Austria, Brazil, Estonia, France, Greece, Portugal

and to their parents.

This year, with the Southern hemisphere competition, we would like to pay tribute to the amazing work done by the brazilian olive oil producer VERDE LOURO AZEITE who raises awareness among younger generations with 2 EVOOs for kids:

VERDE LOURO AZEITE ARBEQUINA Kid’s

“we wanted packaging that caught their attention and encouraged their consumption of extra virgin olive oil”

Made with the Arbequina variety, more mature, with a smooth and fruity flavor. Ideal for introducing into the diet of children and babies from 6 months of age. Rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, Omega 6 and 9, it regulates the intestinal flora, balances the immune system, helping in the development and growth of children.

VERDE LOURO AZEITE KORONEIKI Kid’s

Made with the Koroneiki variety, more mature, with a smooth and fruity flavor. Ideal for introducing into the diet of children and babies from 6 months of age. Rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, Omega 6 and 9, it regulates the intestinal flora, balances the immune system, helping in the development and growth of children.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE RESULTS OF THE OLIVE KIDS AWARDS WILL BE PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 11th. STAY TUNED!

OLIVE OIL BAR, THE NEW COCKTAIL EXPERIENCE

Olio Nuovo Days was honored to introduce some of the best EVOOs from Northern and Southern Hemisphere to a very exclusive event organized by WESTHOLME in Saint Tropez on June 14th.

Extra Virgin Olive Oils could be tasted at the bar with olive oil sommelier Emmanuelle Dechelette.

From French Olive Oil known as old fashioned style taste to Freshly squeezed Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Brazil with and Uruguay and a wide range of different tastes could give an idea of the many tastes you can experience with olive oil.

Like wine, olive oil taste very different depending on the cultivar, the soil (terroir), the climate conditions and savoir-faire.

Olive Oil bar is a very good start to experience olive oil tasting.

Olive oil bar is an amazing experience. It can be organized  for a party, a cocktail… For more informations, please contact us: emmanuelle@olio-nuovo.com

OLIVE OIL BAR guest stars in Saint Tropez:

BONA FURTUNA (ITALY)

CASA SANTO AMARO (Portugal)

CHÂTEAU D’ESTOUBLON (France)

DOMAINE JÒLIBOIS (France)

DOMAINE SALVATOR (France)

MOULIN CORNILLE (France)

MONTEOLIVA (Spain)

MAKARIA TERRA (Greece)

MONTE ROSSO (Slovenia)

OOTOPIA (Greece)

OLIVARES DE SANTA LAURA (Uruguay)

PROSPERATO (Brazil)

Restoring and preserving familial roots thanks to the olive tree.

The roots of the olive tree run deep, often halfway around the world. Here we share the stories of two producers for whom the olive tree has a special significance. These producers have familial links to the olive tree and have put down new roots in ancestral lands from where their families were once uprooted.

Steve Luczo from the United States and Michaël Zeitoun from France are both tending olive groves and managing farms in their parents’ lands of origin, Sicily and Tunisia respectively. For these producers, nurturing the olive tree is a way to pay homage to their ancestors and re-establish a link with their familial land.

STEVE LUCZO: FROM THE UNITED STATES BACK TO SICILY

Steve Luczo hails from the United States but has family roots in Sicily, the Mediterranean island in Italy’s deep south. It’s only relatively recently that he reconnected with his ancestral lands which today make up part of Bona Furtuna, a 300-hectare organic farm of 12,000 olive trees near Corleone.

“The grove is on a farm that includes the land of my maternal grandparents,” he says by way of introduction to the story of Bona Furtuna. “My grandmother told me of the beauty of the land from where she came. When I was 10 years old, I made a promise to myself to one day find the land and try to have it brought back into our family. We were able to acquire the small piece of land she was born on in 2012. Since that time we have acquired an additional, surrounding 350 hectares and we cultivated about 30 hectares for olive trees.”

Revival of an ancient Sicilian cultivar

What first began as a way to pay tribute to his father’s dream eventually became an encompassing passion. “When I first embarked on this adventure in olive oil, it was as a homage to my father. He had never asked me to take care of his olive trees, and before his death had told me to do what I like with the grove. I think that maybe he wanted that I don’t do anything at all, because he understood that it would be a challenge for me, especially because I wasn’t in Tunisia and would have to travel back and forth.”

After acquiring the land in 2012, an irrigation system was developed to guide water from a nearby natural spring to the farm. A few months later, the first olive trees were planted in addition to the property’s existing 1000-year-old trees. Today 13 different olive varieties, almost all native to Sicily, are produced at Bona Furtuna. These include a rare ancient cultivar called Biancolilla Centirara which was discovered and revived by the scientist Dr. Pasquale Marino, who is today the farm’s master botanist.

“The single varietal olive oil has won numerous awards globally,” says Luczo of Bona Furtuna’s extra virgin Biancolilla Centirara olive oil. “The oil is green, clear and brilliant. On the nose it is of medium fruit of green olives with hints of flowers and aromatic herbs. On the palate, it is bitter and spicy with an aftertaste of artichoke, almond, tomato leaves and spices.”

Trials and tribulations

“Coordinating activities between Italy and the USA is a challenge, but one we undertake with great pride and respect each day,” says Luczo about the demanding work of running an olive farm. Olives are harvested by hand here and processed immediately on-site with the farm’s Alfa Laval press. A selection of award-winning monovarietals, blends and infused olive oils are currently sold in the United States via the Bona Furtuna website, with teams in Italy and the United States supporting the business side of things.

He reveals that other challenges faced by the farm are largely related to nature, in addition to local regulations. “We are an organic producer, so the battle against pests, weather and other threats is always more of a challenge in terms of effectiveness and costs. These costs are difficult to pass on to consumers, and the additional government regulation that is required for organic producers is also difficult to manage from a cost and responsiveness perspective.”

Home is where the olive farm is

Having kept his promise to himself and recovered his grandmother’s land where his family heritage has been traced back at least eight generations, Luczo feels a deep connection with the farm he has nurtured. “Since the farm is on the land where my maternal grandparents were born, it feels part of me whenever we are there,” he says.

“This has been an amazing journey for everyone at Bona Furtuna,” he adds. “Our goal is to provide the healthiest and best food products that Italy has to offer, while also providing a successful path to others in Sicily. We have invested our time, money and energy into the project for 10 years now, and I feel we will be in a position to be cash flow positive within the next 2-3 years. If we are able to do this, and do it in a way where we have respected our values and respected the land, we will have accomplished something of which we can all be very proud.”

MICHAËL ZEITOUN: BETWEEN FRANCE AND TUNISIA

Michaël Zeitoun is a real estate professional living in France who also manages and runs La Maison Parcelle 26, an olive farm and olive oil business in Tunisia, the seeds of which were first planted by his father. Born in Tunisia, his father left the country at independence in 1956 like many other Tunisian Jews had done at the time, and moved to France. “But he never really cut ties with the country,” says Zeitoun. “When I was a child we would spend every summer there.”

From father to son

At 82, his father returned to Tunisia and fell ill shortly afterwards with leukemia. Though he was given only six months to live, he made a miraculous recovery. Then at 86 years of age, he decided to plant some olive trees: 60,000 trees of the Chetoui and Arbequina varieties on land in Zaghouan Governorate, just south of the capital Tunis. “He always had a certain nostalgia for his father’s olive trees,” says Zeitoun. “And one day he said to me: ‘I’m going to plant some olive trees.’ He bought some land and planted them, and this is the olive farm that I’m managing now.”

Unfortunately his father passed away two months before the appearance of his first olives. By then the trees were four or five years old. “One month after his death I found myself with all these trees full of olives. And I didn’t know what to do with them. But since this was his very last project, I wanted to do my best to take care of the grove,” says Zeitoun of the beginnings of La Maison Parcelle 26.

Zeitoun spent two years working to bring the farm to a state of optimal production. “It was difficult for me at the beginning to travel so often to Tunisia from France. I have my family and job in France. And I had no clue about agriculture. For the first two and a half years I would travel to Tunisia every two or three weeks to check on the work going on at the farm. I also spent this time learning and reading a lot about olive cultivation.”

From a homage to a passion

What first began as a way to pay tribute to his father’s dream eventually became an encompassing passion. “When I first embarked on this adventure in olive oil, it was as a homage to my father. He had never asked me to take care of his olive trees, and before his death had told me to do what I like with the grove. I think that maybe he wanted that I don’t do anything at all, because he understood that it would be a challenge for me, especially because I wasn’t in Tunisia and would have to travel back and forth.”

Zeitoun came to realise that his father had planted the olive grove after recovering from his illness as a sort of testament, a way to leave something tangible behind him. “I wanted to finish the work that he had started in a proper way. But I went further by building up the farm and setting up the mill. I don’t think he had imagined that I would go so far,” he says.

Creation of a premium olive oil brand

The next step was to create a premium olive oil brand, Parcelle 26, from scratch which involved overseeing its production, creating a website and webshop, and setting up an olive mill on-site. “I wanted to take over and develop my father’s grove as a homage to him, but I wanted to go even further and launch a premium olive oil as a mark of appreciation for his work,” he says of his venture. La Maison Parcelle 26’s olive oil production unit was launched in November 2019, with the very first bottles of olive oil making an appearance before the first Covid lockdown. Today Parcelle 26’s award-winning monovarietals and blends are sold in France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

“My objective is to make the best oil possible,” says Zeitoun. “So every year after the olives have been harvested and pressed, I start work on producing the best olives possible for the following year. It’s a passion as well as a challenge, and I constantly ask myself what I can improve. This year I’m experimenting with using organic fertilisers instead of compost. So every year I start again, by aiming to do better and more.”

The world’s best olive oils are coming to Paris again this March during the 7th edition of Olio Nuovo Days. The Ritz-Escoffier School at the iconic Ritz Paris on place Vendôme will be the prestigious venue for this international olive oil competition taking place from March 22nd to 24th.

To join the Olio Nuovo Days Masterclass on March 24th, register your interest by contacting Olio Nuovo Days at north@olio-nuovo.com

A growing taste for pressed-infused olive oils

by Isabel Putinja

Few can resist a quality extra virgin olive oil enhanced with the flavours of fruits, herbs or even spices. A touch of olive oil embellished with natural flavours can elevate a dish, or add a delicious finishing touch to an appetiser. Some of the most popular flavouring ingredients for olive oil include chilli, orange, lemon, garlic, or basil.

Of course, there is a fine art to creating the perfectly extracted-infused olive oil, which is also one of high quality. If not dosed correctly, its flavour can be overpowering. Sometimes flavours or essences are deliberately used to mask defects in an olive oil. Also, instead of pure extracts, low quality chemical compounds are added instead – “truffle” oil is a good example.

Flavoured, infused or extracted? When it comes to appellations, the names used for these specialty olive oils can vary and are sometimes used interchangeably. Oils described as “flavoured” or “aromatic” are usually mixed with aromas or essences, while an “infused” oil is one to which an ingredient has been added to olive oil after it has already been extracted. “Extracted” oils are produced by extracting the olives along with the fruit or herb at the same time during the milling process. These are also sometimes called fused oils.

Pressed-infused olive oils: an increasing trend

“Best Extracted-Infused Olive Oil” is one of three prize categories for which awards will be granted at Olio Nuovo Days 2023, the other two being Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Health Claim. The inclusion of the “extracted-infused” prize category in the competition reflects the growing market for these specialty olive oil products.

“Five years ago there were very few competitions with awards for extracted-infused olive oils,” says Kostas Liris, olive oil expert and Olio Nuovo Days 2023 jury chairman. “Nowadays it’s very common. There are no academic rules in this competition except for the balance of flavour, because this product no longer falls under the category of extra virgin olive oil. It is a dressing of extra virgin olive oil plus the fruit which can be used in different ways, and made in different ways. There’s a huge market for it and it’s growing day after day.”

Extracted-infused olive oils are also often an entryway into the world of olive oil for consumers who are not familiar with the premium extra virgin variety. “Here in Spain, our flavoured oils are very popular,” confirm Marina and Carmen Segura of AOVE Peña Luna. “We first introduced our olive oils flavoured with lemon, mandarin orange, and basil, because we wanted to try something new, while the garlic one is our newest variety. We’re innovating and have ideas for new flavoured oils in the works.”

Producer Mounir Boussetta of Domaine de Segermès in Tunisia sees a steadily growing interest in extracted-infused olive oils. “I think there’s a gradual change that’s happening when it comes to these olive oils,” he says. “Those who love olive oil are curious to try them. This trend to make extracted-infused oils is growing but will really take off as we see more quality oils which don’t use chemical additives.”

Boussetta produces high-quality extracted-infused olive oils enhanced with the flavours of clementine, lemon, mint, and wild fennel, as well as another more uncommon ingredient: bergamot. “Our bergamot and clementine olive oils are among our biggest sellers,” he reveals. “Bergamote has a very particular taste and smell. I first tasted an oil with bergamot in a shop in France and I liked it. Once back in Tunisia, I sourced local organic bergamot fruits and experimented with three different doses and chose the one I liked best.”

Producing a high-quality EXTRACTED-infused olive oil

Unlike extra virgin olive oil, which needs to be made following an exact process to receive this appellation, the scope for extracted-infused olive oils is wide open. “There are different ways of making a good aromatic olive oil,” says Liris. “You can crush fresh fruits together with the olives. You can make an infusion of fresh fruits with olive oil. And you can use essential oils, but they have to be extracted from fruits and not made in a laboratory. There’s no regulation that says you have to use fresh fruits that are crushed, or how essential oils should be produced.”

As olive oil is its base, to have a high-quality pressed-infused product, this base should be an extra virgin olive oil. The flavouring ingredient should then itself be one of high quality, made with the freshest ingredients, or of entirely natural aromas or extractions. Then comes the production process itself.

Producers such as Peña Luna and Segermès insist on pressing the fruit or aromatic ingredient together with the olives in order to ensure the highest quality result. “The process is actually quite simple,” says Boussetta of Segermès. “We press the olives and at the same time add the fruit or herb, according to a defined dosage. The molecules of the olive oil and the molecules of the flavouring ingredient malaxate together. But another vital factor is the timing, which adds the secret magic touch. The result should be a balanced product, which means that neither ingredient should dominate.”

An award for Best Pressed (extracted) -Infused Olive Oil at Olio Nuovo Days 2023

With no hard and fast rules governing pressed-infused olive oil, how are these specialty products judged at international competitions? Liris sheds some light on the process: “We use a different tasting sheet for the category of pressed-infused olive oils. What’s most important is we must be able to distinguish the olive oil and the flavour because many times the flavour dominates the olive oil. And when we have a mix of various flavours sometimes it’s very hard to understand the difference between one and the other. But it’s similar to judging an olive oil, the olive oil that gets more points is an olive oil that has complexity and you can distinguish its aromas one by one.”

The entry deadline for the Olio Nuovo Days competition is February 10th, 2023. For more information contact north@olio-nuovo.com 

To join the Olio Nuovo Days Masterclass at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, March 24th, register your interest by contacting Olio Nuovo Days at north@olio-nuovo.com