An olive oil producer is an olive grower specialising in the cultivation of olive trees and the transformation of olives into oil, by simple cold mechanical pressing. Olive oil is one of the emblematic products of Mediterranean gastronomy, deeply linked to Greek, Italian, Spanish, French, Tunisian and Lebanese cultures. In premium wine and spirits distribution channels, exceptional olive oil naturally finds its place as a complementary terroir product, often marketed through the same networks of wine merchants, fine food shops and gastronomic restaurants.
The olive oil producer masters an entire production chain from the cultivation and maintenance of olive trees to the bottling of the final oil. As with wine, the terroir, the variety (olive cultivar), the harvest timing and extraction methods determine the aromatic profile and quality of the oil. The best extra virgin olive oils are considered genuine spirits of the plant world.
The olive tree is one of humanity's oldest cultivated trees. The first traces of olive cultivation and oil production date back to the Neolithic period in the southern Levant, a region that today corresponds to Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. In ancient Greece, the olive tree was sacred, dedicated to the goddess Athena, and olive oil served simultaneously as food, fuel, cosmetic and medicine. The Roman Empire spread olive tree cultivation throughout the Mediterranean basin.
In the Middle Ages and Renaissance, olive oil remained the dominant fat in Mediterranean countries. It was in the 19th century that industrial production began to organise, particularly in Spain with the large oil mills of Andalusia that made this country the world's leading producer. In France, olive cultivation is very ancient in Provence, where the first olive oil AOCs were created in the 1990s.
Since the 2000s, the market for premium and single-varietal olive oils has experienced spectacular growth, driven by worldwide awareness of the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet and the rise of premium gastronomy that valorises exceptional oils.
The olive oil producer dedicates most of the year to maintaining the olive trees: pruning, irrigation, reasoned or organic phytosanitary treatment, soil management. An olive tree can live for several millennia: some ancient olive trees in Greece, Italy and Tunisia are still productive. Maintaining these ancestral trees is both an agronomic responsibility and an act of heritage preservation.
The harvest is the critical moment that determines oil quality. Olives harvested early (green) give fruity, bitter and peppery oils richer in polyphenols. Fully ripe olives give softer and rounder oils. Manual harvesting by comb or net is the noble method for premium oils, while mechanical harvesting is used for large productions.
Cold extraction within 24 hours of harvest is essential to obtain quality extra virgin oil. Milling the olives, malaxing the paste and centrifugation or pressing extract the oil without excessive heating, preserving all the aromas and bioactive components.
According to data from the International Olive Council (IOC):
Approximately 3.3 million tonnes of olive oil produced worldwide in 2022 — IOC
Spain is the world's leading producer with approximately 45% of world production — IOC
Greece is the world's leading per capita consumer of olive oil — IOC
The European Union represents approximately 70% of world production — IOC
The United States is the world's leading olive oil importer — IOC, 2022
Extra virgin olive oil — first pressing of the olive, acidity below 0.8%, maximum quality, cold extraction
Single-varietal oil — from one olive variety, pure cultivar expression, Picual, Arbequina, Koroneiki
Blended oil — blend of several varieties to balance aromatic profiles
AOP / IGP oil — Vallée des Baux-de-Provence, Nyons, Lucca, Kalamata, Sicily, protected appellation
Certified organic olive oil — AB, Ecocert, pesticide-free, fast-growing premium segment
Early harvest olive oil — green olives harvested early, very fruity, bitter and peppery, rich in polyphenols
Ripe and smooth olive oil — fully ripe olives, soft style, ripe fruit, ideal for cooking
Vintage oil — from a single harvest of a given year, maximum traceability
Flavoured olive oil — truffle, herb, lemon, chilli infusion, premium condiment segment
California olive oil — Spanish and Italian varieties, growing artisanal production, increasing quality
Olive oil production is threatened by climate change. Recurring droughts in Spain, Italy and Greece are dramatically reducing yields. The 2022-2023 season saw Spanish production fall by over 50%, causing a worldwide price spike. Producers are investing in irrigation, selection of heat-resistant varieties and agronomic adaptation.
Olive oil fraud remains a serious problem. Millions of litres of lower quality oil are fraudulently sold as "extra virgin". Authentic artisanal producers suffer from this unfair competition and are campaigning for stricter controls and better traceability. Independent certifications and polyphenol analyses are becoming important differentiation tools.
Finally, premiumisation is the major market trend. As with wine, educated consumers seek vintage single-varietal oils, AOPs and traceable artisanal productions. This segment generates margins far superior to industrial oils and offers genuine growth prospects for the best artisanal producers.
Carbonell — Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain
Bertolli — Lucca, Tuscany, Italy
Gaea — Athens, Greece
Laudemio — Florence, Tuscany, Italy
Marina Colonna — San Martino in Pensilis, Molise, Italy
Moulin Castelas — Les Baux-de-Provence, France
Mas Sainte-Berthe — Les Baux-de-Provence, France
Oleificio Moretti — Spoleto, Umbria, Italy
ROI — Badalucco, Liguria, Italy
La Casa del Olivo — Jaen, Andalusia, Spain
Finca La Torre — Malaga, Spain
Biolea — Kolymvari, Crete, Greece
Terra Delyssa — Sfax, Tunisia
California Olive Ranch — Chico, California, USA
Stonehouse Olive Oil — Winters, California, USA
Nikolou — Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece
Les Setentines — Mouriès, Provence, France
Moulin de Coudoux — Coudoux, Provence, France
Dievole — Castelnuovo Berardenga, Tuscany, Italy
Olio Elio — Trapani, Sicily, Italy
Domaine des Aspres — Thuir, Roussillon, France
Moulin Jeanjean — Saint-Andre-de-Sangonis, Herault, France
Moulin de Baussy — Nyons, Drome, France
Vallongue — Eygalieres, Provence, France
Moulin du Pont de Crau — Saint-Martin-de-Crau, France
Nikolou Premium EVOO — Sparta, Peloponnese, Greece
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