Archive for May, 2009

31 May

Olio Capitale, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Italian Expo 2009

Presentation of the 2009 edition of Olio Capitale, an Italian event exclusively dedicated to Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

30 May

No recession for Olive Oil in UK

Britons with a taste for Mediterranean-style cooking are spending record amounts on olive oil. Sales have topped £150million a year for the first time. That is double the amount sold eight years ago and significantly more than the £90million spent on vegetable oil. Growing evidence of the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet is behind [...]

29 May

Canada: Olive oil imports were half sunflower

A Toronto-area food importer and distributor has been fined for importing an olive/sunflower oil blend labelled as “extra virgin olive oil” in 2006. Jan K. Overweel Ltd., which markets the Emma, Casa Italia and Cortina Foods brands and other imported products, was convicted in Toronto in February under the federal Food and Drugs Act, with [...]

29 May

Australia and US try to change olive oil standards

The Australian olive oil industry is teaming up with the United States to develop a new set of international olive oil standards. Dr Rodney Mailer, from the Australian Oils Research Laboratory, says the European International Olive Council’s standards are too restrictive and treat unique aspects of Australian oils as negative traits. He says Australian producers [...]

27 May

European Union set to support olive oil sector with storage aid

By Jeremy Smith & Anthony Barker, European Union regulators suggested granting olive oil producers subsidies for private storage from as early as June as a way to prevent more price falls, the European Commission said on Monday. The Commission’s proposal, to be discussed soon by national experts from the EU’s 27 countries, would allow subsidised [...]

25 May

For the love of olives in Texas

By Beverly Burmeier, Poor soil, high temperatures, and low water levels are all plentiful in central Texas. Not the usual growing conditions for a food crop, this combination just happens to be perfect for olive trees. So Jack Dougherty, former president of a computer company, bought a ranch near Wimberley and became the first person [...]

22 May

California: The Olive Press earns top awards

Already known as the most highly-awarded producer of California extra virgin olive oil, The Olive Press once again earned high accolades and awards at the prestigious 2009 Yolo County Fair Olive Oil Competition held in April, with an impressive 15 medals in all. Gold medals were awarded to an additional seven of the Sonoma-based company’s [...]

21 May

Australian Olive industry says MIS collapses won’t hold it back

The Australian Olive Association says the demise of orchard managers Timbercorp and Great Southern does not spell the end of the olive industry. Managed investment schemes account for the majority of Australian olive production, and sparked the industry’s rapid growth over the past decade. The Olive Association’s Paul Miller says the industry is now big [...]

20 May

India: Publicis bags 2009 mandate for International Olive Council

Publicis will be involved in the promotional campaign of Olive Oil and Table Olive in India for 2008 -2009. With the slogan “For a Tastier and Healthier Tomorrow,” the campaign is focused on the unique taste, quality and health aspects derived from table olives and olive oil. The campaign is focused on the taste, quality [...]

19 May

Lindsay Olives seeks sales in snack aisle, too

By David Morrill, Walk down the snack aisle of a local grocery store and you’ll find the usual canisters of peanuts, bags of chips and jars of salsa. If Lindsay Olives has its way, you’ll see their cans of olives as well. Owned by Bell-Carter Foods Inc. of Lafayette, Lindsay Olives is in the process [...]

16 May

Back to Business for Timbercorp Olives

By Sandra Godwin, The Boundary Bend olive harvest was under way this week after a halt caused by Timbercorp‘s financial woes. After a three-day shutdown, workers at Timbercorp olive groves at Boort and Boundary Bend got back to the business of harvesting olives last week. The harvest ground to a halt earlier in the week [...]

14 May

Moroccan chicken with chickpeas and olives

Recipe by Valli Little, Photography by Mark Roper,

14 May

Fish, nuts and olive oil may cut risk of age-related blindness

A diet of fish, nuts and olive oil, as well as moving away from trans fats, can help lower the risk of a common eye disorder, two separate studies reported this week. The studies both found that adding omega-3 fatty acids to a diet significantly reduced the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease [...]

11 May

Spanish olive oil producers get support from the EU to expand export markets

In an effort to avoid the local drop in sales, Spanish wine and olive oil producers decided to join forces and boost the export market over the next year through promotion and marketing campaign also supported by the Spanish government and EU with a budget between 18 and 45 million euros. The export market of [...]

10 May

SOS Cuetara to issue 200 mln euros of shares to plug hole

Spain’s SOS Cuetara (SOS.MC) said on Sunday it would issue 200 million euros of new shares to plug a hole in its accounts after top executives were discovered siphoning off funds to buy shares in the olive oil bottler. SOS said it was restating 2008 results and booking a loss after it emerged that chairman [...]