A banner ad with the words "Canada IOOC 2021 Olive Oil Contest," next to olive oil pouring out of a bottle

In its inaugural year, the Canada International Olive Oil Competition (IOOC) attracted 411 extra virgin olive oils and flavored olive oils from 20 countries. Fourteen judges from nine different nations evaluated the oils, judging Greece worthy of 87 medals, more than any other country. This included six Platinum awards for oils produced by four companies.

Olive Temple workers sorting harvested olives in the grove

At the 2021 Athena International Olive Oil Competition (Athena IOOC), Greece earned an impressive 179 awards: 18 Special awards, 9 Double Golds, 49 Golds, 52 Silvers, and 51 Bronze medals. A newcomer to international competitions, A.M.G. Karabelas, won the Best of Greece award for Laurel & Flame Fresh extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) from near Ancient Olympia.

a bottle of Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms' Oleastron flavored olive oil on a table

Greek extra virgin olive oils earned 66 quality awards at the 9th edition of the Japan Olive Oil Prize in Tokyo: 1 Best of Greece, 12 Best in Class, 32 Golds, and 21 Silvers. In a competition with 467 entries from 20 countries, Greece also took home 24 awards for flavored olive oils, including the Best of Flavored prize, plus the Best of Polyphenols award.

A bottle of Mediterre Alea olive oil on the right, and the words "Best of Greece" and "Olive Japan" to the left of it, with the competition logo

Competing with 811 olive oils from 27 countries, Greek companies took home 77 medals from Olive Japan 2021: 19 Gold awards and 58 Silvers. In its tenth year, this international olive oil competition attracted more contestants than ever before. The top Greek winner was Mediterre Eurofood SA, with the Best of Greece award, six Gold medals, and two Silvers.

a bottle of Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms' Flavored Gourmet Enigma olive oil on a table

At the sixth edition of the EVO International Olive Oil Competition (EVO IOOC) in Italy, 112 Greek olive oils were awarded for their excellent flavors and aromas. Terra Creta’s Grand Cru Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil was ranked Best of Greece, while Sakellaropoulos Organic Farms’ Enigma Gourmet was judged the contest’s Best International Flavored Oil.

a bottle of Terra Creta Grand Cru extra virgin olive oil lying on its side next to a glass of olive oil, with a white plate full of colorful vegetables to the left

For the first time in thirteen years, a Greek olive oil company won first prize at the Mario Solinas Quality Award, which many consider the world’s most prestigious olive oil contest. Terra Creta’s Grand Cru extra virgin olive oil captured First Prize in the “mild green fruitiness” category. Another Greek company, Agriston, was one of just ten finalists.

Kyklopas Ages extra virgin olive oil being poured from a black bottle into a clear glass dish, with its special box to the left

Greek companies captured 10 Extra Gold medals and 13 Golds at the BIOL International Prize in Italy. Many consider BIOL the world’s most important international competition for organic extra virgin olive oils. Prize-winning organic oils from several olive varieties and various parts of Greece demonstrated Greeks’ commitment to both quality and our planet.

A blue olive oil tasting glass among olive branches; on the glass are the letters CIOOC and the words Canada International Olive Oil Competition in white, to the right of the competition logo

This year, there is a new way for olive oil producers and companies to attract the attention of Canadian consumers and buyers worldwide: the Canada International Olive Oil Competition (IOOC). As organizer George Kouvelis says, “for those ready to expand globally, Canada may be an ideal country in which to start. The word ‘Canada’ is a global trademark.”

a bottle of Terra Creta Grand Cru extra virgin olive oil between a plate of delicacies and the EVOOWR Top 10 badge

For the first time, a Greek extra virgin olive oil was ranked in the Top Ten worldwide by the EVOO World Ranking (WR). Terra Creta’s Grand Cru earned the first of Greece’s 24 spots on the 2020 list of the Top 100 EVOOs of the World. Excelling with Koroneiki and flavored olive oils, Greece more than doubled its awards and EVOOs of the Year compared to 2019.

a bottle of Hypereleon extra virgin olive oil, with olive olive oil from it being poured into a spoon

Are you looking for food that is both tasty and nutritious? Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the perfect choice. With scientists finding more evidence for EVOO’s health benefits all the time, international olive oil competitions have begun to present awards for healthy elements as well as flavor. In 2020, Greek EVOOs earned many awards in both categories.

Bottles of Sakellaropoulos Organic Farming olive oils lined up in a row

Cooking at home? Looking for easy-to-use, healthy natural flavors? Based on the healthiest oil for cooking and finishing, flavored olive oils offer cooks a wide range of intriguing options. This inspired Greek Liquid Gold to highlight several of the Greek flavored olive oil condiments that won top awards at international olive oil competitions this year.

two young children having a picnic outdoors, with one of them holding a bottle of Goutis Estate olive oil

Concerned about staying healthy, we value nutritious food more than ever. We especially value food that combines superb flavor with health benefits, as extra virgin olive oil does. So Greek Liquid Gold is spotlighting several of this year’s top award-winning Greek olive oil companies, starting with a few of the world’s best extra virgin olive oils.

A dark bottle of Olive Poem olive oil on the left, the word Biolnovello on the top right, and an Extra Gold medallion drawing below it

Competing with approximately 200 producers, Greek olive oil companies took home six medals at the 2019 Biolnovello organic extra virgin olive oil competition in Apulia, Italy: two extra golds, one gold, and three silvers. One Greek extra virgin olive oil, Olive Poem, was also honored as one of the international competition’s top 13 organic olive oils.

Sakellaropoulos Organic Farming's 8 award-winning products lined up in a row, with the Olivinus logo and "8 out of 8" above them

At the 2019 Olivinus International Olive Oil Competition in Mendoza, Argentina in early September, Greek extra virgin olive oils won 10 quality awards, while Greek flavored olive oil condiments took home 7 prizes. This was an especially impressive showing in a competition with 194 olive oils from 18 countries, many of them from the Southern Hemisphere.

Emmanouil Karpadakis of Terra Creta with Maria Paola Gabusi of Leone D'Oro

In 2019, five Greek olive oil companies won acclaim for their excellent extra virgin olive oils at four highly selective international olive oil competitions in Italy. These honors for Kyklopas, Terra Creta, Pamako, Olympus, and Papadopoulos Olive Oil – Mediterre are notable because the competitions present far fewer awards than most international contests. 

bottles of Papadopoulos olive oil in an olive tree

At the 2019 TerraOlivo Mediterranean International Olive Oil Competition in Israel, 29 judges tasted 471 oils from 20 countries. Greek extra virgin olive oils were honored with 1 Top Ten award, 2 Special awards, 19 Grand Prestige Gold awards, 14 Prestige Golds, 14 Golds, and 11 Packaging Design awards. Some of the Greek winners discussed their triumphs.

A white LIA olive oil bottle next to its Best in Messenia award certificate

Competing with 431 olive oils from 17 countries at the EVO International Olive Oil Contest in Italy, Greek extra virgin olive oils took home 20 Gold awards and 22 Silvers. The 18 judges from 10 countries also awarded 4 Golds and 4 Silvers to Greek condiments based on extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Some of the top Greek winners shared their reactions.

Five bottles of different Goutis Estate olive oils in a row

Competing with 433 olive oils from 26 countries, Greek extra virgin olive oils won 134 awards for their flavor or health benefits at the 2019 London International Olive Oil Competition. Panel leader Emmanuel Salivaras reported that even with fewer entries in this difficult harvest year, Greek producers “managed to increase their Gold awards by about 29%.”

a man holding a blue tasting glass for a woman to smell

Have you ever seen 201 award winning extra virgin olive oils in one room? If you were at the Athena International Olive Oil Competition’s tasting day and awards ceremony at the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens in April, you not only saw them but tasted any that struck your fancy. Like Anita Zachou, you had a chance to experience “an explosion of the senses!”

Kostas Protoulis and his two sons examining olive oil at a table

This year, 20 Greek olive oils won BIOL International Prizes for the best organic extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) in the world. Thirty judges from 10 countries awarded Greek EVOOs 3 Extra Gold medals, 6 Golds, and 11 Silvers in a competition with 350 olive oils from 15 countries. Some of the top Greek winners discussed their award winning organic olive oils.

olives on a conveyor belt being washed in the olive mill

Competing with 242 samples from ten countries, Greek olive oils earned 25 awards from an international jury at the Japan Olive Oil Prize (JOOP) competition for 2019: 5 Best in Class quality awards, a Best Package award, 11 Gold Awards, and 8 silvers. Several of the top Greek winners discussed the efforts, emotions, olives, and methods behind their success.

a bottle of Goutis Estate Blossom olive oil next to plates with blossoms and colorful Japanese appetizers

Competing with 701 samples from 24 countries at Olive Japan, Greek olive oils won 3 Gold Medals and 28 Silvers. Some of the top Greek winners shared their reactions and priorities, as well as the techniques that helped produce a variety of excellent extra virgin olive oils in a year when many producers struggled with adverse weather and the olive fly.

  1. Greeks Discuss Olive Oil Quality and Athena IOOC Awards
  2. Medley of Greek Olive Oils Awarded at Kotinos Competition
  3. 5th Cretan Olive Oil Competition: Rising Above Challenges
  4. Greek Olive Oils Win 23 Awards at 2019 Los Angeles IOOC
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