The International Olive Council (IOC) held the awards ceremony for the 26th edition of the Mario Solinas Quality Award for the Northern Hemisphere at its headquarters in Madrid on Thursday 18 November 2026. The event brought together producers, institutional representatives, experts and professionals from across the sector to celebrate the excellence and diversity of extra virgin olive oils.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of 16 IOC member countries — Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Montenegro, Pakistan, Palestine, South Africa, Tunisia, Türkiye and Uruguay. Representatives from the gastronomic world and the scientific community also joined the celebration, including Luis Suárez de Lezo, President of the Royal Academy of Gastronomy, and its Director, Elena Rodríguez, reflecting the close ties between gastronomy and the culture of extra virgin olive oil.

The event was opened by IOC Executive Director Jaime Lillo, who highlighted the role of the competition as one of the organisation’s flagship initiatives for promoting a culture of quality:

“Behind every award-winning oil lie years of experience, knowledge and dedication. Through the Mario Solinas Awards, we seek to recognise the efforts of those who work every day to achieve the highest quality standards and contribute to the international prestige of extra virgin olive oil. Quality is one of the main drivers of growth and differentiation for the sector, and supporting producers who invest in it is part of the IOC’s mission.”

Established in 1993 in honour of Italian researcher Mario Solinas, one of the pioneers of the scientific method for the organoleptic assessment of virgin olive oil, the competition has become a global benchmark for recognising excellence and encouraging continuous improvement throughout the olive sector value chain.

A total of 122 oils from eleven countries were entered in this year’s edition, with twenty receiving awards for their exceptional sensory qualities. The winning oils, from Spain, Italy, Tunisia and China, were selected by an international jury composed of renowned experts.

During the ceremony, Mercedes Fernández, Head of the IOC Standardisation and Research Unit, emphasised the richness and diversity of the oils recognised:

“Each of the oils honoured in this edition has its own unique personality. Their aromas, flavours and nuances are the result of the olive variety, growing conditions and the expertise of their producers. These awards help consumers discover the extraordinary sensory richness of extra virgin olive oil and encourage them to explore new flavour profiles and gastronomic experiences.”

Among the winners were century-old cooperatives, small family-owned mills and companies present in major international markets, all united by a common philosophy: the pursuit of excellence.

The ceremony closed with remarks by IOC Deputy Executive Director Abderraouf Laajimi, who recalled that the Mario Solinas Awards are much more than a competition:

“Each award-winning oil represents a territory, a tradition and the work of men and women committed to excellence. These awards celebrate the diversity of the olive world and demonstrate that quality remains the best ambassador for extra virgin olive oil.”

The ceremony was hosted by Telemadrid presenter Álvaro de los Santos and featured a performance by Marina Carmona, a member of a renowned family of musicians, guitarists, dancers and singers, who brought a cultural dimension to a day dedicated to celebrating excellence, tradition and the extraordinary diversity of extra virgin olive oil. For the occasion, she performed an original interpretation of Mediterráneo by Joan Manuel Serrat, an allegory of the shared history connecting cultures, territories and generations through the sea that gave birth to the olive tree and continues to unite so many peoples around extra virgin olive oil.

Excellence at the Highest Level

“Receiving the Mario Solinas Award confirms that the path we have chosen — based on integrated production, sustainability and the constant pursuit of excellence — is the right one,” said Ana Mónica Fernández de Santaella of Oleoestepa, winner of the first prize in the medium green fruitiness category. She described the distinction as “the best reward for a whole year of work” and a prize shared with the cooperative’s farmers, “because the quality of a great oil begins in the olive grove.”

For Pau Serra Pagès of the 124-year-old Cooperativa Agrícola de Cambrils, winner in the ripe fruitiness category, the award is “undoubtedly a recognition of everyone involved in producing an exceptional oil” and an opportunity to continue promoting quality oils and highlighting the work of producers.

From China, Xijun Fang of Longnan Xiangyu Olive Development Co. Ltd., winner in the small-scaele producers category, emphasised that the Mario Solinas Award represents “recognition of thirty years of commitment to quality” and demonstrates that world-class oils can be produced beyond the Mediterranean basin.

José Gálvez González of Oro Bailén, winner in the packers category, underlined that receiving the distinction once again shows that “quality, consistency and volume can go hand in hand” and constitutes international recognition for an approach to extra virgin olive oil founded on excellence from one crop year to the next.

For Nino Leone of Sabino Leone, winner of the first prize in the robust green fruitiness category, “this award represents our hard work and sacrifices, and it is only the starting point, because we believe that quality is both the present and the future of the olive sector.”

The representative of Al Kaabi Olive Oil, the Tunisian producer awarded first prize in the light green fruitiness category, considered that receiving the Mario Solinas distinction as one of the best extra virgin olive oils of the year is a source of great pride, as the award reflects the commitment of an entire sector dedicated to the quality of this remarkable product.

Tradition, Innovation and Excellence without Borders

The diversity of backgrounds and territories was equally reflected among the second-prize winners. From Trani, Italy, Maria Francesca Di Martino of Aziende Agricole di Martino De Luca di Roseto Tupputi Schinosa stressed the prestige of the IOC competition in the robust green fruitiness category, which she considers “the benchmark against which to assess the work carried out throughout the crop year, from the olive grove to packaging.”

For Juan de Dios García Casas of Granada-based O-MED, the recognition received for its extra virgin olive oil in the medium green fruitiness category “reaffirms the commitment to excellence, innovation and respect for olive-growing tradition”, values that have guided this family-owned mill for more than two decades.

From the Sierra Mágina region, Enrique Jesús Muñoz de Gea and Pedro Jesús Ruiz Martínez of the Oro de Cánava cooperative emphasised that the award for their medium green fruitiness extra virgin olive oil also recognises the efforts of hundreds of farmers and provides strong encouragement to continue bringing the quality of their oils to international markets.

Sara Brezmes Docio of Pago de Valdecuevas highlighted that the distinction in the delicate green fruitiness category confirms that “quality knows no borders or established traditions, but rather depends on commitment, knowledge and dedication”, demonstrating that oils of excellence can also be produced in emerging olive-growing regions such as Valladolid.

Finally, Mossa Domenica of Frantoio Oleario Mossa Domenica noted that the second Mario Solinas Award for small-scale producers “is not an end point, but a starting point” for continuing to innovate and develop high-quality oils that respect the environment.

Stories of Passion for the Olive Grove

Also from Spain, Consolación Molero Alcaide of the Sociedad Cooperativa Olivarera de Valdepeñas (Colival), third prize winner in the robust green fruitiness category, stated that the award “confirms that the care devoted to the olive grove and the work carried out throughout the production process place the cooperative among the world’s leading producers of extra virgin olive oil.”

Emotion was also evident in the words of Fátima Centeno Molina of Olivasur Natural, third prize winner in the small-scale producers category, who described the distinction as “confirmation that the path embarked upon six crop years ago was the right one” and as recognition of the effort and passion of an entire family committed to olive growing and future generations.

From Córdoba, Javier Alcalá de la Moneda of the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe cooperative, third prize winner in the medium green fruitiness category, emphasised that the award pays tribute to the work of farmers and mill staff and serves as motivation to continue along the path of excellence that has made Virrey del Pino one of the oils most appreciated by consumers.

Among the Best in the World

In addition to the prize-winning oils, the ceremony also paid tribute to the finalists in the various categories. Awards were presented to Alberto Yévenes García (Knolive Oils), Águeda María García Anguis (S.C.A. del Campo El Alcázar), Antonio J. Gómez Durillo (Agrícola de Bailén Virgen de Zocueca), Antonio Quel Garrido (S.C.A. San Felipe Apóstol Balcón del Guadalquivir), Petra Villaescusa Arreaza (Aceites Almagre) and Andrés García Gallego (Terraverne 2020), whose oils ranked among the best entries in this year’s competition.

One of the most moving moments of the ceremony was the tribute paid to the international jury responsible for evaluating the submitted samples. On behalf of the panel of experts, Elena Díaz and Gema Gómez received the distinction awarded to the international jury, whose work ensures the rigour, independence and prestige of one of the most respected competitions in the global olive sector.

Through the Mario Solinas Quality Award, the IOC reaffirms its commitment to promoting quality and recognising those who, from the olive grove to the mill, work every day to offer consumers around the world extra virgin olive oils that embody the very best of their territories, traditions and expertise.