The IOC’s Mario Solinas Quality Awards for the best extra virgin olive oils underline the enthusiasm and prosperity of the olive oil sector worldwide

The 23d Mario Solinas Quality Awards ceremony was recently held as part of the 117th Session of the Council of Members of the International Olive Council (IOC). This prestigious event was attended by a number of ambassadors and representatives of the diplomatic corps from various countries.

The IOC Executive Director, Abdellatif Ghedira, addressed the award-winning producers and packers to thank them for their enthusiasm for spreading the culture of excellent quality extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), as well as for their trust in the IOC. He also put an emphasis on the extended trajectory and the development of these awards that welcomed 34 candidates on the occasion of their first edition, and which have now accepted up to 117 candidates for their 23d edition.

The Jordanian ambassador to Spain also took the floor to express her gratitude for the sector’s enthusiasm. She encouraged the producers and packers who had not been awarded this year to continue to participate in this prestigious competition.

The Deputy Executive Director, Jaime Lillo, who is expected to take office as the IOC’s next Executive Director as of January 2024, acknowledged the effort and dedication of this new generation of olive growers who are taking EVOO to the top. He also highlighted and expressed his recognition for the important work of the international jury, made up of thirteen tasting panels and represented at the event by Plácido Pascual, head of the tasting panel of the Agri-Food Laboratory in Córdoba (Spain).

The Mario Solinas Quality Award is an international, institutional, not-for-profit competition organised annually by the IOC since the 2000-2001 olive crop year and open to companies from all over the world. Its aim is to encourage producers, producer associations and packers to market extra virgin olive oils with harmonious organoleptic characteristics, as well as to encourage consumers to recognise and appreciate the sensory attributes of these oils.

This 23rd edition of the Mario Solinas Awards saw the evaluation of 117 samples from countries including: Argentina (2), Brazil (2), China (2), Croatia (1), Greece (4), Italy (6), Portugal (16), Spain (63), Tunisia (19) and Türkiye (2).
The samples were sent by individual producers, producer associations and packers.

Mercedes Fernández Albaladejo, Head of the Standardisation and Research Unit, together with Concha Crespo, journalist and event host, presented the winners of this edition.

First prize

Robust green fruitiness: Sabino Leone – Canosa Di Puglia (BT) – Italy
Medium green fruitiness: SCA Nuestra Señora de los Remedios EVOO “Oro de Cánava”- Jimena (Jaén) -Spain
Delicate green fruitiness: Molino Del Genil S.L – Cordoba – Spain
Ripe fruitiness: Frantoio Romano – Ponte (BN) – Italy
Small-scale producers: Aziende Agricole di Martino – Trani – Italy
Packers: Goya en España SAU- Alcalá de Guadaíra (Sevilla) – Spain
Southern Hemisphere: Fazenda Serra dos Tapes Indústria e Comercio de Azeite de Oliva Ltda. – Canguçu – Brazil

Second prize

Robust green fruitiness: Coop. Olivarera de Valdepeñas Colival – Valdepeñas (C. Real) – Spain
Medium green fruitiness: Sociedade Agrícola Vale Anna S.A. – F. da Alentejo – Portugal
Delicate green fruitiness: Societé Fermes Ali Sfar – Tunisia – Tunisia
Ripe fruitiness: Entre caminos Selección (Escalera Álvarez S.A.T) – La Roda de Andalucía (Sevilla) – Spain
Small-scale producers: SCA Nuestra Señora del Castillo – Vilches (Jaén) – Spain
Packers: Nuestra Señora de la Paz, S.C.A de Oleoestepa. – Estepa (Seville) – Spain

Third prize

Robust green fruitiness: Aceites Castellar SL – Nobleza del Sur – Castellar (Jaén) – Spain
Medium green fruitiness: Aceites Guadalquivir SCA- Villanueva de la Reina (Jaén) – Spain
Delicate green fruitiness: Olinorte Produçao Agricola, Lda – Évora – Portugal
Ripe fruitiness: Barhoumi Olive Oil – Tunis – Tunisia
Packers: S.C.A Agropecuaria de Herrera de Oleoestepa, Herrera (Sevilla) – Spain

You can access the recording of the ceremony and the list of winners of the 23rd edition through the following link:

https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/what-we-do/chemistry-standardisation-

unit/#national-competitions

For more information, please contact iooc@internationaloliveoil.org.