June 2014
Ann and George Courmouzis, owners of Olive Oil Selections, attended the New York Fancy Food Fair to promote their Corvus brand and well tested concept of retailing extra virgin olive oil. The company had been absent from the US food shows for the past 8 years. Many useful contacts were made during the three day affair, many at the booth they shared with a table olives producer. George was interviewed on the subject of Greek olive oil exports by New York based NGTV. Greece’s disastrous 2013-14 harvest has reduced olive oil exports by 66%, according to Greek authorities. At least this may help clear the field of the many ephemeral brands that are traded in Greece (2646 in the last count…). Meanwhile, sales of the company’s 2nd Corvus varietal -known as Amfississ- introduced in early April and sold alongside the fusti with the original Koroneiki, have steadily climbed to reach about 25% of the combined total company sales.
Category: News
USDA Report on Greek Olive Oil
Greek olive oil production in 2013–14 is projected to decline 57 percent as a result of the severe drought of last summer. About 80 percent of Greek output is extra-virgin olive oil. Per capita consumption of olive oil in Greece, at 20 kilograms, is one of the highest in the world. Greece is the world’s third largest olive oil producer after Spain and Italy, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
(April 2014; source: www.olivenews.gr)
A new world record of 3.7 million metric tons of olive oil will be pressed during the 3013 – 14 harvest period that just ended, showing an increase of 37% over last year. Spain, with 1.7 million tons representing 51% of the global harvest, saw a 250% increase. Portugal and Australia recorded 200% increases, while Greece, Turkey and Tunisia showed the largest decreases.
(March 2013; source: UC Davis, N.Y. Times, CBS and other Media)
Did you catch the explosive story about widespread olive oil fraud just published in The New York Times?
The article is called “Extra Virgin Suicide,” and it reports that much of the olive oil sold in your local supermarket is adulterated with soybean and other cheap oils. Some of these fake oils are even doused with illegal chemicals to make them look like authentic olive oil.
