Training for olive oil trade operators key to market growth

FLAVOR Your Life, a campaign supported by the European Union, Unaprol and the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, is setting its sights on a new extra virgin olive oil development opportunity involving educational training sessions with trade operators. The training will focus on the importance of olive oil quality and traceability and help operators distinguish various olive oil products.

Olive oil may be produced using different types of olives, in different territorial regions, with different technologies, and in different climates. By knowing the distinctions, buyers will understand the importance of oil treatment based on the type of oil. Understanding these differences will help trade operators know where the oils should be positioned on shelves based on consumer needs, and this will help sellers improve sales.

Each year, Flavor Your Life will contact a group of trade operators for a one-on-one educational meeting. Trade operators will present different olive oil products, detail the organoleptic and qualitative characteristics of these products, and prepare a management proposal.  In addition, they will present their project at select U.S. trade fairs. Olive oil product demos as well as tasting buffets highlighting different types of oils and olives will also be conducted at these fairs.