Why the best olive oil in the world comes from Greece

Lush green as far as the eye can see. Untouched, raw nature, scorching midday heat, a fresh breeze from the sea. A church bell rings somewhere. Kalamata, the capital of the Greek region of Messinia, is pulsating with life, usually until late at night. Here, on the Peloponnese peninsula, one of humanity's oldest agricultural products has been cultivated for over 5,000 years: olives. And our OEL also saw the light of day right here. Because we are convinced: olive oil from Greece is one of the best in the world.

The right location and cultivation are important

Olive trees are picky. They need sandy, loose and dry soil. However, they don't like moisture at all. So it can neither rain too much nor allow moisture to build up.

There are an estimated 120 million olive trees in Greece, many of them several hundred years old. And the oldest olive tree in the world also grows in Greece. This is estimated to be an incredible 3,000 to 5,000 years old. Because here these trees find exactly the right conditions to grow and thrive. And it was clear to us from the start that the olives for our olive oil should also grow here.

However, we quickly learned that not all olive growing is the same. On industrial olive plantations, the olive trees are sprayed and fertilized. The goal is for the olives to grow and ripen as quickly as possible. Quantity takes precedence over quality here.

In our organically certified olive groves, however, things are more leisurely. The Koroneiki olive trees do not like excessive watering. Therefore they cannot be irrigated artificially. Instead, patience is required here – and loving care. A calcareous soil and lots of sun ensure that the Koroneiki olives for our virgin olive oil feel comfortable. In this stress-free cultivation, the quality of our olives comes first. This ensures that we get the best olive oil in the world.

People's love for their olives: harvest by hand

“What makes the best olive oil in the world?” we are often asked. Of course it depends on the region, the olive variety and the cultivation. But the way the olives are harvested and processed also plays an important role.

For example, did you know that industrial harvesting on large olive plantations is anything but animal-friendly? Because here, harvesting machines clean the trees like vacuum cleaners. They do that at night. However, there are birds sleeping in the trees that cannot orientate themselves at night and are completely irritated by the noise of the machines. They are then simply sucked in and killed. Several million songbirds die in cruel ways every year, including protected species.

Guaranteed that no bird has to lose its life for our Koroneiki olive oil, as the olive harvest for the best olive oil in the world is purely manual work. Yes, not only is it quite strenuous (harvesting takes place during the day), but it also takes longer. But the hard work is worth it. And you can taste it too. All harvest helpers put their heart and soul into it.

processing

Harvesting takes place between October and January. We then immediately process the fresh olives into our high-quality Koroneiki olive oil.

Sure, everyone knows cold-pressed olive oil, and for most people this name is an indication of the good quality of the olive oil. What few people know, however, is that traditional pressing in oil mills involves very long contact with oxygen, which is bad for the quality of the oil.

We, on the other hand, rely on the modern method of cold extraction. We extract the olive oil using a centrifuge. Thanks to this special treatment, we can preserve the full taste of the Koroneiki olives in the best possible way and process them into our high-quality green OEL. And the scent that the green gold exudes in the oil mill is truly unique.

Therefore, the ultimate standard for premium olive oil should not be “cold-pressed,” but rather “cold-extracted.” And of course our extra virgin olive oil is a purely natural product. This means that no chemicals are added.

Koroneiki olives for the best olive oil in the world: delicious and healthy

Greek olive oils use different types of olives. However, the Koroneiki olive is the most popular. Around 60 percent of all cold-pressed olive oil in Greece is made from it. And we also get our extremely delicious organic olive oil from the small green Koroneiki olives. Its fruity, slightly lemony aroma is unique. This makes it not only an excellent olive oil for frying and baking, but is also ideal for refining salads. With our organic products, as a consumer you don’t have to worry about any pesticide contamination.

But the unique taste isn't everything: the cold-extracted olive oil from our Koroneiki olives is also incredibly healthy. It has a very high content of monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid (approx. 70 percent). These are responsible for some of the positive properties of extra virgin olive oil such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The fight against inflammation and the prevention of some types of cancer are also attributed to unsaturated fatty acids.

Our Koroneiki olive oil is particularly recommended because it also has a high polyphenol content. These polyphenols protect the body from free radicals. Another plus: the olive oil does not go rancid and lasts longer.

The German Nutrition Society also lists olive oil as an important component of a healthy diet because of its low proportion of saturated fatty acids.

( https://www.dge.de/ernaehrungspraxis/vollwerte-ernaehrung/10-regel-der-dge/ )

Feel free to compare the test for ZOE with an olive oil comparison from 2021 ( https://www.test.de/Olivenoel-im-Test-4971053-0/ ).

Buy the best olive oil in the world

Would you like to convince yourself of the unique taste and health benefits of our olive oil? Get a little Mediterranean holiday feeling on your plate with Koroneiki Extra Virgin Olive Oil.