Back at the beginning of January, the Guardian website ran an article (in which George, one of our Directors was quoted) entitled “Olive oil food fraud: pressing truths” ** The crux of the article was simple, some “producers” – I speech mark it for reasons of irony obviously- are not only passing off inferior olive oil as premium quality (& priced) extra virgin but it transpires are also adulterating other types of cheaper oil to pass them off as the more expensive variety. There was even talk of organised criminals moving into this area as drugs carry a harsher penalty when caught and presumably the money to be made is significant. Naively, I assumed that even if people read it I would hear nothing of it down at Borough market. Yet the very next day I had two customers who referenced it whilst buying some of our oil which got me thinking, how do you know our oil is the real McCoy/Kosher as it were?

The short of it is…..you don’t! You (the customer) have to trust us and we in turn have to trust our suppliers. Well up to a point we do. If there were ever any suspicions about the oil then we can, and would, have it tested again. The important point here is that the people who supply us (yes they are people and not faceless organisations) have been supplying us – in some cases – for twenty years and we have done an awful lot of business with them. We know the directors, we have visited the olive groves and the factories and in the case of The Fresh Olive Early Season Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil WE ACTUALLY OWN THE OLIVE GROVE! IT’S OURS!! WE RUN TRIPS THERE FOR OUR CLIENTS!!! WE HAVE SEEN IT MADE!!!!…..actually I never have as Charlie and George haven’t taken me there yet but I know loads of people who have.

A lot of this greasy subterfuge has taken place in Italy, a country that collectively exports and uses more oil than it actually produces. That’s not to say it’s limited to Italy nor that it’s wider spread. Without a concerted effort to test more oils we won’t find out either. One thing we do know is that it largely affects the bulk oil market i.e. Companies who are securing huge quantities for the best price. It is price led and not quality led. This doesn’t tend to be for resale to retail.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is The Fresh Olive Company supply some varied and fantastic customers with some fairly prodigious amounts of extra virgin olive oil. Michelin star restaurants, delicatessens and some interesting individuals. One thing you can guarantee is if there was ever an issue with any of it we would know about it before their pans were even cool.

Bob

** http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/jan/04/olive-oil-food-fraud