AEVOO in the spotlight as new Guinness World Record set

Managing Editor

I’ve no idea where the year went but saying goodbye to 2021 is a bittersweet experience.

COVID lockdowns and restrictions have made it another tough year, creating movement and supply frustrations for some, reducing markets and sales for many, and forcing the postponement or cancellation of industry events across the country.

At the same time, we’ve seen ingenuity and tenacity shine through, along with a ‘let’s make this work’ attitude I’ve seen in olive producers since I first entered the industry. We’ve pivoted our business models, accessed new markets, worked around shortages and gone online for events, and we’re heading out of COVID-Year 2 looking positively to the future.

And did I mention that we also produced a record olive crop … which translated into some of the highest-pointed EVOOs in competition judging history?

No matter what your role in the industry - grower, processor, marketer, retailer (for many, all of the above) or service provider – you’ve got reason to be proud. We made it through a tricky year pulling together and pulling head, having raised industry production while taking the quality of Australian olive products up yet another notch.

Nice work, everyone. Have a safe, happy and relaxing holiday season, and let’s do it all again in 2022.

Editor Gerri Nelligan and the OG&P team.

The evening of 28 October saw more than 16,500 consumers focused firmly on the qualities of Australian EVOO, as they joined Cobram Estate to successfully set a new Guinness World Record for the biggest virtual olive oil tasting event.

Viewers from across Australia and the world tuned into the event, which had aimed to beat participation in the previous Guinness World Record for the biggest olive oil tasting event. Held in a football stadium the Spanish city of Jaen, an incredible 12,909 people gathered to taste and set that 2009 record.

Cobram Estate co-founder and chairman Rob McGavin had hoped for 13,000 participants at the Australian event, a figure easily overtaken by the final confirmed number of 16,537 unique viewers.

All up more than 18,500 people registered for the Cobram Estate livestreamed event, which was held virtually due to Australia’s ongoing COVID restrictions, and the peak of concurrent viewers on Youtube was 11,981.

Format

All registered participants were sent a tasting kit of five oils – mild, medium and robust EVOO blends, an ultra-premium varietal Hojiblanca EVOO and a rancid oil for freshness comparison – along with tasting cups, olive leaf tea samples and information on Australian EVOO production.

They then logged in for the livestreamed masterclass, joining Cobram Estate co-founder and chairman Rob McGavin, chief oil maker Leandro Ravetti and nutritionist Dr Joanna McMillan online for the mass tasting and information session. Industry benefit

Ravetti said the event was a great promotion of Australian EVOO, and introduced thousands of new households to the amazing flavours and quality of fresh, local products.

“Despite being a branded exercise, our Guinness Record tasting was an incredibly successful educational event for the Australian olive Industry that reached out to more than 16,000 Australian consumers,” he said.

“We taught participants how to taste EVOO, how to differentiate different styles and how to distinguish between qualities. The event also focused on other important aspects relevant to all Australian growers: we educated consumers about the process of growing and pressing quality EVOO, about the health aspects linked to it, about

Participant feedback

Here are just a few examples of the enthusiastic feedback received about both the event and a new appreciation for Australian EVOO:

“What a fantastic way to learn about Australian made produce!” “This was a great event, we loved it and learned a lot. Can't wait to head to the supermarket now, knowing what I'm doing!” “We all learned so much about extra virgin olive oil tonight and we'll change our cooking and shopping as a result.” “I loved the hints and tips in trying different oils. Heating it up in my hand before smelling was amazing - mind blowing even.” “Thank you. I have shared everything I learned with my family and friends.” “My 80-year-young mother joined us all tonight. She has had her larynx removed due to cancer, she doesn’t taste anything. Her nose and taste buds don’t work anymore. Tonight she TASTED the different notes and flavours in your extra virgin olive oil - apple and peppery flavour!! Thank you again for an awesome night.”

the fact that you can cook with it and, most importantly, how to shop for high quality and good value-for-money EVOO.

“We encouraged participants to buy local, buy fresh, and discussed the importance of buying from a trusted Australian brand owned by the grower/processor. We also encouraged participants to buy Australian certified products, and showed them the Code of Practice logo.

“All those messages were delivered to the benefit of the industry as a whole.” Recording available

For those unable to make the live event, the recording remains available on the Cobram Estate YouTube channel.

P PS S OOlive Oil Packaging Servi ces Specialist in bag-in-box packag ing O