The EVOO movement has begun
We consider the launch of the EVOO App (by Ithaca Bound) in December, 2023 as the end of the pioneering stage of the olive oil industry and the beginning of the early adopter stage.
The growing public interest in olive oil is inescapable. From a growing wave of medical professionals touting its health benefits, to almost every seasoned chef across North America using it as a staple in their kitchens, to health celebrities (such as a man striving to live to 150 years of age) and those drinking it daily, to The Mediterranean Diet being the world’s most popular nutritional plan, public interest in olive oil in Canada, the US, and globally has risen approximately 280% since 2004.* And consumers across North America continue to consider ways to make their diets more healthy and natural.
Why now
In an industry that’s documented to be 3,500 in age, and probably approximately 5,000 in total age, two things occurred in the industry in only the last 20 years:
First, farmers began regularly harvesting green olives (known as an early harvest, typically done in October or November in the Northern Hemisphere). By harvesting green olives (less ripe) instead of purple or black olives (commonly in January or February), the olive oil will have more taste and aroma. The downside to an early harvest is that it produces less oil. (A black olive will produce about 3x more oil than a green one) So if a farmer is going to perform an early harvest, they must ensure they have a buyer in place willing to pay more for a premium quality batch.
The second practice that occurred about 20 years ago is that milling technologies substantially improved. Mills went from pressing olives (through techniques like large stones) to cold extraction technologies that crush and knead the oil in stainless steel tanks for about one hour. And instead of filtering technologies that used to cause olive oil to oxidize for a week, the filtering process can occur now in a controlled air-tight environment (hermetic) that maximizes the maintenance of the olive oil’s organoleptic and nutritional profiles.
And as a result of these two factors, it’s now possible to create Extra Virgin Olive Oil that has the same, or more, tasting and aromatic complexities to that coffee and wine.
Making premium evoo economical
So the industry gradually, but surely, transcended from a substance that was ubiquitous for only cooking, to one that is, in addition to cooking, widely being considered as a beverage (drinking) and condiment (pairing with food) because of its medicinal properties and highly sensory aromatic and tasting characteristics.
And as a result of these organoleptic possibilities, gourmet store grocery shelves in the last 10 years began offering Extra Virgin Olive Oils of premium, and sometimes world-class quality, at $30-60 per bottle.
The birth of Olive Day™️
We acknowledge the quality of world class olive oils and Ithaca Bound Imports proudly distributes several of these Top 100 brands. (Currently six of the world’s Top 100) But most consumers won’t spend over $30 for a bottle of olive oil.
So Olive Day™️ was created to provide an olive oil brand for the olive oil enthusiast or user who doesn’t want to buy the cheapest olive oil on the shelf and is willing to spend just a little bit more to get a premium-quality evoo. (High organoleptic profile, evoos high in polyphenols, transparency with lab report data, source of origin and authenticity well documented, etc.)
Access the world of high-quality olive oil
After an Extra Virgin Olive Oil passes a rigorous organoleptic and lab analysis review and we feel excited about it being an Olive Day™️ olive oil, we then engage with the olive oil farmer (many of our producers are single families) or farming organization and negotiate to buy their premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil in increments of 1000 litres. (One tonne at a time)
Using food grade stainless steel tote containers (Olive Day™️ is known to be the first in the industry at any kind of scale to do this) to minimize microplastics getting into our olive oil, we ship the evoo across the ocean by vessel (or airfreight on rushed orders) to our bottling facility in Mississauga, Ontario (Greater Toronto Area), Canada where each container is emptied and bottled into Olive Day™️ bottles that mark the country of origin, olive variety type, nutritional information, and via a QR code on the back, further lab analytical data such as its acidity level, polyphenols (the power antioxidant in olive oil), and more.
Trusting one global brand – Olive Day®️
Because of the rigorous (and more expensive) process outlined above, Olive Day®️ brings Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the marketplace that removes confusion and that consumers can simply trust.
A consumer no longer needs to look at dozens of olive oil brands on a store shelf and wonder if what they buy will be nutricious and tasty. Olive Day™️ gives consumers world-class sourcing practices and global variety all under one brand. Now all a consumer needs to do is choose what country they want their evoo sourced from, what olive variety, and if they wish for it to be non-organic or organic for a dollar or two more.
Olive Day®️ is your everyday olive oil. And we wish you, your family and community health and a pleasant way of life.
The day of the olive has arrived.™️