All branded olive oils are eligible for participation for the best quality award. The products to be evaluated must be in the appropriate condition for testing and their distinctive information must be written out correctly and clearly on the label, i.e. they must be products ready to be sold to the consumer public.
a) To inform olive-growers, oil producers, oil-pressers, processors and retailers, who distribute their standardized products legally, to preserve and to ameliorate the quality of their branded product by promoting high-quality olive oil in every aspect of the spectrum of its use and consumption.
b) The promotion of the knowledge of the particular value and of the healthy/nutritional aspects of olive oil to new consumers of young age (schools), to professional pastry chefs, artisans, with emphasis to gastronomy & culinary art schools and to restaurants.
c) The promotion of the diversity of varieties and of the high quality of olive oils produced with the aim of advancing the knowledge of their tasting differences.
London Olive Oil Awards offer a key way to refine your goals for the year and bring benefits including increased exposure as well as networking. Each award entry needs to be treated as a bespoke marketing campaign.
LIOOC an excellent opportunity to assess where the business currently is, what has recently been achieved and how challenges have been addressed and overcome.
Irini Kokolaki is an expert virgin olive oil taster, diplomated by the University of Jaen in Spain, certified by the International Olive Oil Council (COI), based in Madrid, Spain. She has attended the course on Panel leaders of virgin olive oil tasters at the national center of Agriculture Capacity of San Fernando de Henares in Madrid, organized by the Ministry of Spanish Agriculture, and several seminars and courses in Greece, Italy, and Spain in the sensory analysis of virgin olive oil, also. Her passion and love for the olive oil sector lead her to participate as a judge at several International Olive Oil Competitions in the world and to become a member of the Italian women's organization “Pandolea” olive oil friends. With her knowledge and abilities, she guides and advises producers and mills to produce extra virgin olive oil under the company "Elia Quality Group". She speaks Greek, English, French, Spanish and Italian.
Alfredo Marasciulo, Expert taster and panel leader of tasting committees of the University of Bari and of the Italian Consortium for Organic Products (CIBI), both recognized by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. He collaborates with numerous international competitions and is the Panel Leader of some of the most prestigious competitions held in Italy including the Biol Prize for several years and the Ercole Olivario for the 2021-2022 period. Consultant for the quality improvement of many farms and oil mills.
Assistant Professor in Food -Agriculture, Ministry of agriculture and Water Resources. Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education.
Farm advisor, specializing in olive growing, elaiotechnics, rural development, and Expert olive oil tasting. She has 19 years of experience in EVOO sector as a consultant. Responsible for the technical execution of research projects of the regional administration and province about cooperativism and EVOO. EVOO tasting trainer- Technical Manager of AOVELOVERS.
Graduated in Biological Sciences from the University of Granada and PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Jaén. With more than 20 years of experience in the process of making Extra Virgin Olive Oil. She has been Panel Leader and Responsible for Experimental Cooking with Olive Oil at Citoliva for the last 8 years. now I continue to be a taster on this panel. In August 2019, he joined the Superior Facultative Body of the Junta de Andalucía as a Specialist Technician in the Food and Health Area of IFAPA (Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development). The main lines of research have been related to the differentiated quality of EVOO and the improvement of the lipid profile after its incorporation into the food chain. More than 34 publications in both impactful and informative magazines. Member of the jury in various national and international fairs and competitions, she has participated in the EVOOLEUM and Iberoleum guides since their first edition. Co-author of several books related to the world of the olive grove and organoleptic evaluation, where it stands out: Manual of Tasting and Pairing of olive oil
Konstantinos Tsoronis from Kalamata, Greece, is a chemist, specialized in food safety and olive oil technology. He provides training, tasting seminars and consulting to new and established producers. He specializes in improving the production and quality of olive oil. He has a collective experience of over 15 years in the food industry, consultancy and academia and has been involved in olive oil production from milling to refining, from evaluation to blending. Currently, he is working at "Captain Vassilis and Carmen Constantakopoulos" Foundation. In addition, he is a founding member of the Organization for the promotion of the gastronomy of olive oil (Oliverse). He is a holder of a Master’s Degree in food safety and quality management. He is also a graduate of ONAOO’s olive oil sensory analysis course in Imperia, IOC’s University course on the Organoleptic Assessment of Olive Oil at the University of Jaen and IOC’s International course for panel leaders on the organoleptic assessment of olive oil. Furthermore, he is an expert olive oil taster, member of Kalamata's olive oil taste panel and has taken part as a judge in olive oil competitions at both national and international level. He has also been recognized as an Associate Member of the Register of international extra virgin olive oil Savantes.
Panagiotis Papanikolopoulos a.k.a. Gastronaftis studied Business Administration but after being a project manager for E.U. programs and a kitchen furniture designer, he put aside everything for gastronomy, his lifetime passion. Being a co-founder of Oliverse.gr, he organizes and gives EVOO & food pairing seminars all over Greece, three years and counting. He is a gastronomic consultant for several food companies, with acknowledged expertise in pairing foods with different olive oil varieties, that he has been dedicated to showcasing. He is a certified olive oil taster, active member of an IOC recognized sensory laboratory. His motto is… “Extra virgin olive oil is an exceptional condiment, all by itself”
Head of Mytilene Olive Oil Laboratory, Olive Institute, Subtropical Plants and Vine- ELGO DIMITRA. Panel supervisor, accredited by the NSS, an organoleptic group for virgin olive oil. Judge of international quality olive oil competitions since 2016.
Vasilij Valenčič, PhD, is a researcher at the Institute for Oliveculture of the Science and Research Centre Koper, Slovenia. In 2002 he started working in the field of oliveculture and attended several international trainings, specially of the International Olive Council, regarding olive oil and table olives quality and sensory analysis. In 2004 he graduated at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and in 2010, at the same institution, successfully defended his doctoral dissertation. Nowadays, in the laboratory of the Institute, he holds the positions of a responsible analyst, a deputy panel leader for organoleptic assessment of virgin olive oil and panel leader for organoleptic assessment of table olives. From 2009 onwards he is a member of the international jury of the BIOL Prize (Italy), and from 2019 of the international jury of the London International Olive Oil Competitions (UK).
Anita Zachou from Greece is an Agricultural Engineer, Expert Olive Oil Taster, Olive Oil Quality Assurance Consultant, Gastronomic Educator to Culinary Professionals, Olive Oil Tourism Expert, Holistic Wellness Coach, Writer & Trainer. She took her first certification as an Olive Oil Taster in 2012. Later on, she was granted a scholarship by the International Olive Council to attend the olive oil tasting course at the University of Jaen in Spain, from which she holds the title of Expert in Virgin Olive Oil Tasting. She is the founder of Mykonos Olive Oil Tasting, an educational & consulting company based in Mykonos island, delivering seminars & workshops on Olive Oil Tasting, Olive Oil Gastronomy, Mediterranean Diet, Holistic Health & Wellness to visitors but also consumers, kids and culinary professionals. She is an Ordinary Member of ONAOO.
Chania Chagas, Entrepreneur. She is an Expert in Olive Oil Tasting with more than 6 years of experience in the sector. Owner of an Olive Oil Importer and Distributor Company in Brazil and the first olive oil boutique store – Empório do Azeite.
Dr.Prof. Imene Trabelsi Trigui, University of SFax , Tunisia (PhD from Ecole Nationale d'Ingénieurs des Travaux Agricoles - Clermont Ferrand, France) is a Full Professor in Marketing at University of Sfax-TUNISIA Specialized in Olive Oil and Agrifood Quality & Marketing. She is certified in sensory analysis of Olive Oil from Olive Oil School of Spain (ESAO) and Honey (University of Bologna, Italy). She is the Vice Executive President of Women in Olive Oil international Organisation. She is an international expert & Consultant at INNOVIC Trading & Consulting Company. She is involved in many international Olive Oil & Honey Competitions as a Panel judge. She is accompanying and assisting different companies in developing their branding and Marketing design strategies, promoting their international positioning through innovative and Digital Marketing tools, and assisting them in producing high-quality food products in accordance with international norms and standards.
Olive Oil is life, Quality Excellence in Extra Virgin is art and passion. Born on the island of Crete in Greece, he has studied and worked as an aircraft engineer and in the international relations field for several years. For the last 15 years, he is working in the olive oil sector as a professional in olive mill technology, quality olive oil extraction, sustainable cultivation, and international marketing. Trained by IOC instructors, today he is a member of the certified panel of tasters in the olive oil sensory evaluation lab of ACR, in Crete and he has experience as a judge in International Olive Oil Competitions. Being an expert in his field with recognized knowledge and experience, he has present olive oil-related subjects, in International fairs and events, as an invited speaker (IOC summit, FHC summit, HORECA forum, etc).
Veloudo Velissari is food technologist, olive oil producer, member of Kalamata Olive Oil and Olives School and olive oil taster on the panel of the IOC’s certificated organoleptic laboratory of SEVITEL.
A graduate of Food Science and Technology at University of West Attica, she has followed IOC’s university- level course on the Organoleptic Assessment of Olive Oil at the University of Jaen in Spain and currently she has been a graduate student for M.Sc. in Technology and Quality of Table Olives and Olive Oil at University of Peloponnese.
Based in Kalamata, for 15 years she has been working as quality consultant to numerous big export industries in Table Olives and Olive Oil sector.
Vivian van Wordragen is a Dutch certified olive oil expert, specialized in sensory analysis. Graduated as best in class at the first Italian olive oil school O.N.A.O.O. in 2020, she was enrolled in their international register as a Professional Olive Oil Taster. She has been in the olive oil business for more than 15 years as a product manager, senior buyer, and category manager, working for different renowned international retail brands. As an active member of the global organization "Women in Olive Oil", she is fully devoted to promoting high-quality extra virgin olive oil through her company Via Viv. She imports her own brand of premium olive oil and focuses on her mission to educate buyers, chefs, and other decision-makers to understand and appreciate high-quality olive oil through masterclasses, consults, and tasting workshops. She speaks Dutch, English, German and Spanish fluently.
Manager of an Agriculture bussiness since 1999, and Olive Oil professional since 2005, specialized in Management, Marketing, and Sensorial Assessment, with scientific Agronomic background. Experienced in bussiness management, marketing strategy, and event planning, was responsible for the organisation of Olive Oil Competitions for more than a decade, and for the 2018 World Olive Oil Summit, in Portugal. It is presently head of Operations and Marketing in Cooperativa Agrícola de Moura e Barrancos.
Nôemèn Daoudi, Tunisian, International Olive Oil Expert Certified from the University of Jaen in Spain. Laboratory Manager (physico-chimical and organoleptic analyzes) at Rivière d'Or olive oil company since 2006. Tasting Panel Leader, approved by the International Olive Oil Council and accredited by the TUNAC according to the ISO17025 V2017 standards.
A Certified Olive Oil Sommelier and the UK Ambassador of Women In Olive Oil, I love collaborating, working together, and promoting Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
I am Sales and Export Manager of a Tunisian company of production and export of Olive Oil. I am also the panel leader of this company which are recently recognized by the IOC. The Olive Oil sector is my main passion from 2013, when I got my master degree from the University of Jaén. Then, I did an internship in the headquarter of the IOC during 5 months in 2015 and recently I got my diploma as an expert of organoleptic evaluation of virgin olive oil from the University of Jaén.
Born in Marseille and traveled the world. BA in International Relations at Sussex University
MSc in Political Economy at London School of Economics. In my first life, a humanitarian aid worker with UNHCR, and UNDP in Angola, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. In my second life, created SARL Moulin Oltremonti, planted 15ha of olive trees, built a modern mill on the east coast of Corsica, and together with my husband Ivo and my daughter we produce quality extra virgin olive oil since 2014.
I'm Marije Passos (short) 39 years old and mother of 2 and 3000 olive trees. Although I'm Dutch and olive tree growing is not in my blood but I have found my passion. My experience comes from education but mostly trial and error. Knowing your own land and trees is key to making amazing extra virgin olive oil. From bottle design to farm management and sales I am doing it as that what it takes to survive this industry as a small grower. There are many misunderstandings in the market and fraud unfortunately is also still very visible. My mission is telling people the real story of olive oil. With my brand and farm Passeite where we do tours and tastings and my separate platform Evoosommelier I accomplish just that.
Catherine Fogel has a multicultural background. Born in Casablanca Morocco, raised in the Canary Islands, and lives in Denmark. She speaks 9 languages and has been in the Culinary and Olive Oil world for the past 20 Years. Has a diploma as a professional taster and panel leader from ONAOO Italy. Judges many competitions worldwide both in food, culinary events, and competitions. She teaches about taste and food in Culinary Schools, chef conferences, and for consumers.
The registration deadline is 30 April 2021.
