What’s better than extra virgin?
At The Spicy Olive we have always prided ourselves on bringing our customers the freshest, healthiest and best olive oils. As we head into the new year, we will be bringing in olive oils that are even better than extra virgin. This new level of quality is called ultra premium.
We are currently in the process of transitioning all of our olive oils from extra virgin to ultra premium (all of our single varietals have made the switch), so the next time you visit we will probably have several of them available! The biggest benefit of this change is that our flavored olive oils will be fresher. By making this transition, we will be able to implement our dual hemispheric model, which enables us to use ultra premium olive oil from around the world and deliver the freshest olive oil to you.
It seems that consumers focus on where their olive oil is produced, when they really should consider when, what and how the oil is made. By using the ultra premium (UP) standard focuses on the chemistry and freshness of the olive oil. To create the best olive oil, both high quality fruit and high quality production processes are needed and the UP standard encompasses strict requirements for both the end-product and the production processes.
The UP standard was created by our suppliers Veronica Foods in response to the growing need to separate high quality extra virgin olive oils from what dominates the so-called “gourmet” and “premium” olive oil markets. We have told you before about the low standards and misinformation surrounding olive oils and we hope this new designation will help create more clarity.
Only the freshest and best olive oils will meet the UP standard – it exceeds all existing Italian, Spanish, Greek, North American, Californian or any other standard for olive oil. In order to qualify for this UP certification, the olive oil must meet or exceed a comprehensive set of production, storage, transportation, testing chemistry and organoleptic requirements. All of this is intended to promote Fair Trade practices and to promote and protect the highest quality olive oil.
If you want more information about our new UP olive oils, be sure to visit the UP website and feel free to ask next time you visit or give us a call!
