A solid awards strategy can help you build credibility through third-party validation that will make your olive oil brand stand out to target audiences. CIOOC speaks for the quality of the olive oils and their position in the market, and also about the overall performance of a brand in the market.
This year, the Canada International Olive Oil Competition (CIOOC) affords olive oil producers and companies a glowing opportunity for Canadian and worldwide visibility.
The Canada IOOC will also provide invaluable information to distributors and consumers about the highest quality extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs). As the key organizer of the competition George Kouvelis points out:
“If an olive oil producer or olive oil company wins a Canadian award in 2021, their product will be famous around the world.”
The competition will effectively co-brand brand name “Canada”, which is globally famous, with their respective fine olive oil products. Canada, which is ranked No. 2 by the U.S. News & World Report Best Countries ranking for 2020, is also among the best countries in the world for business according to Forbes (No. 3). Even more significant is the fact that according to the International Olive Council, imports of olive oil in Canada have increased substantially since 2005, with the greatest interest in virgin olive oils. Canada IOOC judge Karen Rapp of Toro issued a statement on this:
“More Canadian consumers than ever before are looking to purchase top quality extra virgin olive oils. competitions like the CIOOC help bring consumer awareness and industry recognition to the oils that are entered and expand the Canadian market to more international producers.”
Another Canada IOOC judge from Toronto who is certified by ONAOO, Fil Bucchino, adds that the renewed focus on quality by producers, combined with expanding markets, highlights the value of international competitions for visibility and knowledge. Bucchino continued, saying:
“As a Canadian and an olive oil taster, it is an honor to continue to support this precious gift of nature alongside the CIOOC.”
With judges from nine different countries, the Canada IOOC’s jury brings together an impressive group of highly qualified individuals like Ehud Soriano of Kibbutz Magal, Israel, a consultant, educator, international olive oil competition judge, and expert certified by the University of Jaén.
Other venerable experts judging the quality competition this year include Nicolas Koutsoukos from Greece, Marco Antonucci from Italy, Javier Sànchez Pedròs from Spain, Birsen Pehlivan from Turkey, Ruba Daghmish of Jordan, Dr. Ing. Mariem Gharsallaoui from Tunisia, Emily Lycopolus from Canada, and Claudio Vignoli of the USA.
Also, judging the all important design/packaging competition this year are Dimitrios Skourogiannis, Sara Carneholm, Andrew Capper, Eleni Dimitriou, Imene Trabelsi Trigui, and Nadine Bennett
About CIOOC 2021
The Canada IOOC welcomes the participation of any standardized high-quality extra virgin olive oil in the world that is legally sold in retail stores, as long as it was made from olives harvested in the 2020-21 crop year. In a blind organoleptic tasting, the expert olive oil quality judges will use an evaluation form based on that of the International Olive Council’s Mario Solinas.
Graphic designers will be the judges for a packaging olive oil competition.
Canada IOOC 2021 registration is open until April 30, with samples due in Montreal by 5:00 p.m. on May 10. More information and the entry form are available here www.Canadaiooc.com
