Flos Olei 2024, the guide dedicated to extra virgin olive oil at an international level. edited by Marco Oreggia and Laura Marinelli, graduated the best extra virgin olive oils of 2024. Italy wins eleven awards in The Best: the Company of the Year is Olio Mimì (Puglia), the Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil of the Year is the Tommaso Masciantonio Agricultural Company (Abruzzo), the Green Company is the Titone Organic Farm (Sicily), while the Emerging Companies are Passo della Palomba (Umbria) and Masoni Becciu (Sardinia). The Azienda del Cuore and Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Organic Agriculture awards were awarded to Fonte di Foiano and Fattoria Ramerino (Tuscany) respectively. Also crowned within the various categories were the Italian Frantoio di Riva (Trentino Alto Adige), Frantoio Gaudenzi, Azienda Agricola Decimi (Umbria), Dievole (Tuscany) and Azienda Agricola Le Tre Colonne (Puglia), flanked by the Spanish Marqués de Griñon – Family Estate, Aceites Almenara (Castilla-La Mancha), O-Med, Rafael Alonso Aguilera – Oro del Desierto and Oleícola San Francisco (Andalucía). The roundup closes with Portugal with Casa de Santo Amaro, Slovenia with Ekološka Kmetija Janko Bočaj, Greece with Hellenic Fields and Argentina with Familia Zuccardi: each of these structures received recognition.
A Special Award was awarded to Cristina Tiliacos at the Instituto Brasileiro de Olivicultura, a national body involved in the protection and diffusion of the culture of extra virgin olive oil in Brazil, with the task of promoting quality oil production in the world of consumption.
In the Hall of Fame, Italy wins 5 positions, followed by Spain which gains 3 positions and Croatia with 1. In particular, the Italian companies of excellence are those of Azienda Agricola Comincioli (Lombardy), Frantoio Bonamini (Veneto) , Frantoio Franci (Tuscany), Azienda Agraria Viola (Umbria) and Americo Quattrociocchi (Lazio). For Spain: Casas de Hualdo (Castilla-La Mancha), Castillo de Canena and Aceites Finca La Torre (Andalucía). Mate (Croatia) is the Istrian company that wins a place in the prestigious ranking.
Overall, the Flos Olei 2024 Guide presents the 500 best olive growing companies selected in 56 countries. This year's new entry territory is the Aosta Valley, which effectively enters the list of Italian olive growing regions: a small production area, but a land in which olive growing has its roots already in the Middle Ages. Accomplices of the recognition are the potential of the territory, the interest shown by the local population and, in part, the changes due to the climate crisis.
«Despite a season that was certainly not easy from both an environmental and economic point of view – states Marco Oreggia, editor of the Flos Olei guide – this year too it was a pleasure to note the quality of the oils tasted. And it is a source of satisfaction to find so much interest in producers from all over the world who see our guide as an authoritative and safe reference. One thing that is certainly striking is the marked international production improvement, an indication of professionalism, passion, investments and a constant commitment to the pursuit of excellence. Quality that we continue to find on a global level, in all those realities - Italian and international - that make the production and narration of extra virgin olive oil an art and a lifestyle, as well as a source of health and values gastronomic".
