We are honored to announce that our First Crush Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been named Best New Product of the Year in the 2023 SOFI Awards Olive Oil category – our 14th SOFI Award as a company! Originally developed as a limited edition offering, our First Crush EVOO has received such enthusiasm that we now plan to make it available annually and have already started planning the next batch.
Our First Crush Olive Oil is crafted from Greek Koroneiki olives that are picked at the perfect time, then immediately crushed and bottled. The result is an early-harvest EVOO that offers bold, buttery flavor and mellows over time.
Why Early Harvest?
Early harvest olive oil is superior in both quality and flavor and boasts some potential health benefits. While all extra virgin olive oil is the result of the first pressing of olives, the very best olive oils come from olives that are picked while still green and unripe – or early harvest – in addition to that first press. The yield can be quite a bit lower from these unripe olives when compared to olives that are harvested later in the season, but the results are worth it.
Unripe olives retain more of the naturally-occurring polyphenols than their ripened counterparts. Polyphenols are compounds found in olives and other fruits and vegetables that act as antioxidants in the body, purportedly having anti-inflammatory properties. Higher-polyphenol olive oils also have a more complex flavor and aroma and hold up better at high heat than lower-polyphenol oils.
Meet the Growers
Our First Crush EVOO is crafted by the Renieris family on their groves in Crete. Check out the video below to meet the family and share in the harvest.
Customers interested in placing preorders should contact their FOODMatch sales rep or email [email protected].
