COMMERCIAL OIL

The term "virgin" is applied to oil when it is produced through strictly mechanical means, such as crushing, pressing, and spinning, rather than through the use of high temperatures or solvents. An oil is called "extra virgin" when it emerges from its mechanical processes without defect and with some positive olive character. Before calling an oil extra virgin, the International Olive Oil Council subjects it to chemical and sensory analysis. It is very hard to make extra virgin oil, and very expensive.

Less than 5% of all oils made worldwide each year are truly extra virgin. Most producers prefer, for obvious reasons, to simply add a small percentage of extra virgin oil for flavor into a batch of either non-olive oil (such as canola) or of rectified olive oil (defective oil which has been stripped of flavor, fragrance and nutritional benefits). Some of these oils are legally "extra virgin", but lack the culinary and health benefits of 100% fresh extra virgin oil. Many more oils are NOT recognized as "extra virgin" by the IOOC, but since the United States has no labeling laws for olive oil, anyone can, within the limits of the law, affix that designation to the label. Only those oils certified by the California Olive Oil Council (a representative body of the IOOC) are reliably extra virgin. We are proud to be one of only 44 oils so certified in 2002.

At Apollo Olive Oil, we need to work within this existing environment. We know that we can never compete with the prices offered by most producers. We must instead make the most authentic, healthful and flavorful product we can, and to concentrate our sales efforts on educating the consumer. Our conviction is that when a person attentively tastes true extra virgin olive oil, he will not go back to anything less. And we must have faith that there are enough discerning consumers out there to value the product we so lovingly make.