When people think of good extra virgin olive oil, many automatically think of Italy. Tuscany, Umbria, or Puglia immediately evoke images of rolling hills, ancient olive trees, and artisan producers. Yet, the reality is more surprising than many people realize.
A significant portion of the olive oil sold worldwide as Italian olive oil actually originates, in whole or in part, from Spain.
This doesn't mean that Italian olive oil is bad. On the contrary. But it does show how the international olive oil market truly works.
As the owner of Casa Gomez, I regularly visit producers in Spain. My family comes from the Sierra de Segura in Andalusia, one of the most important olive oil regions in the world. This allows me to see first-hand how Spanish olive oil finds its way to consumers all over the world, including via Italy.
My father also always says that the olive oil from the region used to always be exported to Italy. The Italians are much better at marketing and you associate olive oil with those beautiful rolling hills in Tuscany.
Spain is by far the largest producer of olive oil
Many people think that Italy is the largest producer of olive oil. That is incorrect.
Spain annually produces approximately 40 to 45 percent of all olive oil worldwide. In good harvest years, this is even more than half of European production.
Andalusia, in particular, is responsible for a huge portion of this. Provinces like Jaén, Córdoba, and Granada together form the heart of global olive oil production. The province of Jaén alone often produces more olive oil than all of Italy.
Why does Italy import so much Spanish olive oil?
Italy produces excellent olive oil, but simply not enough to meet global demand. At the same time, Italian brands are enormously popular worldwide.
That is why many Italian bottlers import extra virgin olive oil from Spain. This oil is then:
- blended with Italian olive oil;
- bottled in Italy;
- sold under an Italian brand.
This is completely legal, as long as the origin is correctly stated on the label.
Is that misleading?
Not necessarily. According to European regulations, the bottle must clearly state where the olives come from.
For example, you might encounter texts such as:
- Blend of olive oils originating from the European Union.
- Blend of olive oils originating from Spain, Italy, and Greece.
- Bottled in Italy.
- 100% Italian olive oil.
- DOP/IGP-certified Italian olive oil
The last two points actually mean that all olives come from Italy. However, "Bottled in Italy" only refers to where the oil was bottled, not where the olives grew. With a DOP/IGP, you can be sure that it comes from a certified region such as Tuscany.
Does Spanish olive oil automatically mean lower quality?
Absolutely not. In fact, Spanish producers are now among the most awarded in the world. Annually, they win dozens of international quality awards.
Thanks to modern harvesting techniques, rapid processing, and a strong focus on quality, Spain is actually among the absolute best in the world.
I also see this with the producers I work with. They harvest early, press the olives often within a few hours, and pay close attention to taste, freshness, and natural antioxidants like polyphenols. Our producers regularly win awards for their extra virgin olive oil, such as the Agatha Ruiz de la Prada and the Saqura.
What should consumers look out for?
When buying a bottle of olive oil, don't just look at the front of the label.
Also check:
- the origin of the olives;
- whether it is extra virgin olive oil;
- the harvest information if stated;
- whether the producer is transparent about the origin.
A producer who is open about the origin of their olive oil usually also has confidence in their product.
Why do I deliberately choose Spanish extra virgin olive oil?
At Casa Gomez, I exclusively sell Spanish extra virgin olive oil. Not because Spanish olive oil is inherently better than Italian. But because I know the producers personally.
My family has its roots in the Sierra de Segura in Andalusia. It therefore feels natural for me to work with producers from the region that I have known all my life.
For me, good olive oil isn't about the country on the label. It's about the quality of the olives, the speed of processing, craftsmanship, and complete transparency about the origin.
Conclusion
Italian olive oil can be excellent. So can Spanish olive oil. The most important thing is not which country is on the front of the bottle, but where the olives actually come from and how the oil was produced.
If you look beyond the label, you'll discover that a large part of the world's top quality simply comes from Spain.
That is something Spanish olive growers can rightly be proud of, and that's why I sell it in my webshop. Curious? Order a bottle of Spanish olive oil here or organic olive oil here.
