About Olive Oils
Olives came to California in the 18th century when Spanish settlers planted them at the state’s twenty-one missions. In those days, olive oil was used for fuel, in cosmetics, and in medicines as well as in food. California olive oil producers continued to increase for many years, but the industry was eventually derailed by a sudden increase in imports from Spain and Italy. To compensate, California growers began to export cottonseed oil, a tasteless oil that American consumers came to prefer for quite some time.
To this day, most olive oils sold in grocery stores come from Mediterranean virgin olive oil companies that do not meet the high standards of artisan olive oil companies in California. With no regulation in the US regarding the labeling of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), many imported olive oils claim to be virgin olive oils, extra extra virgin olive oil, or light extra virgin olive oil, but they don’t in fact meet the standards of a true extra virgin olive oil.
Standards for Olive Oils
The California Olive Oil Council (COOC) has laid out a number of standards which an olive oil must meet in order to receive their label of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. First, olives must be mechanically extracted without chemicals or excessive heat. Second, extra virgin olive oils must contain less than .5% free oleic acid. And finally, COOC virgin olive oils must meet the council’s standards of positive taste elements and a lack of taste defects as determined by a blind taste test.
We Olive sells only California olive oils that meet the COOC standard for extra virgin olive oils. This standard helps We Olive ensure that our products are always produced using the highest standards of olive oil production.
We Olive Only Sells California Olive Oil
We Olive limits our selection to California extra virgin olive oil for a number of reasons. First, We Olive believes that artisan olive oil from California is among the best olive oil produced anywhere in the world. Second, by supporting California olive oils, We Olive is supporting environmentally friendly growing practices and supporting the economy of California. Finally, because olive oil begins to degrade as soon as it is bottled, We Olive can rely on every COOC approved California olive oil company to provide our customers with extra virgin olive oils that are dated to ensure freshness, flavor, and quality.
With over 200 producers of olive oil in California, We Olive has made it our mission to bring our customers an array of the best California olive oil from across the state. Come to one of our ten locations to taste our extensive selection of flavored olive oils, extra virgin olive oil for cooking, and other artisan ingredients. You can also buy extra virgin olive oil from the convenience of your own home with We Olive’s online store.
