Louis Organics and AESA Strike Gold

Spanish producers Agropecuaria Ecologica Sierra de Alcaraz (AESA) and Louis Organics have won a Gold Award at the 2020 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

The Gold Award for Almazara de Alcaraz is a great recognition for the rural farmers of the region and for their art of making the finest olive oil. It enables Louis Organics to achieve higher customer reach and increased consumer confidence in the U.S. market. Consumers can now buy a NYIOOC-recognized brand that is aligned with their environmental and social values.

Gerard Louis, distributing agent

The Castilla-La Mancha-based company and cooperative received the Gold Award for their Almazara de Alcaraz brand, an organic medium blend.

"The Gold Award for Almazara de Alcaraz is a great recognition for the rural farmers of the region and for their art of making the finest olive oil," distribution agent Gerard Louis said. "It enables Louis Organics to achieve higher customer reach and increased consumer confidence in the U.S. market. Consumers can now buy a NYIOOC-recognized brand that is aligned with their environmental and social values."

In the 2019/20 season, the company produced 600,000 liters of organic extra virgin olive oil from olives that were harvested using traditional methods.

Louis added that due to the unique location of the company's olive groves and some climatic challenges, a number of measures were taken in order to ensure this year's success.

"Due to the higher elevation of our olive farms, we started the harvest season early to avoid the intense cold that could damage the fruit," he said. "In addition, we were faced with an early rainy season throughout the mountains. At AESA, we took measures to complete the majority of the harvest before it could have an adverse impact on the quality of the fruit."

The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, held each spring in New York, is the world's largest and most prestigious olive oil contest and its annual listing of award winners is considered the authoritative guide to the year’s best extra virgin olive oils.

The complete list of winners can be viewed on the Official Index of the World's Best Olive Oils