Calabria’s Donato Parisi Wins Gold at NYIOOC

Italian producer Azienda Agricola Donato Parisi has won a Gold Award at the 2021 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's most prestigious olive oil quality contest.

I'm very satisfied and proud to receive this award with our PGI Olio di Calabria selection because I believe in my region and in the valorization of the autochthonous olive varieties.

Enrico Parisi, CEO

In the 2020/21 crop year, the company produced 14,000 liters of organic extra virgin olive oil in Calabria using traditional methods.

Donato Parisi earned the Gold Award for its Olio di Calabria Organic PGI, a medium Tondina. Last year, the producer won Gold with its 1879 Extra Blend brand.

"I'm very satisfied and proud to receive this award with our PGI Olio di Calabria selection because I believe in my region and in the valorization of the autochthonous olive varieties," Enrico Parisi, the company's CEO, said. "We're working to show American consumers our artisan farm, based in Calabria, and demonstrating our long tradition, innovation and sustainability."

Parisi added that he enjoyed a good year, in terms of producing his olive oil, but faced a number of challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"These pandemic years are representing an important change in the business model of farms," he said. "But we are sure that the farmers can innovate and remodel their ideas to restart for the next prosperous harvest."

The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, held each spring in New York, is the world's largest and most prestigious olive oil contest. 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.