California’s Olive Truck Rolls Out of NYIOOC a Winner

Olive Truck from the United States has won three awards at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's largest olive oil quality contest.

It’s an amazing achievement that makes us very proud and great motivation for me as a producer, olive oil enthusiast and entrepreneur.

Samir Bayraktar, owner

The California-based producer earned a Gold Award for a medium Coratina and two Silver Awards for its Field Tuscan Blend brand, a medium blend, and Balestrieri Family Farm Frontoio brand, a medium Frantoio.

"It’s an amazing achievement that makes us very proud and great motivation for me as a producer, olive oil enthusiast and entrepreneur," owner Samir Fayraktar said. "This is three years now that we have received a Gold Award from NYIOOC."

Since 2020, Olive Truck has won 10 awards at the NYIOOC, including three Gold Awards in 2020 and three Gold Awards and one Silver Award in 2022.

Olive Truck produces olive oil in a mobile laboratory inside of a truck. Despite its unique production method, Bayraktar said he faces the same challenges as other extra virgin olive oil producers.

"The biggest challenge now and, unfortunately, in the future is climate change and its side effects," he said. "The season is very short if you focus on ultra-quality olive oil production since you mostly need to deal with early-harvested olives."

Held each spring in New York, the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition 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 in the Official Guide to the World's Best Olive Oils.