Group St-Elias Premium Wins 2nd NYIOOC Award

Greek producer Group St-Elias Inc. has won a Silver Award at the 2020 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's most prestigious olive oil quality contest.

Pure excitement, pride and privilege is the feeling to be recognized again as one of the world's best along with all our fellow producers.

Christos Lembessis, Co-Owner, Group St-Elias Inc.

It was the second win for the company, which produces extra virgin olive oil in Kalamata from Koroneiki olives using traditional methods.

The 2019/2020 season was marked by new challenges, co-owner Christos Lembessis said after learning of the win.

"Every year we seem to face different challenges. Climate change was a big issue this year. From times of too much drought or too much rain. Some regions were getting hit with early cold or even hailstorms. Luckily we still managed to have a great harvest. That, as well as knowledge and more so fair prices to match the superior quality we have," Lembessis said.

The winning oil was St-Elias Premium, a medium Koroneiki.

"Pure excitement, pride and privilege is the feeling to be recognized again as one of the world's best along with all our fellow producers. To know that our family's hard work in harvesting such a wonderful product and being able to share with the world the fruits of our labor, truly humbled us. Congratulations to all the winners this week," Lembessis said.

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