Kristinas Green Gold Claims Victory at 2023 NYIOOC

Greek producer and exporter Pontos Imports/Exports has earned its debut award at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition.

The Thrace-based family, which exports its extra virgin olive oil to Canada, earned a Silver Award for its Kristinas Green Gold brand, a medium blend of Megariti and Kalamata olives.

"Our family and team at Kristinas olive groves are very proud and happy to receive an award from the NYIOOC," co-owners Frank and Ted Iakovidis said.

In the 2022/23 crop year, the family produced 600 liters of extra virgin olive oil using traditional methods. Like many other producers in Greece, the Iakovidis family enjoyed a bountiful harvest with only a few challenges to overcome.

"The 2023 crop season in our region of northern Greece started off wonderfully, with cool weather during flower blooms and a few springs rain falls," the family said.

"As harvest season approached, things became quite dry pushing our harvest back a good week," they added. "Lucky for us the olive grove received a good fall shower, and the olives were ready for harvest."

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.