MB Eleon Wins 3 Awards in NYIOOC Debut

MB Eleon from Greece has earned three awards at the company's 2022 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition debut.

Ootopia is one of the few Greek Brands to win three awards with equal entries, making it one of the most-awarded Greek brands in the competition. We are proud of our product, but more so of our people, dedication, dream and vision.

Panorea Takoumaki, operations manager

Based in Kranidi Argolidas, on the eastern shores of the Peloponnese peninsula, MB Eleon earned two Gold Awards for its Ootopia Manaki and Ootopia blend brands. The company also earned a Silver Award for its Ootopia Organic single Estate brand, an organic medium Koroneiki.

"Ootopia is one of the few Greek Brands to win three awards with equal entries, making it one of the most-awarded Greek brands in the competition," said Panorea Takoumaki, MB Eleon's operations manager. "We are proud of our product, but more so of our people, dedication, dream and vision."

In the 2021/22 crop year, the company produced 2,500 liters of organic extra virgin olive oil using traditional methods. Takoumaki said the company faced plenty of challenges during the previous harvest, mostly caused by climatic issues.

"Hot and windy weather conditions during the 2021 harvest, especially in the second half of October, forced us to harvest during two different times of the day; early in the morning and late in the afternoon," he said.

"However, this was advantageous in delivering the hand-picked olives quickly and at the correct temperature to the olive mill," Takoumaki concluded. "The results justified our decisions."

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 in the Official Guide to the World's Best Olive Oils.