Istrian Cooperative Celebrates World Competition Victory

Croatian producer PZ Msalinari Istre has won a Gold Award at the world's most prestigious olive oil quality contest.

We received the Gold Award for the second year in a row, and that makes us very happy. It gives an extra boost to our members and the small community in which we are located.

Saša Ukušić, sales manager

The Istrian company won its second straight award at the 2024 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for its Konfin brand, a medium-intensity blend.

"We received the Gold Award for the second year in a row, and that makes us very happy," sales manager Saša Ukušić said. "It gives an extra boost to our members and the small community in which we are located."

In the 2023/24 crop year, PZ Msalinari Istre produced 14,000 liters of extra virgin olive oil from Frantoio, Leccino, Pendolino and Istarska Bjelica olives using traditional methods.

"This year's harvest is one of the more challenging in recent years," Ukušić said. "There were high temperatures at the beginning of the harvest and intense rains in the second period of the harvest."

"The rain caused the temperatures to drop, which contributed to obtaining high-quality olive oil," he added. "We again obtained very good oil by carefully selecting olives and doing good work in the oil mill and bottling."

The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition is the world's preeminent olive oil quality contest. Its annual list of award winners is the authoritative guide to the world's best olive oils and the dedicated producers who craft them.

The complete list of winners can be viewed in the Official Guide to the World's Best Olive Oils.