Central California’s Solana Awarded at World Competition

Solana from the United States has won an award at the world's largest olive oil quality contest.

The NYIOOC is an important competition to win if you are using awards to help with marketing the oil. It's fantastic to be recognized by such a prestigious organization.

Tom Baer, co-owner

The California-based producer earned a Silver Award at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for a medium-intensity Koroneiki, which also earned a Silver Award in 2021.

"The NYIOOC is an important competition to win if you are using awards to help with marketing the oil," co-owner Tom Baer said. "It's fantastic to be recognized by such a prestigious organization."

In the 2022/23 crop year, the company used traditional methods to produce 4,250 liters of extra virgin olive oil.

"The harvest went very smoothly," Baer said. "We keep our trees well pruned, which helps quite a bit. We've been doing it for so long that we have mastered the process."

The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition held each spring in New York, is the world's 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.