Takao Nouen Celebrates Another Award for Olive Hatake

Japanese producer Takao Nouen has won a Gold Award at the 2022 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's most prestigious olive oil quality contest.

The NYIOOC has a big impact and important meaning with respect to the marketing in Japan. This encourages me to continue to produce the best olives and participate every year.

Toyohiro Takao, CEO

Based on the southern island of Shodoshima, the producer earned the Gold Award for its Olive Hatake brand, a medium blend of Manzanillo and Nevadillo Blanco olives.

"I’ve been participating in the NYIOOC since its first competition," said Toyohiro Takao, the company's chief executive.

"The NYIOOC has a big impact and important meaning with respect to the marketing in Japan," he added. "This encourages me to continue to produce the best olives and participate every year."

Despite the company's sustained success at the NYIOOC, including two Gold and two Silver Awards in the past four years, Takao said he faced plenty of challenges in the 2021 harvest.

"Moisture control of the soil was one of the challenges I faced this year," he said. "Not only the irrigation in summer but also the autumn rain was the main issue this year."

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