Croatian olive oil

Unfortunately, the world is familiar with the Spanish, Greek and Italian varieties of olive oil, but the lesser known Croatian Olive Oil is as superior (if not better) comparing with other olive oil producers.

Despite a long tradition dating back to Roman times, neglect and changes linked to the economy and demographics saw Croatian olive-growing decline after World War II, when its Adriatic coast had some 40 million trees compared with today's six million. The sector has seen a revival since its 1991-1995 independence war, and hopefully it will grow.

Croatian olive oil producers are too small to fight with quantities Croatia holds only 0.2 percent of the global market, according to the International Olive Oil Council. Trying to produce excellent oils, Croatian olive oil producers are readying their produce for a niche in the EU market. Example of that aim is the Croatian company Olea B.B. Its extra-virgin olive oil has won the award for best in its category, according to Italian publication "L'extravergine guide" (Extra-Virgin Guide). One of the biggest „secrets“ of Croatian success is that Croatian olive oil producers preserve superior olive oil characteristics by remaining true to the hand-picked, cold-pressed technique.

It is interesting that even today, one can still find ancient olive trees dating back more than 17 centuries throughout the Dalmatian Coast and Istria.
Apart from Croatian olive oil producers one can find good olive oil bottled in plastic bottles sold on green markets, but that can be also a big disapointment.

Croatian sorts of olives: Oblica, Leccino, Lastovka, Piculja, Bijelica, Drobnica, Paštrica, Pačica, Resulja, Uljarica, Murgulja, Lumbardeška, Dužica, Sitnica, Crnica...

The best olive oil producers you can find in specialized shops in Croatia.


Name of olive oil, producer and the place of production

Al Torcio, Al Torcio, Novigrad
Brachia, Uje d.o.o., Split
Buža, Kalavojna, Radeki polje
Gambaler, Brist d.o.o, Vodnjan
Seline, Brist d.o.o, Vodnjan
Sta Margherita, Brist d.o.o, Vodnjan
Lesina, Lesna, Vrisnik
Marco polo, Blato 1902 d.d., Blato
Radović, Radović, Brač
Torkul, Fanito, Vela Luka
Oleum viride, Olea B.B, Rabac