Ercole Olivario opens registration for 2026 table olive competition

Applications are now open until October 27 for the sixth edition of the Ercole Olivario national competition, specifically the table olives and olive pâté category. The contest focuses on the 2025/2026 olive campaign and features several updates, including a new evaluation of product shelf life and a training program for participating companies regarding scientific sensory evaluation methods.

Participants include individual producers, associations, and companies with DOP or IGP certifications that cultivate, transform, and package products in Italy. Due to recent climatic and production challenges, the regulations allow for the use of lots from the 2024/2025 harvest for DOP and IGP productions. The competition includes four categories: naturally fermented olives, olives cured using Castelvetrano or Sivigliano methods, olives seasoned with oil or spices, and pâtés containing at least 75 percent Italian olives.