March 29, 2023 - It is no secret that Croatian olive oil is among the best in the world. And it excelled yet again at the annual competition in New York, with only Italy and Spain, the largest global producers of olive oil, winning more medals.

"Bravo Tom, Bravo Eva!" congratulations were directed at the Croatian olive oil producers, winners of the first prizes at the NYIOOC 2023, report Agroklub/Poslovni.

"Here at last, Oblica," replies Tomislav Duvnjak, head of the St. Ivan Olive Oil Center in Vodice. He doesn't hide his satisfaction that his oil from the local variety is this time decorated with gold. Last year, at this same competition, his extra virgin oil St. Ivan Oblica won the silver medal.

Duvnjak is otherwise known as the man who two years ago encouraged olive growers from Dalmatia, Croatia's largest olive-growing region, to organize a shipment of oils to New York for the world's largest and most prestigious olive oil competition.

Since then, they have recorded the greatest successes. Last year, in competition with 1,244 samples from 28 countries worldwide, Croatian olive oil producers, mainly from Dalmatia and Istria, won 96 awards (69 gold and 27 silver).

"We are third in the world. It is the biggest success so far", commented Duvnjak.

Only Italy (158 medals) and Spain (128) are ahead of Croatia, countries that are also the largest producers of olive oil in the European Union, but also in the world. In terms of olive oil quality, Croatia is followed by the United States of America (94 medals), Greece (79), Turkey (65), Portugal (35)... This year, 1,100 samples from the northern hemisphere countries arrived at the NYIOOC, of which 126 oils came from Croatia (61 from Dalmatia).

With Duvnjak's St. Ivan Oblica, an award also went to the Eva Marija Levantinka brand owned by OPG Eva Marija Čurin from Gdinj on the island of Hvar. It is an extra virgin oil that is characterized by its fruitiness. This OPG was founded in 1997 and is located in the favourable area of Gdinj, on the eastern side of the island of Hvar. The estate comprises five hectares of specialized olive groves with 1,000 trees and overlooks the Adriatic Sea (225 meters).

"All the fruits are hand-picked in the first half of October and processed within 24 hours using a cold extraction system", points out Eva Marija Čurin, who has already proven herself by winning several awards at domestic and international competitions for olive growers and oil producers.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated News section.

October the 10th, 2022 - Inflation is showing little to no sign of easing its grip on society, and even the most basic of products are rising and rising. Croatian olive oil, one of the favourites of countless people and a frequent part of every dinner table, is also going to cost more than we've ever known it per litre.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, despite the unprecedented drought that the country experienced during this particularly harsh summer, Istrian olive growers have high expectations for their harvest and earnings. The Istrian olives are healthy, there is enough fruit, and the first drops of this year's Croatian olive oil indicate, as usual, a world-class product. That said, for a litre of extra virgin olive oil - you'll have to reach considerably deeper into your pocket and allocate a larger amount, as reported by HRT.

The first pickers entered the olive groves in the south of Istria recently and the fruits are being removed from the trees ready to be turned into Croatian olive oil, a much loved and heavily awarded product. The unprecedented drought this year failed to significantly reduce the crop, and the fruit was also finally aided by the recent rainfall. When it comes to the harvest, an average year is expected.

"We're harvesting with ten shakers, meaning we harvest around a tonne and a half of olives every day. When the machine harvest starts, then it goes up to four, five, and even six tonnes a day," said agronomist Armando Miljan.

In the plantations owned by the Chiavalon family, rosinjola is being harvested - an autochthonous variety of olive that has been the first to ripen in more recent years, but the harvest is uneven even there.

"It's good that some locations are already ripe and good for harvesting like this one, but some are completely green, because during the drought they were affected by a lack of water and were a little behind in the phenophase," said Sandi Chiavalon, a well-known Croatian olive grower from Vodnjan in Istria.

Oil mills have also opened their doors and people are busy bringing in the first olives for processing. "Last year there were few of them, there was nothing to speak of really. This summer has seen twice as much growth as last year", said Zlatko Ivancic, also from Vodnjan.

There will be enough Croatian olive oil, and its quality will be first-class, but it's going to come with a higher price. "These are some very aromatic oils. The polyphenols are high, which means that this is a healthy product," added Chiavalon. Due to the increase in energy prices and spiralling inflation which doesn't appear to be letting up, Croatian olive oil prices are, much like everything else, skyrocketing. "Now, one litre of bottled Croatian olive oil costs 180 kuna, so the maximum could be two hundred. I say that approximately, because we're never sure what tomorrow is going to bring, said Livio Belci, an olive grower from Vodnjan.

Despite the higher prices, the placement of premium olive oil should not be a problem. "Our production is around 30,000 litres of oil every year, which is an average, and everything is sold," said the director of Agroprodukt, Aleksandar Basic Palkovic.

Customers come from not only all over Croatia, but from all over Europe. However, the increase in the price of much-loved Croatian olive oil could be reflected in consumption by local people, who will need to think twice in many cases before making the purchase.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated news section.

October the 2nd, 2022 - Inflation is still causing tremendous issues across the board, with even the most basic of products going up in cost. With much talk of inflationary pressures coupled with the drought we experienced this summer resulting in less olive oil and price increases for what there is, will Croatian olive oil prices really shoot up?

As Morski writes, traditionally, the harvest of olives took place later than it has done over more recent years when it has been typically beginning much earlier. More and more olive growers harvest their green fruit at the beginning of October as time goes on. The price of processing per kilogram will soon be known, which will affect the price of Croatian olive oil for the end consumer. Forecasts have warned that a litre of Croatian olive oil will be as much as 20 kuna more expensive.

Young people from Pakostane are in a kind of training for harvesting olives during the month of October and gearing up for the most important job of the Dalmatian farmer. They are not worried about the new olive processing prices, because they are out working in the field for pleasure, but for those who have to harvest up to 500 trees - they are naturally very worried. Ante Vulin from Pakostane has wells, real pools, in his olive grove right next to Lake Vrana, so the fruit didn't shrivel up and die like that of so many other farmers did due to the harsh drought this summer. He is extremely satisfied with what he has, but he is still realistic, the price of his Croatian olive oil will definitely have to rise, reports HRT.

''It will certainly go up by 20 kuna per liter. Fertilisation is the biggest cost and the price of fertiliser has increased four times, by 20 or 30 percent,'' he explained.

The price will be greatly influenced by the oil producers' upcoming decisions on how much they will charge for processing per litre, and producer Mate Ivas is waiting to see how much the monthly electricity bill will be before he makes any decisions on end pricing.

''Back in 2020, it was around 36,000 kuna. Last year we didn't do anything, there were no olives to be harvested, and this year we're expecting an electricity bill of around 100,000 kuna,'' he stated. But despite the high price of fuel and electricity, they are aware that they cannot raise their prices too much compared to, for example, last year's 50 kuna per kilogram.

''You can't charge 2,000 kuna for processing to a man who has got a thousand kilograms of olives. Who will buy it, who will work on it? People don't have that much money to pay for processing. If it is 10, 20 lipa from kuna and a half, then that will be that,'' said Ivas.

However, in the end, the consumers themselves are the market regulators and finding the right balance between Croatian olive oil prices in the face of inflation and whether or not customers will accept that is yet to be seen.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated business section.

31 March 2020 - After wandering the cobblestone streets and soaking up the Mediterranean sun, maybe you’re thinking of picking up something to remember your time here, or to share a part of your travels with loved ones back home. Here are some unique Croatian souvenirs you won’t find anywhere else. And better yet, most of them fit into your carry-on! All the better for those last-minute shopping trips before hopping on your flight home.

Lavender products

Did you know that lavender originated from the Mediterranean before growing in popularity around the world? 50 years ago, Croatian farmers were producing up to 10% of the world’s lavender flowers, before a series of wildfires decimated the industry.

Visit some of the most gorgeous lavender fields on Hvar, an island in the South of Croatia. (Image: Pexels)

Today, Croatian lavender production is making a comeback. Harvested in the Fall, its calming herbal essence is infused in a variety of products like soaps, lotions, and oils. Pick up a bottle of lavender oil, where just a couple drops in an infuser or laundry, goes a long way.

Istrian truffles

The dark, dense forests in the hinterlands of Istria provide the perfect breeding ground for Croatian truffles. So much so that in 1999, Giancarlo Zigante, a local truffle hunter found the largest truffle in the world at the time, weighing 2.86 pounds (1.29 kgs). He later had the “millennium” truffle cast in bronze before selling it at a whopping USD$330,000 at an auction.

Prices of whole Istrian truffles can start at €50 for the more common autumn truffle and €200 for the rare white truffle. (Image: Pexels)

If you can, purchasing a whole truffle allows you to savor its intense, earthy aroma, when freshly shaved over dishes like pasta or eggs. You can also find truffle infused oils, cheeses, chips and even chocolate (it’s tasty!), guaranteed to please any foodie.

Olive oil

Unlike other countries in the Mediterranean such as Italy and Greece, Croatian olive oil can be difficult to find as export levels have yet to reach their counterparts. While Istria produces the largest proportion of Croatian olive oil (10%), other varieties of olives are also grown on the Dalmatian coast which produces different types of oil. So grab a bottle of these award-winning oils on your next visit here.

Olive oil from Istria was considered the "gold standard" of oils during Roman times. (Image: Pexels)

Wine

Like olive oil, Croatian wine can be quite difficult to find outside the country. Thankfully, this trend is slowly changing with small, independent producers competing in the global wine market, and gaining recognition for its outstanding quality.

Try ordering "table wine" or "stolno vino" at Croatian restaurants, you'd be surprised how delightful they are. (Image: Pexels)

Croatian wine producers are equally adept at producing rich, fruity white wines such as Graševina, Pošip, and Malvazija, and luscious reds like Teran, Plavac Mali, and Zinfandel. Regardless of your preference, buy a bottle or two for your next dinner party back home.

(Croatian vineyard along the Dalmatian coast. Image: Author's own)

Preserved fruit

Whether it’s at the store or the local market, you’ll always be able to find preserved fruit either whole or in jams, on sale throughout the year in Croatia. Popular local jam flavors include fig (a personal favorite), plum, cherry, and tangerine.

Homemade jam at a farmer's market. (Image: Pexels)

Alternatively, dried fruit and fruit peels also make delicious gifts. In the South of Croatia, you can often find packets of candied orange (arancini) and lemon (limuncini) peels, alongside dried fruits such as figs and apricots. Ideal as a snack on its own or added to baked goods.

 Dried figs are the perfect snack. (Image: Pexels)

Cravat

Once known as the Croat, the Cravat is the precursor to the modern-day tie and in fact, originates from these very shores. Historically, it was worn by Croatian soldiers to identify themselves due to the lack of military uniforms during the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). Its proliferation beyond the battlefield occurred when French soldiers took a liking to the rudimentary neckties worn by a regiment of Croatian troops stationed in France.

October 18 is Cravat Day, with the red cravat being the most traditional color. (Image: Pexels)

It wasn’t long before the trend spread throughout Europe and even took hold in America where the style is known as the ‘Ascot’. 

Croatian lace products

Lacemaking has been a Croatian tradition dating back to the Renaissance (14th - 17th century). Since 2009, Croatian lace craft has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Delicate Pag lace doilies. (Image: Adam Jones adamjones.freeservers.com)

Three distinct traditions of lacemaking are still alive today, in the towns of Pag, Lepoglava, and Hvar, each with its own unique patterns and production methods. To purchase some of these keepsakes, lookout for gift stores or specialty shops selling lace tea cloths, place mats, or ornaments.

Rakija

Rakija is a fruit brandy considered the national drink of Slavic people across Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Serbia. Rakija has an alcohol content between 40-50% but can go up to 60% with a double distilling method that produces Prepečenica.

Different types of rakija distilled from different fruits. (Image: OPG Jukica/Facebook screenshot)

The most popular flavor in Croatia is plum, but rakija is also distilled from apricot, grapes, apples, pears, and quince. You can also find rakija infused with various herbs and spices such as juniper and carob for added complexity.

Gingerbread

Another Croatian craft on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List is gingerbread making. Gingerbread craft ship is common in the Northern areas of Croatia and remains a part of local festivities, events, and gatherings. Each craftsperson has their own unique way of decorating gingerbread, often icing each piece with names, verses, messages, or pictures. 

Lucitar hearts ornaments in Zagreb. (Image: Croatia Full of Life/Twitter screenshot)

In Zagreb, the gingerbread heart (Licitar heart) is the most common motif. You can find stores that offer personalization services, making them ideal Croatian souvenirs or gifts for loved ones.

Salt

Salt pans in the towns of Ston, Pag, and Nin have been in use as far back as Roman times, producing some of the finest sea salt in the world thanks to their ideal geographical positioning. Salt is produced from April to October, with each production cycle lasting 1-2 months. Ston Saltworks, the oldest salt production facility in Europe, can produce 500 tons of salt annually from just 9 crystallization pools.

Crunchy flakes of Croatian salt make a great addition to any kitchen. (Image: Pexels)

Considering its affordability and prevalence of salt in everyday meals, consider picking up a bag of local salt the next time you pass through.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

March the 28th, 2022 - Inflation is ongoing as the situation in Ukraine following Russian invasion last month continues to escalate. The prices of just about everything imaginable have soared recently, with fuel continuing to be a big issue. Croatian olive oil prices look set to rise, as well.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the country's many olive growers are currently facing quite serious issues as the artificial fertilisers they typically use have become drastically more expensive as inflation continues.

''We've already done the winter fertilisation, and now we're waiting for the rain to start coming before we deal with the spring fertilisation combined with artificial and manure fertilisers,'' explained one of the largest northern Istrian olive growers, Drazen Cernek from Brnozi near Sovinjak, adding that fertiliser prices have skyrocketed. Last year, one tonne stood at around 3,000 kuna, and this year it is a significantly higher 8,000 kuna.

There are olive growers who, owing to that, won't even bother to use artificial fertilisers this year, the prices of which are obviously rising sharply, among other things due to the increase in the price of natural gas, key raw materials. Instead, they'll take their chances and leave everything to "nature".

However, those who are professional olive growers cannot afford to do that, because the proper spring fertilisation of their olives as well as keeping hold of their long-term olive groves is a prerequisite for increasing their yield and fruit quality for the countless Croatian olive oil lovers who make purchases from across the world.

The increase in the price of artificial fertiliser will not only affect the country's olive growers themselves, but also all other producers of agricultural products from cereals to potatoes and vegetables, local portal Glas Istre/The Voice of Istria writes.

The growth of all inputs typically purchased by the nation's many agricultural producers is so great, according to the county head of agriculture, Ezio Pinzan, that only those agricultural producers who have very well-organised production and business operations from start to finish will be able to continue to do business. It will be very difficult for others who don't have the opportunity to really market their Croatian olive oil, which means that they don't have already branded products and customers, ie they cannot achieve a slightly better price.

Not only have fertiliser prices risen due to higher gas prices, but blue diesel has also risen in price, as has electricity.

''Last year, due to the lower yield of olives, the question was whether the price of extra virgin Croatian olive oil would increase, and it was then said that it probably wouldn't, and it didn't. Because, farmers know, one year the yield is a little higher, one year it's a bit lower, and they didn't want to lose any customers by raising their prices. However, I think they will now be forced to do precisely that because these price increases will affect all agricultural products, and olive growing isn't immune to that either.

We hope that there will be a good production year, that there will be fruit, that there will be Croatian olive oil to be had and purchased, we know that it will be of top quality, but the production price of that olive oil will certainly increase the final price for consumers. Now is the opportunity for as many of our agricultural producers as possible to turn to organic farming and to use as few fertilisers as possible,'' Pinzan concluded.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

March 8, 2022 - In recent days it has been said that many islands have already received designations of origin or geographical origin for their olive oils, but Hvar olive oil has not yet. Why? And why is it important to have this label?

Olive oils from Cres, Krka, Korčula, Šolta, and most recently Brač are mentioned, while the people of Hvar are currently proud of their multi-millennium oil production, which has been used as food, medicine, and light on their island for a long time, writes Slobodna Dalmacija.

Today, according to the agricultural advisor mr. sc. Stanislav Štambuk, this island area cultivates more than 250,000 olive trees. Farmers have made good progress in terms of proper implementation of agro-technical measures, fruit picking and processing, and oil storage. There are several modern oil mills, so extra virgin olive oils are most often produced.

This is sufficiently evidenced by the numerous recognitions of Hvar olive growers and oil mills won in the country and abroad (USA, Japan...), it is surprising that an island of less than 300 square kilometers has as many as six protected values ​​on the UNESCO List of Tangible and Intangible Heritage (Faro Choir, agave lace, procession 'Za Krizen', klapa song, Mediterranean food, and the art of drywall construction), but no indication of origin or geographical origin among 33 Croatian agricultural and food products registered with the European Union.

Slobodna Dalmacija decided to check what the problem is, especially because these labels are on the one hand a valorization of achievements so far and on the other an incentive to follow the path of progress and better quality even more decisively.

Olives from Hvar (Photo: Mario Romulić)

''There has been talking for a long time on Hvar about initiating this procedure, however, the initiative was somewhat more seriously concretized at the end of 2019 with representatives of the Association of Olive Growers St. Spirijun in Milna. Since then, several enthusiasts have been working continuously to gather the necessary arguments, such as historical evidence, data on varieties, geo-climatic conditions, traditions, processing, use of names and labels, invoices, delivery notes, media articles ..., and when all this is completed we could at least go for a geographical indication because the differences between the designations are small anyway, and the benefits are almost the same'', said prof. dr. sc. Ivica Ljubenkov, an expert who also helped the people of Brač in their candidacy for the origin label.

A tradition dating back to the ancient greeks

One of the problems, as been found out, is that on Hvar, which is famous as the sunniest island (more than 2,700 hours of sunshine a year), there is not a single well-known indigenous olive variety, such as people from Šolta have Levantine, or people from Korčula have Lastovka.

And the candidacy for the label of origin is somehow the easiest to 'wrap in cellophane' of these original varieties, the logic of the European Union is not always in line with the thinking of our people.

Also, it must be added, that despite the declarative desire, the road to acquiring the label is long and difficult, in part due to the low involvement of some olive growers and members of the association.

''We are really proud that in the upper part we have evidence of olive growing and olive oil production from the time of the ancient Greeks. This fact is confirmed by an olive tree from the Kuharača site near Zastražišće. The ancient olive tree is truly a natural rarity and a kind of cultural monument. Evidence of olive processing also exists at the Kupinovik site near the Old Town - Faros, next to the old Roman villa rusticae. There are important artifacts such as two olive presses, a mill with a millstone, several basins for sedimentation, several oysters for storing oil... Numerous remains of architecture testify to multiple alterations, which means that the villa functioned for a longer period of 1 to the 4th century'', says the young, but multi-award-winning olive grower Eva Marija Čurin from Gdynia.

Olives from Hvar (Photo: Mario Romulić)

She is also the secretary of the association, which has more than 150 members and is actively involved in the process of obtaining the label. She adds that the "Days of Olive Oil Days of the Island of Hvar" event in Jelsa is organized every year, with the aim of encouraging olive growers to socialize, have a healthy competitive spirit, educate and, above all, increase the quality of Hvar olive oil.

Therefore, the goal is to contribute to the development of olive growing on the island of Hvar, to gain in importance both locally and internationally.

However, the association will not achieve this without its members, so the event was launched to educate these valuable olive growers about the benefits of the label and to encourage them to be more involved in collecting materials needed to obtain it.

''If we recapitulate everything that Professor Ljubenkov and our Eva Marija told us, I would like to tell the membership that, in addition to the objective benefits we would get from labels, they also protect the consumer himself, as the end-user of Hvar olive oil. The labels certainly bring protection against unauthorized use and damage to the reputation of oil that would be produced on Hvar according to pre-established rules. In this way, the consumer would have a guarantee that it is an oil that is recognized and protected specialty of the area from which it originates, and we are aware of the quality we have can only say that this label will be only the first step in further promotion of Hvar olive oil, the island where we live and produce'', concluded Đorđan Gurdulić, president of the Association of Olive Growers "St. Špirijun" from Hvar.

When it comes to olive oil, Croatia is one of the leading countries in the industry. From Istria to Dalmatia, you can find all the information you need to know about the origins, processes, and where to buy Croatian and Hvar olive oil on the Total Croatia page, now in your language!

For more on Croatian products, producers, companies and exports, make sure to check out Made in Croatia.

March 3rd, 2022 - Sandi Chiavalon, one of Croatia’s leading olive oil producers, was looking to invest around seven million kuna into a new olive grove in Istria.

Renowned olive grower Sandi Chiavalon was planning to lease 30 hectares of land in the Vodnjan area, close to another large olive grove owned by Oio Vivo, where he would plant nearly 10,000 olive trees and hire four new workers to manage the operation.

As reported by Glas Istre/Bojan Žižović, his plans fell through. In a strange turn of events, the Ministry of Agriculture didn’t approve the decision of the City of Vodnjan to lease state-owned land to Chiavalon, whose oil is produced in Vodnjan and exported to 23 countries worldwide.

This is a major agricultural project which, according to Chiavalon, would be beneficial for the wider community, including the national and city budgets. The state, however, says that Chiavalon and other local farmers cannot lease more than ten hectares of state land at once, as stipulated by the City of Vodnjan.

The decision of the state comes off as petty, as consent could have clearly been given in this case. As Chiavalon explained, the City’s land management plan indeed states that up to ten hectares of land can be leased to one party, but exceptions are allowed as long as it’s a single plot - as is the case here. The land in question is a single plot of about 70 hectares, divided by the City into six agricultural units of which Chiavalon was looking to lease three.

In the tender, whose content was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, it was stated that whoever applies for one plot can lease up to 40 hectares of land on the said plot. Now that the tender is closed, the Ministry changed the tune and said that a maximum of ten hectares can be leased on the plot in question. As things stand, Chiavalon’s choices are to either lease only ten hectares or abandon the project entirely.

‘They called us from the City to have us choose which of those three plots of ten hectares we would lease. That doesn’t come close to what I wanted to do here - introduce an automated system, a completely new technology for grove maintenance… The question is whether we will take those ten hectares at all, we have to make an economic analysis of whether it’d be profitable to do it all on a land of that size. There are various systems in olive growing nowadays; intensive groves are robotically managed and processed. But for something like that we’d need a single large plot of land. We currently own 68 plots at 12 different locations. In those conditions, you can engage in organic olive growing only conventionally. When you have a single block of land, so to speak, such as Oio Vivo, only then can you introduce modern automated systems’, said Chiavalon.

Asked whether there was a chance of him leasing more than ten hectares in this area in the future, Chiavalon said he might if a new tender was announced. ‘As we had to drop out, some other people would probably apply to get the land. However, the question is who can make it operational because it’s a considerable investment’, said Chiavalon.

The olive grower from Vodnjan would have doubled the count of his olive trees if he got the lease he was going after. He currently owns 30 hectares of land, but as mentioned above, split between 12 different locations, which results in production costs 20 to 30 percent higher than if he were to cultivate a single parcel of that size.

He says there’s always the option to increase their output by purchasing produce from other farmers, but they want to grow as much of their own produce as possible.

Asked who was to blame for what happened, Chiavalon said the problem might lie in the lack of communication between the Ministry and the City of Vodnjan. ‘But the City did not come up with the tender out of thin air, it had to do so with the consent of the Ministry, whose clerk then said it wasn’t implemented well. If it had come to another clerk, it would have probably passed.’

He also pointed out that the laws concerning agricultural land keep changing and aren’t implemented efficiently. ‘This tender was announced a year and a half ago and was not completed in that time. In the meantime, the plot could have been cleared and a new grove planted. In 20 years, there were only three tenders for the lease of state-owned agricultural land, which is a disaster’, he said, adding that at least one tender should be announced every year given how much uncultivated land there is in the area. ‘There are more than 3,000 hectares of uncultivated land in Vodnjan. There’s plenty of land for everyone who wants to work in agriculture. You just need to have the resolve’, said Chiavalon.

ZAGREB, 31 January, 2022 - "Bračko maslinovo ulje" has been entered in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications, which makes it the 33rd Croatian food product to be entered in the register, the Ministry of Agriculture reported on Monday.

The European Commission published its decision in the EU Official Journal of 31 January, noting that 'Bračko maslinovo ulje' has been entered in the register.

Bračko maslinovo ulje is an extra virgin olive oil obtained exclusively using mechanical processes, with at least 80% of the product being made of the "oblica" variety of olives.

This olive oil can be produced only on Brač Island. Olive growing has become a symbol of the island and its most common variety is the "oblica" or "Brač" olive, which is registered in the world catalogue of olive varieties, the ministry reported.

Croatia now has 33 agricultural and food products registered in the European Union as a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication.

December the 31st, 2021 - The Croatian Brist Olive oils, made by a family business located in Vodnjan in Istria, have made their way across the pond to the United States of America, placing Croatian products firmly on the radar there once again.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marta Duic writes, one family business from Vodnjan is busy diversifying all of its activities, but the basis of everything they engage in is authentic products which are then exported to a number of countries across the globe. On the eve of the festive period at Br00m44 on Zagreb's famous Dolac market, a presentation of extra virgin olive oils of the new vintage Brist Olive brand from Vodnjan was held.

Lena Puhar O’Grady, who leads the presentations, education and marketing on Brist’s team, presented her family business, told the story of their brand development and guided guests through three of the six types of Brist Olive oil they currently produce. One monosort was tasted - Vodnjanska Buza oil, as well as two blends.

“Our olive grove is located in the vicinity of Vodnjan, it's beautifully positioned, overlooking the Brijuni islands and spreads over nine hectares where 2,500 olive trees grow, mostly indigenous Istrian varieties. We produce about 8,000 litres of oil per year, with the expectation of growth when all of the olives grow well and come to fruition,'' said Puhar O’Grady.

Demand is growing...

Each of their Brist Olive oils was then paired with a type of cheese from the Istrian Mljekara Latus from Zminj, with sourdough foccaccia from the Zagreb bakery Breadclub, and the tasting was then rounded off with a chocolate tart with olive oil, designed especially for the occasion by food blogger Janja Benic. The chocolate tart was served with a few drops of Brist’s Exclusive Selection olive oil, and as Puhar O’Grady explained, this is a form of olive oil made in a limited edition from selected olives from century-old buza and rozinjola trees.

As she claimed, the Brist Olive oil team process their olives in the Grubic oil mill in nearby Bale, with which they have a long-term cooperation, and their main customers are individuals, mostly foreign citizens paying visits to Istria. They realise their biggest sales directly in their store in the old town of Vodnjan and through online sales.

"Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, our online sales have quadrupled since before. A large part of our clients come after participating in our guided tours and tastings in the olive grove,'' she said.

In addition, Brist Olive oil is exported through 20 international partners within the EU, Norway and Switzerland, and from this year for the very first time to America. They also cooperate with specialised stores, mainly in Istria and Zagreb, as well as restaurants throughout Croatia and the Milenij Hotel chain in Opatija.

For more, check out Made in Croatia.

October 22, 2021 - After patiently waiting a year for the next olive picking season, I encouraged myself to take a closer look at this tradition. The result? A beautiful day, a great experience, thousands of olives, new friends, and many, many photos!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a reflection as a result of the two years since I arrived in Croatia. In it, not only did I want to share several anecdotes about that time, but I felt encouraged to list ten reasons why I believed that it could be easy for someone to adapt their lives here in Croatia, based on my own experience. If I could be able to summarize that article in a few words, I think I could do so by saying that Croatia is a country that successfully manages to harmoniously combine heritage, ruralism, and ancient traditions, with development, urbanism, and Western influence. It is a country where you can walk the elegant streets of Ilica in Zagreb or Marmontova in Split, as well as visit the fields of Slavonia or the vineyards of Istria, and not feel any kind of barriers or class gaps. It is, in short, a country for everyone.

There are many ways to prove to yourself that you have managed to adapt effectively to a new country: learning the language, making new friends, finding a job, buying a house, learning how to prepare a local dish, and more. But I feel that I personally cannot feel fully integrated in Croatia if I do not follow closely the activities and traditions that its people have carried out for hundreds of years. The great thing about Croatia is that there is a peaceful coexistence between these traditions and their respective industries (and in some cases, it can be exclusive to home production). In my country, on the other hand, many of these traditional activities are being displaced by large industries, such as consumer fishing, wine, or agriculture. However, it is not my intention to delve into a very complex topic that may require me to know about topics that I still need to learn more about. What I want to say is that in Croatia I find it very difficult for an activity inherited by generations to be interrupted by a dominance of the industrial sector, but rather that people can continue making their rakija, their wines, their olive oil, their harvests, and their fishing, with an authentic feeling of belonging and, at the same time, feeling fairly rewarded for their effort, as people here value highly their local and home-made products.

Olive oil, in particular, has always been one of the cornerstones in our kitchen at home, where my parents have always done wonders with its help. We were glad to know, when we moved, that in Croatia it was equal or even more important in their diet than in ours. It took us little time to recognize the high quality of Croatian olive oil. However, I was sad that after two years in Croatia and consuming its world-renowned olive oil, I felt so distant from the enormous process behind its production. I knew absolutely nothing about how olive oil is made, or about olive trees, or about olives. Nothing at all.

In Podstrana, where I live, I find myself surrounded by small fields of cultivation of apples, lemons, watermelons, cabbages, as well as olive trees. Throughout last year, especially at the end of the summer, I have noticed different people who come to take care of their crops, but few or no people in the olive trees. It was in October-November of 2020 that I saw people pick olives for the first time, and that's when I discovered that it was in fact the season. I felt like I had missed a huge opportunity (laziness and shyness won me over, not gonna lie) to get closer and learn more about olive picking. I decided that in the following season I would learn more about this tradition.

I patiently waited this year for October to arrive, and a few days ago I saw that they were picking olives in the distance. This time I did not hesitate, I took my camera and walked over to where they were. It was there that I met one of the kindest families from Podstrana. From the moment I introduced myself, I had never felt so well received by strangers, and they did not hesitate for a second to allow me to accompany them and document their work. For me, it was a great relief, since at some point I overthought that they would feel invaded by my presence both on their property, and in a time where they can share their privacy in a traditional family activity. But they didn't bother, and I think they were not only impressed and glad to hear me speak Croatian, but they may have been happy to see someone genuinely interested in learning more about olive picking.

The father, Jozo, dedicated almost three hours to telling me everything about his olive trees and olive oil, while he collected olives along with his wife and son. Jozo and his son Ivo educated me on the technique used to carefully extract olives from the trees, using a small plastic rake to ''brush'' the branches full of olives, as well as the high quality of these olives, called ''Levantin'', for the subsequent oil production process that would come later. The weather was perfect, as it felt like a summer day infiltrated in the fall, with a radiant sun that did not burn your skin. Still, the shadow of a twenty-year-old olive tree protected us. All you could hear was Jozo's endless but nourishing olive lessons, as well as these constantly falling like rain from the tree over the blue plastic carpet.

After three hours of a lot of learning and thousands of olives scattered on the ground, it was time to go and it was time for the family to collect all the olives in bags. It was a very fruitful afternoon for everyone, as I returned home with much more knowledge about olive picking as well as numerous photos and videos, and they returned home with almost 150 kilos of olives, from a single tree! According to Jozo himself, this particular year had been a very good one for his olive trees, and the gentle climate was key for them to produce so many olives.

Before I left, I exchanged phone numbers with Ivo, and it was there that I passed them the photos I had taken and, soon, a small short film that I will prepare about this particular experience of olive picking. They also promised me a bottle of their olive oil, which I look forward to trying soon.

It has been one of those (few) days and anecdotes in which I return home with a real smile, and that reminds me of how right my decision to come to Croatia was, and how close I am to being able to adapt to this beautiful country. If there is one thing I am sure of, it is that I will not be able to die in peace without at least one olive tree in my future home!

Here are some pictures I took from this wonderful day of olive picking in Podstrana:

When it comes to olive oil, Croatia is one of the leading countries in the industry. From Istria to Dalmatia, you can find all the information you need to know about the origins, processes, and where to buy Croatian olive oil on the Total Croatia page, now in your language!

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