MANI BLÄUEL evolves into MANI

Starting from July all our products will be available in the new MANI design! The bottles and jars in the new look are already being labelled and shipped to our customers and will be on shelf in stores in the UK in the next few months!

With MANI we unify our brand presence across markets. You can find more Information on the Relaunch here: RELAUNCH

What are the quality characteristics of good olive oil?

While in northern Europe the leaves fall from the trees, olive harvest is taking place in the south of Greece. What really matters and how we ensure the best quality for our Mani Bläuel olive oils can be found in this “travel report” along the production chain:

As always, everything starts with the origin – the fruit – the variety, the cultivation area, the pruning of the tree and the right maturity level are the basis of every high-quality olive oil. Starting from the harvest, however, there are numerous more influences which affect the quality of the oil e.g. transport, processing and packaging.

The best conditions in the olive grove

Our tour begins in the southern part of Greece. Here grows the Koroneiki olive from which one of the best oils in the world is extracted. The combination of high light intensity and duration of sunshine, a few hours of rain and a stone and mineral rich mountain soil near the sea offer the best conditions for olive cultivation. Due to the organic method of cultivation the soil remains fertile. In addition, the naturally growing vegetation of legumes and wild herbs makes artificial irrigation and pesticides superfluous.

In the next step, the right time of the harvest is crucial to produce the best olive oil. As soon as the fruits are yellow-green to aubergine-colored, they are harvested through gentle handwork and with simple picking machines. Exactly then the aroma, the polyphenols and the olive oil content are ideal. Polyphenols are plant substances, that not only affect the colour and the taste but also as antioxidants protect the oil and strengthen the human cells.

 

 

Careful processing in the oil mill

Immediately after the harvest the journey continues to the oil mill. Short transport distances and careful storage ensure that the olives remain intact. The oil must be extracted within 24 hours at a maximum temperature of 27 degrees Celsius so that the valuable ingredients of the olive remain intact. Bottling in dark glass bottles ensures that the oil is protected against UV radiation. Furthermore, our two agricultural engineers ensure the continuous quality assurance during cultivation and extraction.

The oil that reaches our enterprise comes from long-time co-operation partners and in addition each batch is being checked before acceptance in our lab. Only if the quality profile meets our high requirements, the olive oil is bottled. The Mani Bläuel guidelines exceed the legal requirements by far. According to the EU guideline an olive oil is allowed to be declared as extra virgin – the highest quality class – when the acidity is below 0.8% and the peroxide number is not higher than 20 meqO2/kg. All Mani Bläuel oils have a free fatty acid content of less than 0.4% and a peroxide number of less than 10 to 12 meqO2/kg after 12 months of storage. The lower the value, the fresher the taste.

Before the olive oil leaves our factory, it goes through an internal quality inspection. At regular intervals, the quality is additionally checked and confirmed by external experts and labs. The entire production process is also supported by a research group at the University of Udine in Italy in order to continuously improve quality standards along the supply chain. This cooperation is a significant investment in our product and in research.

Detailed labelling in the trade

The olive oil has now reached the retail segment. Some indications on the label can help the consumer to detect high quality olive oil:

• Only products of highest quality belong to the category extra virgin.
• The quality seal “PDO” stands for Protected Designation of Origin and ensures that the olives come from a certain region. As with our Kalamata PDO olive oil or Cretan olive oil Messara PDO.
• The organic label assures that the olive oil is from controlled organic cultivation.
• The Naturland Fair seal guarantees fair conditions along the entire value chain.

Mani Bläuel olive oil: awarded gold at Terraolivo

Again, the high quality of Mani Bläuel products was confirmed. At renowned Terraolivo International Olive Oil Competition in Israel, Mani Bläuel Greek olive oil was awarded with gold. This prize gives us great pleasure and rewards our efforts to produce the best sustainably produced olive oil for our customers.

Terraolivo Prize is the most prestigious competition for olive oil in the eastern Mediterranean. It is organized by an Israeli-Spanish committee and takes place annually. This year saw 629 olive oils from 19 countries participate in the award, of which 94 are from Greece. Participants were classified by a 36-member jury of professional olive oil tasters.

The high quality of Mani Bläuel Greek olive oil is also certified according to Naturland Fair trade standards. In order to be Naturland Fair certified, companies must meet high standards especially in the areas of organic farming, social responsibility and fair trade. Compared with the EU organic standards, Naturland Fair certification is considerably more demanding. So the Naturland Fair seal guarantees fair conditions throughout the value chain.

Naturland requirements are consistent with our own quality and ethical guidelines, that have been our core corporate values ​​for over 30 years. Ecologically, socially and economically sustainable action means a lot to us and our customers. Winning the Terraolivo award confirms this line and motivates us for the future. We will continue to give our best to make Mani Bläuel olive oil a unique, natural, excellent taste experience.

BIOL Prize: Mani Bläuel olive oil awarded Gold

Spring brings excellent news – at the internationally renowned BIOL Prize in Bari (Italy),  our Mani Bläuel organic extra virgin olive oil won a gold medal. The BIOL Prize is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious competitions for organic olive oils. This year, over 400 olive oils were tasted by an international 31-member jury. In addition, the chemical composition of the olive oils was examined in a laboratory. The fact that our Greek olive oil was judged so favourably honours our long-standing commitment to organic traditional olive cultivation aimed at obtaining a top quality organic olive oil.

Our junior manager Felix Bläuel was delighted about winning the gold medal: “This award makes us very proud, because it confirms our continued effort to produce the best organic olive oil together with small farmers. Without the passionate work of the entire team, this success would not have been possible. Each member of our team – from the farmer to the quality controllers – has been an important factor, which is now recognized by the BIOL gold medal. I would like to thank everyone very much! ”

The high quality of our olive oil is ensured by the fact that we only use the best natural, traditional, gentle agricultural practices. A profound appreciation of man and nature is the basis on which we make our economic decisions. This is reflected in our organic, sustainable farming and in the fair relationships we establish with our employees and partners.

These ecological and social sustainability values are as important for us as they are for our customers. The fact that our high quality standards have now been confirmed with a prestigious award encourages and motivates us. We will do our best in the future to continue to offer a unique, excellent taste experience through Mani Bläuel olive oil.