California Olive Ranch Kicks Off the New Year with a Renewed Commitment to Consumer Transparency & Environmental Sustainability

CHICO, Calif., Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- California Olive Ranch ("COR"), the leading domestic grower of olives for extra virgin olive oil ("EVOO") with the #1 bestselling product in the U.S. olive oil category¹, is ringing in the new year with the announcement of several exciting initiatives. Today, the company unveiled a new packaging design for its California Olive Ranch® brand and an innovative technology investment that reaffirms its commitment to consumer transparency. The company is also announcing the completion of one of the largest olive tree plantings in California in recent years and new environmental sustainability initiatives, including a commitment to regenerative agriculture and converting over 320,000 olive trees to organic production. Once complete, this will make COR one of the largest producers of certified organic 100% California EVOO.

New California Olive Ranch® Brand Packaging a Reflection of Company Commitment to Transparency

A reflection of the company's continued commitment to holding itself to a higher quality standard, the brand's new, more modern looking labels help shoppers better understand the taste profile and flavor intensity of each product while also continuing to provide clear front-of-pack information on the different sources of EVOO across the company's various 100% California and global blended product lines. "We are always pushing to help consumers understand what to expect from our diverse line of products," said Michael Fox, CEO of COR, "Our labels were industry-leading in their transparency before and now with our new, more modern design are even more accurate, simple and clear."

The new labels, which will appear in stores over the next several months, encompass the full brand portfolio, including the 100% California and 100% California Reserve collections, the Global Blend collection (formerly known as the Destination Series,) and a new culinary line that includes the company's new Baking Blends and Keto Blends. New tasting notes and intensity cues were added to the products to give consumers additional assistance in understanding the flavor differences across the profiles. The company's goal is to offer consumers an array of great-tasting options for every household looking to create delicious food with healthy, high-quality EVOO. "Our mission has always been to offer the highest quality extra virgin olive oil at an accessible price point," said Fox. "All of our extra virgin olive oils are crafted to the California Department of Food and Agriculture Standard, which is the strictest olive oil standard for quality and purity in the world."

COR is also developing a new, industry-leading technology solution that will bolster its commitment to transparency even further.  Slated to roll out later this year, this new technology will give consumers even more insight into the source of the oil they purchased and the specific quality and purity certifications and attributes.  Additionally, the technology will help educate consumers on creative uses as well as the unique health benefits of each EVOO in the company's portfolio.    

Committed to Environmental Sustainability and Growth of the California Olive Industry

The company is proud to share its dedication to doing its part to advance the California olive oil industry and to help ensure there is a thriving planet for generations to come.  "We are committed to helping grow the California olive oil industry and are making investments across our organization to understand and apply the latest thinking in environmental sustainability to our farming practices," said Fox. "We are also expanding our investments in regenerative agriculture to actively improve the condition of our natural resources, not just sustaining them." Below is a brief highlight of the large initiatives the company is pursuing. The company's first environmental impact report will be produced by the end of the year, providing more insight into these practices.

• COR has stepped up its commitment to regenerative agriculture practices to further aid in carbon sequestration and soil health across all their acres. After successful trials, the company has rolled out regenerative soil practices like planting a diverse cover crop, no to minimal tilling, reusing tree trimmings and olive pomace in its compost, minimal mowing and inoculating soil with a proprietary microbe "compost tea" to increase soil life and health, and reducing/eliminating reliance on synthetic fertilizers. The company is partnering with leading California universities and state resource centers to further study and analyze the positive impact these practices will have on the soil health and environment.
• COR has recently completed the planting of over two million olive trees in California with family-owned farms across the state. Not only does this increase the supply of California olives for olive oil, but research from the International Olive Council also indicates that olive trees could have a meaningful impact on sequestering carbon from the air.  COR has initiated its own research to better understand the positive benefits of the company's modern farming and harvesting techniques in calculating its impact on California's greenhouse gas emissions.
• COR has started the transition of more than 320,000 olive trees to organic farming practices.  When the conversion is complete, COR would be one of the leading, if not the leading farmer of olives for USDA certified organic 100% California EVOO.

About California Olive Ranch

Founded in 1998, California Olive Ranch advanced American olive oil by pioneering new ways of cultivating and harvesting olives to make their extra virgin olive oil both premium and affordable. Today, California Olive Ranch is the largest producer of extra virgin olive oil pressed from California grown olives. The company sells almost 40 products in more than 29,000 retail stores nationally. Its award-winning products are celebrated for their high quality by media, professional chefs and home cooks alike.  The company's portfolio also includes the Lucini® brand of high-quality olive oil, vinegars and pasta sauces sourced almost exclusively from Italy.