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14 July 2026 · 9 min read

Sourcing Greek Olive Oil: a buyer's guide from theGreex

Liquid gold from Greek groves. PDO and PGI selections. A practical, category-deep guide to sourcing greek olive oil from Greek producers: origin, production, certifications, packaging, applications and buyer tips.

Freshly milled Greek extra virgin olive oil pouring in a warm honey stream from a stone mill, olive branches in soft focus.

Overview

Greek olive oil is one of the most identifiable exports in the Mediterranean basket, and one of the most commercially misunderstood. Roughly 80% of Greek production is extra virgin, a share unmatched anywhere else in the world, which sets a very different quality baseline from Spanish or Italian volumes.

For a buyer, the practical question is not 'is it good' but 'which grade, which region, which harvest, and packed how'. That is where a real sourcing partnership starts to earn its keep.

History

Olive cultivation in Greece is older than written record, with archaeological evidence from Crete and the Peloponnese dating back more than 4,000 years. Modern export volumes took shape in the 20th century, and the EU's PDO and PGI frameworks from the 1990s onwards gave the best regional oils legal protection they had lacked for millennia.

Origin

Peloponnese (Kalamata, Messinia, Laconia), Crete (Sitia, Kolymvari), Lesvos, Chalkidiki and Zakynthos are the main export regions. Each has its own soil, altitude and microclimate, and each translates into a recognisably different oil profile.

Production

The best Greek EVOO is early-harvest, cold-extracted at under 27°C, and bottled within months. Acidity is typically well below the 0.8% EVOO legal ceiling, often at 0.2–0.3%. Polyphenol counts on premium lines regularly exceed the 250 mg/kg EU health-claim threshold.

Varieties and signature products

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: PGI Crete EVOO, PDO Kalamata EVOO, Organic Extra Virgin. Pure, Pomace & Salad Oil: Pure Olive Oil (Refined), Olive Pomace Oil, Salad Oil, Olive & Sunflower Blend. Flavoured Olive Oils: Basil-infused EVOO, Garlic-infused EVOO, Mint-infused EVOO, Lemon-infused EVOO, and more.

Certifications

Depending on the sub-range we work with producers holding IFS, BRCGS, ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000 food-safety certifications, alongside PDO, PGI, Organic (BIO) and Halal / Kosher where relevant to your greek olive oil programme. Certificates and specification sheets are shared before order confirmation, not after.

Packaging formats

Glass bottles: 250 ml, 500 ml, 750 ml, 1 L, plus premium dorica and marasca formats · Tins: 500 ml, 750 ml, 1 L, 3 L and 5 L for retail and foodservice · PET bottles for value retail and HoReCa · Bulk: IBC, flexitank and drum options for blenders and packers

Retail

Consumer-ready greek olive oil in shelf-ready formats: glass jars, PET, tins, cups or vacuum packs depending on the sub-range. Suitable for supermarkets, delis, specialty grocers and gourmet gift channels across Europe, the UK, the GCC and beyond.

Foodservice (HoReCa)

Chef-grade greek olive oil in catering formats for hotels, restaurants, caterers and central kitchens. Balanced flavour profiles, consistent supply and specification sheets that make menu planning straightforward.

Bulk

Bulk greek olive oil for repackers, blenders, industrial users and downstream processors. Tank, drum, IBC and food-grade bag-in-box options where available, with certificates of analysis and traceability to the producer.

Private Label

Full private-label programmes for greek olive oil: recipe fine-tuning, packaging artwork coordination, label compliance for EU, UK, GCC and other target markets, plus MOQs that work for growing brands rather than only for the largest importers.

Export information

We export greek olive oil from Greece to buyers across the EU, the United Kingdom, the GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE and neighbours), with active projects in Japan and North America. Shipments run ex works, FCA, FOB or CIF according to your Incoterms preference, consolidated with other Greek products where a full container is not yet on the table.

Buyer tips

Ask for the harvest year, the acidity and polyphenol numbers, and, for PDO Kalamata or PGI Crete, the certificate reference and issuing body. A serious producer answers all four in a single email. Anything less should raise a flag before the order goes out.

Related products in our range

Signature greek olive oil lines currently on our offer include PGI Crete EVOO, PDO Kalamata EVOO, Organic Extra Virgin, Pure Olive Oil (Refined), Olive Pomace Oil, Salad Oil, Olive & Sunflower Blend. Each has its own dedicated sourcing page with production notes, packaging options and FAQs.

Frequently asked

Buyer questions we hear most often

What free acidity level should I expect from your extra virgin olive oil?
Our standard EVOO ships at ≤0.5% free acidity, well inside the EU legal ceiling of 0.8%. Premium early-harvest and PDO Kalamata lots typically fall between 0.15% and 0.30%, with peroxide values below 10 mEq O₂/kg. A full chemical panel is issued per production batch.
Are your Greek olive oils high in polyphenols?
Yes. Koroneiki-dominant lots from Crete and the Peloponnese routinely test between 350 and 700 mg/kg total polyphenols, and selected early-harvest lots exceed the 250 mg/kg threshold required to carry the EU Regulation 432/2012 health claim on hydroxytyrosol.
When is the Greek olive-oil harvest and when is fresh stock available?
Harvest runs from mid-October to late December, depending on region and altitude. Fresh unblended oil is available from late November; PDO and PGI lots are certified through the winter and consistently available from January onwards for the full production year.
Do you ship bulk olive oil in flexitanks, or only bottled?
Both. Bulk moves in food-grade 22,000 L flexitanks or 1,000 L IBCs and stainless-steel drums, with pre-shipment samples sealed at the tank. Bottled formats cover glass, tin and PET in 250 ml to 5 L, and we can also arrange bottling at destination against a bulk contract.
What is the difference between PDO Kalamata and PGI Crete olive oil?
PDO Kalamata is a defined micro-region in the Peloponnese with strict varietal and organoleptic controls. Like every olive oil we supply, it is produced from the Koroneiki variety, not from the Kalamon table olive, and it gives a robust, peppery profile. PGI Crete covers the wider Cretan production zone, typically Koroneiki-led, with a fruitier and more herbal character. Both are protected under EU Regulation 1151/2012.
How should extra virgin olive oil be stored in a warehouse and in-store?
Store between 14 and 18°C, away from direct light and strong odours, and keep sealed cases upright. Retail shelves should avoid spotlights that raise bottle temperature. Under these conditions our EVOO holds its sensory profile for 18 months and its chemistry for up to 24 months from bottling.
Can you supply organic (BIO) certified Greek olive oil?
Yes. Our organic EVOO carries EU organic certification with the leaf logo and a control-body code, and USDA NOP or JAS equivalents are available for specific producers. A transaction certificate is issued per shipment so the organic chain of custody is auditable end-to-end.
What are realistic first-order volumes for olive oil?
A full 20-foot container carries roughly 20,000 L in bulk or 12–14 pallets bottled. Because we consolidate producers, a first bottled order can start at 2–3 pallets on a groupage sailing, then scale to FCL as sell-through is confirmed.
Can you support private-label olive oil bottling with our artwork?
Yes. Typical private-label MOQs start at 3,000–5,000 bottles per SKU for 500 ml glass, with lower runs on selected formats. We manage artwork, front and back label compliance for your market, capsule and cap colour, and coordinate first-article approval before the run.
Do you offer flavoured and infused olive oils for retail programmes?
Yes. Basil, garlic, lemon, mint and chilli infusions are produced by cold maceration on an EVOO base, without artificial flavourings. Retail glass runs from 100 ml gift formats to 250 ml everyday bottles, and gift sets can be assembled to your brief.

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