The US market is already impossibly crowded, and I don't hear people really clamoring for another bottle of olive oil. So is there any reason for all these olive oil producers to hope? Let's just say, the opportunity is still there.
Growth of olive oil use in the US has been remarkably consistent over the past years as the IOOC chart above shows. But where is the growth coming from? Certainly general awareness of olive oil as being a 'good fat' and excellent dietary addition is part of the answer. Taste versus other oils plays a role, to be sure. And maybe the super brands are growing by leaps and bounds. But it appears the real growth and diversity is coming from artisanal oil producers who are more concerned with quality than pennies a ton on blended (and possibly adulterated and/or deodorized)
olive oil imports.
Walk the Fancy Food Show floor and it's a trip around the olive oil world; Argentina, Australia, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia, Italy-Spain-Greece (of course), among MANY others. And don't forget the great oils coming from right here in the US. But these exhibitors don't appear to be the monster players. These are boutique labels that are bringing their stories to buyers and consumers.
And I think that's where the opportunity exists. Any good marketer will tell you people buy stories and not products, so for these small specialty producers with the stomach to attack a crowded market like the US, and with adequate resources to stick out the long battle, the rewards can be sweet, indeed.
So keep coming. Grow the 'olive oil pie' for everyone by sharing your stories, maintaining your exceptional quality, and promoting the sector. That way we can keep the numbers moving in the right direction.
