GDO yes, GDO no: we often hear conflicting opinions about the value of large-scale retail (GDO) in the world of olive oil. The low price of olive oil is often blamed for the lack of growth in our sector. Some have even made fighting low-cost products a personal crusade, rallying supporters and inciting crowds with pitchforks raised. Nothing could be easier. The result?

Personally, I’ve never been convinced by that way of thinking. I understand that not everyone can buy directly from producers, and not everyone can shop at their neighborhood grocery store. But it’s even more realistic to acknowledge that if everyone consumed high-quality oils, there wouldn’t be enough to go around. I believe it would have been much more useful over the past ten years to invest all the energy spent criticizing large-scale retail, low prices, or intensive overproduction into education and food awareness instead.

Convinced that times of crisis can also be opportunities, I knocked on the door of large-scale retail. I did it, as they say, “with a bang,” by proposing collaboration and offering my experience and contacts with various producers, built up over the years through the Guida Extravoglio.

Fortunately, one of those doors opened.

At Fresco Market, I found attentive partners willing to listen, certainly aided by the challenges of the pandemic, which led consumers to become more aware.

The project is simple: “High-quality extra virgin olive oil at a fair and accessible price for everyone.” The goal is to offer oils of excellent quality, each with different aromas and intensities, all at the same fixed price, allowing people not only to choose based on cost but also to explore different cultivars and uses.

To avoid any misunderstandings or pointless controversy, I’ll tell you right away that each party involved made sacrifices to ensure the success of this initiative: Fresco Market acknowledged the product’s true value and guaranteed a stable price throughout our collaboration, and the producers maintained a high level of quality.

Do you think the average consumer is willing to spend €9.90 for half a liter of premium oil and recognize the difference between oils with notes of artichoke, tomato, almond, or freshly cut grass?

I do!

Recognizing the enormous progress made in recent years in spreading olive oil culture, alongside the considerable economic manipulation that has sometimes misled consumers, I wonder if it might actually be large-scale retail that could take on the role of championing quality, without hiding its own economic interests.

It could be the ideal partner.

This project was developed at a unique time—not only with the goal of supporting the olive oil sector but also with the ambition of expanding the culture of extra virgin olive oil in Italian kitchens.”

Written by: Piero Palanti
Source :  Teatro Naturale