Tunisian Olive Oil Gains Ground In Brazil

(MENAFN- Brazil-Arab News Agency (ANBA)) São Paulo – Since 2019 Tunisian olive oils have been part of the product portfolio of importer and distributor Selecionados Uniagro . The company, founded in Brazilian state Rio Grande do Sul with branches in Santa Catarina and São Paulo, distributes a variety of products in addition to olive oil, such as sauces, preserves, and vinegars. According to the company's imports manager, Matheus Fredrich, the product imported from the Arab country has gained popularity among Brazilian consumers.

“Since 2019, and especially in 2020, we've expanded our olive oil portfolio and identified Tunisia as a potential supplier. Until then, Tunisian olive oil was rarely seen in the Brazilian market, even though the [Arab] country is one of the largest global producers,” he says.

According to statistics from the International Olive Council (IOC), the 2023/2024 harvest and production period is expected to see Spain as the world's leading producer of olive oil, at a total of 854,000 tons, followed by Italy, which will produce 328,000 tons. Tunisia is expected to be the third-largest producer, at 220 thousand tons, followed by Turkey and Greece, rounding out the top five global producers. Other Arab countries that are major olive oil producers include Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Jordan, according to IOC data.

Although Brazil does produce olive oil, it is a major importer of the product. Between October 2023 and September 2024, imports are expected to drop by 10.8% compared to 2022/2023, totaling 95.3 thousand tonnes. The United States, Canada, China, and Japan are other major international customers of the product.

Among Tunisian olive oils, Uniagro offers both high-consumption options and organic olive oil, which can even serve as gifts, says Fredrich.“Over the past few years, we've seen many more Tunisian olive oils in the Brazilian market. It's a path quite similar to what's happening with olive oil at Uniagro. We believe in significant growth in consumption in Brazil, since, compared to other countries, we still consume much less,” he says.

He says that in Brazil, the average consumption is 500 milliliters of olive oil per person per year. Greece and Spain, some of the world's largest consumers, have consumption rates of over 10 liters per person per year.“There's still a lot of room to increase consumption, and Tunisia can be an important partner in this journey,” he says.

Some of the characteristics of Tunisian olive oil from Uniagro include a green fruit and herb aroma, a balanced taste, and medium intensity spiciness. These, says Fredrich, are traits of the Chemlali olive, one of the most common varieties in Tunisia. However, the characteristics of the olive resulting from the Tunisian soil, latitudes, longitudes, and the Mediterranean are not the only factors that ensure the quality and flavor of the product.

“To obtain good olive oil, in addition to good olives, the harvesting, selection, milling, extraction, and bottling processes must also undergo rigorous controls to ensure the product's quality. Therefore, often the chosen supplier partner is even more important than the choice of origin itself,” says Fredrich.

Olive oil is one of the Tunisian products sold by Uniagro, founded in 1992, which also imports olives and dates from the North African country. Since then, it has invested in spices, and importing and distributing dried fruits and oilseeds, among other products.

Read more:
Olive oil purchasing habits of Brazilians changing

Translated by Guilherme Miranda

The post Tunisian olive oil gains ground in Brazil appeared first on ANBA News Agency .

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