A slowly growing olive oil market

We like olive oil more and more but we refuse to pay for quality. Rita Salyámosy, marketing manager of Glatz Hungary Kft. told us that the majority of olive oils sold aren’t extra virgin varieties. Prices elevated considerably in the last two years. Edina Prencsokné Dékány, brand manager of Bertolli distributor Maresi Foodbroker Kft. added that volume sales were up a little last year and a grew bit more in value, due to the price increase – this is a good sign. Balázs Csorba, sales director of In-Food 2000 Kft. informed that a growing number of households use olive oil daily. Hungarian consumers think of Monini as a premium brand.

Attila Ádám, commercial director of Ga Food told our magazine that good quality olive oil is more and more important for restaurant-goers. His company supplies restaurants with 1-litre extra virgin olive oil and they could also sell them 5-10-25 litre varieties if there was demand for them. Ms Salyámosy revealed that Italian oils are the most popular in Hungary and they have recently put the organic BIO version of Filippo Berio on the market (there is also a Delicato and a Fruttato version). Ms Prencsokné Dékány reckons that most consumers are aware of the fact that olive oil is healthy but they could definitely do with more education, e.g. many don’t know that extra virgin oils shouldn’t be used for frying.