This June, The Real Olive Company added a new edition to its oil range, an organic, unfiltered, polyphenol-rich extra virgin olive oil in 750ml cans. This oil is made from single-varietal Koroneiki olives grown on one organic grove within the P.G.I. Lakonia region of Greece.
It isn’t the company’s first single-varietal oil. What’s new is that this is the first oil left unfiltered, the first to carry an authorised polyphenol health claim, and the first oil added to its retail range.
Koroneiki is a variety of olive long associated with Greek olive oil production. In Greece it has been referred to as the “queen of olives”, and the company positions it as a reliable source of high-quality, polyphenol-rich oil. The olives used here are hand-picked early in the autumn, while still green rather than being left to fully ripen. Polyphenol levels run significantly higher at this earlier stage than in fruit left to fully mature. Harvesting early is a deliberate choice by the company to prioritise quality over yield. These olives are cold-pressed within hours of harvest and left unfiltered, retaining the compound profile responsible for the oil’s grassy, peppery character. This character comes primarily from oleocanthal, alongside hydroxytyrosol, one of the more potent antioxidants found in olive oil. The oil is obtained solely by mechanical means, which is in line with extra virgin classification.
Protecting that compound profile doesn’t stop at how the oil is pressed. Light is one of the recognised causes of olive oil degradation over time, breaking down polyphenols and flavour compounds; dark glass blocks some of this but not all of it, whereas steel blocks UV light entirely. The company has used that reasoning to can rather than bottle the oil.
The flavour profile has since gained independent backing: the oil received a 2-star Great Taste 2026 Award, judged blind by the Guild of Fine Food based purely on how the oil tastes, with no knowledge of the producer, price or story behind it. Judges described the oil as “extremely fresh and invigorating”, noting a buttery, grassy character, a smooth mouthfeel, and a gentle peppery finish that rounded off the flavour rather than dominating it.
Lab testing puts the oil at 330mg/kg polyphenols, within the high-polyphenol category and above the EU/UK authorised claim threshold of at least 250mg/kg, the only health claim approved by the EU for olive oil. Oils at that level can carry the EFSA-approved claim, evaluated under EU Regulation 432/2012: “Olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 20g of olive oil.”
The company wanted to source an olive oil with a polyphenol level high enough to qualify for the health claim, but, in its own description, not so high that the flavour becomes overpowering, making it an everyday use oil. It’s a reasonable point of contrast with oils at the top end of the polyphenol scale, which tend to sit closer to supplement territory in both intensity and price, and a narrower fit for everyday use as a result.
What single-origin sourcing adds here is traceability. A buyer can point to exactly where, and from whom, the oil came. That’s a contrast to blending across varieties, regions or countries, which is the more common approach at this price point. Every drop of this oil comes from a single grower, on a single grove, a deliberate choice that prioritises traceability over scale. The upside, in the company’s telling, is that nothing dilutes the flavour character or the provenance story along the way. The oil is sealed at source in Greece and sent directly to Bristol, UK, where the company then handles dispatch.
That traceability sits with Nikitas Toutoulis, a third-generation olive farmer and miller whose family has cultivated olives for generations within the Protected Geographical Indication (P.G.I.) Lakonia designation. This is a legally protected origin in the southern Peloponnese region in Greece, guaranteeing authenticity, regional provenance and traditional production. The olives are grown organically, without synthetic pesticides or chemicals, and The Real Olive Company is certified as an organic producer by Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G). Nikitas combines his family’s inherited traditional knowledge with modern milling technique — the company describes the result as oil that reflects the character of both his region and his family’s heritage.
Trade Terms
The oil is priced at £11.46 per 750ml can, £68.76 per case of six, with an independent RRP of £18.49 and a 38% margin. Bristol handles UK dispatch; production and canning remain entirely in Greece. For trade details please visit trade.therealolivecompany.co.uk.
