1.1 Presentation and definition of the market

The olive is a characteristic fruit of the Mediterranean region, which is consumed in two forms: either as a condiment, or table olive, or as olive oil after pressing the fruit.

Olive oil is obtained by crushing the fresh fruit to obtain a paste, then filtering, centrifuging, heating (or not) the paste to extract the oil. It is one of the main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet and is mainly used in the preparation of salads and as fat in cooking. It is also used in cosmetics in a more anecdotal way.

The world market for olive oil is highly concentrated in the Mediterranean region, particularly in Spain, Greece and Italy. Spain is the first world producer, cumulating 40% of the world production. At the global level, the annual growth of the market is about 3%.

France, despite a favorable climate in the southern regions, has great difficulty in asserting itself in the face of foreign competition, which provides almost all of the production. France, in spite of a favorable climate in the southern regions, has great difficulty in imposing itself in the face of foreign competition, which supplies almost all the products consumed on the national territory according to IOC (International Olive Oil Council) data. However, farmers are trying to adapt to new trends, especially with organic farming, and to differentiate themselves from each other through protected designations of origin and controlled.

The olive oil market in France is growing strongly, this market being mainly a consumer market. Indeed, France, which imports more than 95% of its olive oil, has seen its consumption multiply by 5 in less than 20 years.

The French particularly appreciate olive oil, not so much for its quantity but rather for the way it is consumed. In France, as much for its price as for its virtues (anti-cholesterol, dietetics...), olive oil is considered as a relatively luxurious product and its quality is often there. Moreover, the most appreciated type of olive oil is the extra virgin oil.

1.2 The world market is dominated by the Mediterranean

According to the COI, the world consumption of olive oil is estimated at *.** million tons over the period ****-****. There was an increase in olive oil consumption in **** particularly in Russia (***). This consumption gives rise, according to the magazine Agra Alimentation ** billion euros in annual sales.

As shown in the graph ...

1.3 The olive in France: a market of consumers rather than producers

A consumption largely imported

According to COI figures, over the last * years, France has produced, on average, only ***,*** tons of olive oil, which in **** represented only *.*% of the country's consumption. This low figure is explained by the difficult acclimatization of the olive tree in France and the low yields of plantations ...

1.4 The impact of Covid-19 on the olive oil market

Olive growers and olive oil producers have been hard hit in almost all producing regions. In Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Tunisia, France, Turkey, Croatia, Lebanon, Syria - especially regions where olive growing and olive oil production are an important part of the economy and cultures.

In the survey, the results ...

2.1 Olive oil is struggling to establish itself in France

Olive oil consumption is still low compared to other Mediterranean countries

The consumption of olive oil in France in **** is ***,*** tons according to Yves Guillaumin, director of France Olive. This figure places France in third place among European consumers of olive oil in absolute value, far behind Italy (***), compensated by a ...

2.2 The organic olive oil in full growth

Some producers offer light olive oils or organic olive oils. The organic olive oil sector is a growing sector. Tasting olive oils, as one might do with a wine, is becoming an increasingly common practice. Oliviers & Co has positioned itself on this trend of organic olive oil with a high-end positioning, ...

3.1 Value chain and competition

The value chain of olive oil in France

Source: ****

The diagram above illustrates the olive oil production chain, from the olive grove to the final consumer. Several actors can intervene during the production process: large-scale distribution, mills and cooperatives and olive producers.

The olive oil production process is not very mechanized. ...

3.2 The French production is ensured by some regions

France represents the northern limit of olive oil production in Europe. As can be seen on the map below, France has ** olive oil production basins of which * are classified as PDO (***): Nyons, Vallée des Baux de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, Haute Provence, Nice, Nîmes, Corsica, Provence. France has about **,*** hectares of ...

3.3 The difficulties of French production

French olive oil production in question

French production represents a very small proportion of French olive oil consumption - around *%. But this production itself is now in danger after several years of difficult production conditions- bacteria and flies have attacked the olive crops, the **** production was only a third of the ...

3.4 An oil market dominated by private labels with low margins

However, French producers are not the only ones to have such designations, since in Spain there are ** PDOs for green olives, * PDO for black olives, and in Italy, ** PDOs for green olives, * for black olives and * PGI (***). [***]

According to data from Afidolthe distribution of olive oil in France seems to be ...

4.1 Typology of olive oils

There are four different types of olive oil

Extravirgin olive oil: this is the best quality olive oil you can find. It has a very low acidity level (***). It has a strong taste and aroma. Virgin olive oil: it is a virgin olive oil of superior quality but with an aroma ...

4.2 Wholesale oil prices that fluctuate with the harvest

Evolution of olive oil prices World, ****-****, in dollars Source: ****

The graph above represents the world prices of extra virgin olive oil . These price variations, depending on many factors, are reflected in the prices paid by the final consumer. This volatility is explained by the fact that olive oil production depends ...

4.3 Retail oil prices for the French consumer

Table of olive oil prices

We will distinguish four different types of oils: entry-level oils, private labels, specialty brands, and high-end oils. For the most part, we will rely on the Carrefour's website and compare the price per liter of the oils. Note that, except for the entry-level oils, all ranges ...

4.4 A move upmarket in the oil market

Bottled olive oil producers are trying to tout the authenticity of their oil and its Mediterranean "terroir" heritage

With the pressure on the supply of olive oil, despite the slight decline in French demand, some producers offer high-end products with a supposedly higher quality than their competitors.

Olive oil producers are ...

5.1 Strict oil regulations for information purposes

Codified labelling

In the European Union (***), the sale of olive oil to final consumers is highly regulated, particularly on the issue of labeling and product information. The EU provides a legal framework through three regulations in force:

Commission Implementing Regulation (***) No. **/**** of January **, **** on marketing standards for olive oil. Commission Regulation ...