It can be hard to know exactly what you may be getting when it comes to oil. Oils are produced in multiple ways. Some are expelled using solvents like hexane, while others are expeller-pressed with a mechanical press that squeezes the oil out.

How the oil is produced isn't always clearly marked either. Sometimes it is described in the title, in full works or abbreviated form, or sometimes you might find that it is only described on the spec sheet. Worse still, some industrial suppliers make no mention of how the oil is made on any documents. It will be in your hands to make sure you ask all the right questions and receive the proper documentation.

Here at Centra Foods, we make it a point to be as clear and explicit as possible. That is why today I will explain what solvent expelling, expeller pressing and cold pressing methods all look like in detail.

Can you believe it's already one week away? Neither can we...

We thought it would be fun this year to ask some of our staff what some of their favorite holiday recipes to make for their family and friends are. Here is just a few from our staff. Maybe they will inspire you to use them in your holiday meal. 

Are you looking for a side dish that is easy to make but still will make everyone want more. Well, our sales manager Hannah shared with us this green bean casserole. Here is the all the goods so you can make it.

Are you trying to decide if working with a freight carrier is worth it? Let's take a look at some different things that may or may not occur when shipping bulk items like bulk olive oil or bulk non-GMO canola oil.

For bulk shipments packed on pallets, your order will deliver on a freight truck. If you’re not used to working with a freight carrier it will take some some time to get familiar with the process.

Below we have listed a few things we feel you should know.

Do you remember going to the grocery store when you were little with your parents? Did you ever want something in a small package to snack on but find that your mom or dad would grab the big box? Well if you ever experienced this you probably also experienced them showing you the price per ounce for both and comparing to teach you the difference and help pick the best option for the price.

I'm sure many of us can say we have memories like this. And adults, whether grocery shopping or working for our company, if we want a lower priced item for the same exact ingredient, the best way to do this is to purchase a larger packaging size.

If you are a small business looking to get cheaper prices on your olive oil, it’s smart to begin purchasing bulk quantities. You can save a lot of money by switching to larger packaging, getting your oil packed onto a pallet and ordering from a bulk supplier.

What most suppliers don't always tell you is that the transition from wholesale orders (buying one or two cases at a time) to bulk orders (buying a full pallet) brings its own intrinsic issues. You have to consider closely if the switch you’re looking to make, while helping you save money, may be too tough to handle in other ways.

You will probably have some good questions when you’re looking at buying 55 gallon drums of oil for the first time. The first, most logical one: how do I get the oil out?

This is is a very good question. Here is the answer and to be quite honest, it is pretty simple.

As a purchaser of bulk oil ingredients and olive oils, you will find there are some expectations that should be set forth to your oil supplier.

Your supplier should always — no matter what — consider your company needs and goals FIRST and work to guide you to both the best ingredient for your food product, as well as the best choices for packaging, contracting, and other supply chain details. Overall, it should always be a mutually beneficial business agreement. You should feel like you won a great fit for a long term partner!

Unfortunately, there are many suppliers in the market today that can be unaccountable or let their own desires guide their business decisions. And this doesn’t just happen in the oil industry! Some of the worst things you may see would be if your supplier ignores you, they mis-ship product or quantities, if they don’t communicate on backorders, or — worst of all — if they promote adulterating or false labeling to be able to offer you a cheaper price just to win your business. Working with a supplier like that, you’ll ultimately lose out in the long run.

While you’re in the midst of your vendor search, keep the following list of benefits in mind that you absolutely should have in a long-term supply chain partnership.

Do you ever look on the back of products to review the ingredient labels? These labels sometimes have a list with multiple potential ingredients, naming ingredients like “Safflower, Sunflower AND/OR Canola Oil”.

This happens with lots of oils, including Canola Oil, Sunflower Oil, Safflower Oil, Soybean Oil, and Corn Oil. It is especially common when these ingredients are used for cooking or frying. For example, you will often see this sort of “and/or” list on popcorn, chips and other snack foods.

This multi-oil ingredient label (Safflower, Sunflower AND/OR Canola Oil) means that the ingredients that may be used in the product could be Sunflower Oil or Safflower Oil….. but it could also be Canola Oil. Really, it could be a mix of two of them or it could very well be all three. No matter which oil is actually inside the product, it is completely fine because the brand has already listed those ingredients on the ingredient statement as possible choices.

This is a common trend especially with oil ingredients, as they are often commodities and some oils can be easily interchangeable. After all, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn and soy oil all have very similar taste profile: mild and light!

If you are wondering why companies list more than one possible ingredient, there is a good reason behind it: it is very self-preserving. In fact, it can help them save time, money and keep them out of a supply bind down the road.

High quality, non-GMO and organic oils are in such high demand. If you use specialty oils or natural oils as a bulk ingredient in your manufacturing facility you are probably already well aware.

These premium oils often come at a higher price. Perhaps you are already feeling the pressure from the market, and looking at other alternatives that could help you save on costs and increase your profitability.

Today, let’s focus on the giant elephant in the room…. the price. Here is how some of the most commonly known healthy non-GMO and organic oils compare.

Did you know that there are major benefits to soap that is made with olive oil?

The majority of Americans simply buy the cheapest soap found in the grocery stores and may be missing out on all the major benefits. Conventional soaps can leave your skin dry, cracked or require more moisturizers to keep your skin in balance. They also can contain many different types of harsh chemicals, sulfates and sulfites. It’s a lot for your skin to take!

Expeller Pressed vs. Non-GMO: these two traits are interrelated and a common point of discussion. Is expeller pressed oil automatically non-GMO? Is all non-GMO automatically expeller pressed? To help with a bit of the confusion we will break down some helpful information to find out truly whether or not it your oil is just expeller pressed or non-GMO — and what the difference really is.

Have you ever wondered how companies that sell in bulk handle their shipping charges? Depending on how your supplier provides their pricing, shipping may or may not be included in the price automatically.

A price for bulk oil will often be quoted 'FOB' or 'Delivered'.  Do you know what these terms mean? Having a clear understanding of these terms is very important to allow you to do an accurate cost comparison.

Are you looking at bulk oils for the very first time from a bulk supplier? If your answer is yes, there are a few basics you will need to know. For example, you’ll need to know how much oil you are getting in one shipment, determine the weight of the different packaging options, and understand how much oil you are getting on one pallet.

If you use a lot of olive oil for your home kitchen or small business, you may wonder how you can save money by buying it wholesale. Here are some thoughts on why buying wholesale could be a better option than just buying a new retail bottle every time you are out of oil.

We firmly believe — if you are using enough — you should buy your olive oil by the gallon or in 35 Lb. Containers.

Olive Pomace Oil is highly debated and quite the topic in this increasingly health-focused industry. Now, don’t make any rash decisions on whether it is good or bad yet. First, you will need to look at both sides of the debate at hand.

How can you do this, you ask? By understanding both the pros and cons of olive pomace oil to help you make the best decision for your manufactured food product.

It can also help to survey your target market to see if your current and future customers have a preference about this oil. What you learn from them could affect your oil search process, as well as your marketing plan and the financial implications of your oil choice.

Let’s dive in to the pros and cons.