Have you ever wondered what a group full of olive oil suppliers say when you’re not in the room?
Or how we understand the weight of our own responsibility, as suppliers, to you — our customers?
Or how we look at the food industry in today’s market?
A few weeks ago, Centra Foods was asked to give a talk on “olive oil used in manufacturing” at the North American Olive Oil Association conference. What did we say to this request? Yes, of course! And today I’m sharing an insider’s look at that industry presentation with you.
The North American Olive Oil Association conference was a gathering of industry peers — primarily suppliers of olive oil across the US, growers, chefs, publicists and a few foodies — that all gather together to talk olive oil for a few days.
There were industry talks on QA, manufacturing, food service and retail. There we’re olive oil tasting sessions galore. (Have you ever had more than a cup of extra virgin olive oil in your belly? Yeah, it was a first for me too.)
The focus of the conference was “spending wisely on olive oil”. Really, it was all about value. How can we (as suppliers, chefs and consumers) keep good quality in mind and still get a good value? How do you choose a gourmet retail brand while considering “value”? (Mind you, not low cost, but value.)
As I put together my slides for my presentation, I thought about you — our Centra Foods customers — and the other food manufacturers that are changing the food industry today. You were my inspiration, so enjoy!