The popularity of olives in New Zealand continues to increase as consumers explore new tastes or embrace European food styles. While on a visit to Spain Food & Beverage Today writer ROBYN YOUSEF had the opportunity to tour an olive factory and learn more about the process before they reach your plate.

While the ultra modern Aceitunas Barruz factory is now based in a busy industrial subdivision on the southern outskirts of Madrid, the family business exporting Spanish olives to all over the world began as a farm-based business 50 years ago.

As soon as you step into the Barruz family’s business headquarters, you feel a sense of history. It’s hard to avoid as just past the entrance is a door marked El Museo and I felt very honoured to be given a guided tour of this museum as well as the factory by the export manager, Manuel Barruz.

I was in Spain with my husband attending the International Club de Gourmets Exhibition in Madrid when we were invited out for as tour of the factory. The spouse was interested in looking at the export potential, while I was looking forward to tasting some excellent Spanish olives. One of my greatest regrets in life is that I didn’t try an olive until I was 40 years old and I’m still trying to make up for the lost time …

Aceitunas Barruz, which was started by Manuel’s grandfather on the family olive grove, now handles more than 30 different varieties of olives. In the museum, fading pictures show those early days when packing was done in the farm sheds. Many family photographs are on display and Manuel’s grandfather’s hat remains there in pride of place on the wall.

The olive, which was introduced to Spain many centuries ago, flourishes in Spain’s warm climate and olive cultivation and olive oil processing are inextricably linked to the history of the country.

Seville (also known for its famous oranges) is arguably the leading province in Spain’s olive production with a comprehensive range of olives – such as Manzanilla and Queen. From the province of Badajoz - the country’s largest province which borders on Portugal in the West come the varieties of Manzanilla, Verdiales. While Cáceres produces the rich Cacereñas black olive and Camporreal type; Cordova is known for Hojiblancas olives and Malaga for rich Aloreñas olives. Zaragoza grows the specialties of Caspe and Aragón olives and Murcia produces Cuquillo olives.

In their high tech factory, which was built five years ago, Aceitunas Barruz staff prepares stuffed, pitted and plain olives as well as a big range of pickles including onions, gherkins and artichoke hearts. like onions, gherkins, etc. Our products are packaged in Buckets, containers, Jars and now also in packages of Pet. For any question does not doubt contacting

Working with all the leading European supermarkets, the company also exports to many overseas countries including Japan, Canada and Australia. Discussions are under way to establish an agent in New Zealand.

“Throughout the company’s history, we have been incorporating new values, new illusions, new techniques and new necessities extending the range of our products,” Manuel says.

Manuel works alongside his sister and brother in the business. And as a father to two daughters and three sons (who all adore olives!) he is confident the business will continue as a family concern for many decades to come.

The art of bringing the olive to your table

(Courtesy of the website www.aceitunasbarruz.com)

Each year the process begins in the rich countryside of Andalusia and Estremadura. The olives are harvested there using the ordeño technique. That means the olives are picked by hand and placed in a basket that each picker carries, and later each basketful is carefully deposited into plastic containers for transport.

When they arrive at the factory, the olives are left to cool for several days. This is necessary in order for the olives to reach the perfect ripeness.

Once this is accomplished, they are put into fermentation tanks (which have a capacity of 10,000 kilos) and here is where the industrial process really begins.

Before they are treated, the olives are boiled in a brine solution, removing their bitterness. There is no one treatment. In fact, there are as many different types of treatments as there are olives on the market. Moreover, the selection is based on the quality, size, and origin of each fruit, creating a vast array of products.

But, the key to success is in the seasoning and Aceitunas Barruz, jealously guard their secret ingredients!

Finally, the olives are packaged in cans, containers, or barrels and sent to customers all over the world for olive aficionados to enjoy.