The Korea International Olive Oil Competition (KIOOC) 2026, Korea’s only international olive oil competition, has completed its final round of judging and officially announced the winners.
Now in its second year, the competition attracted entries from nine countries, including Spain, Italy, Greece and Japan. Following a rigorous blind-tasting process conducted in accordance with International Olive Council (IOC) standards, a total of 86 olive oils received Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze awards.
The competition’s highest distinction, the Platinum Award, was presented to Nine outstanding brands across five distinct categories:
* Monocultivar: Alalma del Olivo Cornicabra (Spain), Quattrociocchi Olivastro (Italy)
* Blend: Laudemio Fattoria di Maiano (Italy), Kunisaki Qlive Garden Qlive (Japan)
* Organic: Goya Organics (Spain), Brunera (Italy)
* PDO/PGI : Romano Ortice Riserva (Italy), Terra Creta Kriti (Greece)
* Infused: Petra Chili (Jordan)
[Photo 1] Emmanouil Karpadakis, chief judge of KIOOC 2026, evaluates olive oil entries during the competition’s final judging session.
According to the organizing committee, the competition aims to provide consumers with objective quality benchmarks based on internationally recognized evaluation standards, moving beyond purchasing decisions driven primarily by marketing, packaging or price. The committee noted that Platinum-winning brands from the inaugural competition recorded average sales growth of more than 300 percent in the Korean market following their recognition.
[Photo 2] Lee Jung-suk (center), chairman of the KIOOC Organizing Committee, speaks at the 360° Olive Oil Foundation Masterclass, outlining the future of Korea’s premium olive oil market.
“The purpose of this competition is to help Korean consumers identify and select high-quality olive oils based on objective standards,” said Lee Jung-suk, chairman of the KIOOC organizing committee.
“As consumer interest in premium olive oil continues to grow, we will continue to promote internationally recognized evaluation standards and communicate the true value of high-quality olive oils. We also hope to strengthen connections with Jeju, Korea’s leading olive-growing region, and contribute to the development of the domestic olive oil industry,” Lee said.
Media ContactCompany Name: KIOOCContact Person: KIM JI INEmail: Send EmailCountry: South KoreaWebsite: www.kiooc.com
