Why premium olive oil is surging and how Azouro creates value for speciality retailers & distributors

Premium olive oil is one of the fastest-growing categories in speciality food. Consumers are trading up, cooking more at home, and actively looking for high-quality extra virgin olive oil with provenance and flavour.

For speciality food retailers and distributors, this makes olive oil a powerful way to grow basket spend, drive repeat purchase and build a distinctive premium range. That’s exactly where Azouro Portuguese extra virgin olive oil comes in.

Premium extra virgin olive oil is growing fast

Mainstream and premium retailers are both seeing strong growth in extra virgin olive oil. Waitrose reports a 14% year-on-year increase in extra virgin olive oil sales, reflecting rising consumer interest in high-quality oils.

Waitrose oil buyer Charlotte Kissane notes:

“Extra virgin olive oil is increasingly seen as a versatile product used for baking, drizzling or roasting… We’re also seeing it used as a key ingredient in dishes like sponge cake, flatbreads, and pasta.”

For speciality retailers and food distributors, this trend translates into:

• Customers actively trading up to premium olive oil

• A wider range of usage occasions – cooking, baking, dipping and finishing

• Strong gifting and hamper opportunities, as olive oil becomes a popular alternative to wine

Premium olive oil is no longer a commodity — it’s a high-value speciality product with clear commercial potential.

The “daily spoon” health trend

A growing number of consumers now drink a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil each day, inspired by Mediterranean eating patterns and wellness advice. This behaviour is increasing demand for:

• Authentic, high-quality extra virgin olive oil

• Fresh, flavourful oils with a clear origin story

• Premium brands that health-conscious shoppers trust enough to drink straight

This trend makes well-positioned, origin-focused olive oils like Azouro especially attractive to today’s informed and wellness-led consumer.

Azouro: award-winning Portuguese extra virgin olive oil for speciality retail

Azouro Extra Virgin Olive Oil comes from the PDO-certified Trás-os-Montes region in the Douro Valley, one of Portugal’s most prestigious olive-growing areas.

Key selling points:

• PDO-certified origin for traceability and authenticity

• Great Taste Award winner, ideal for on-shelf communication

• A unique blend of Verdeal, Madural & Cobrançosa olives

• A balanced, fresh and fruity flavour, perfect for drizzling, dipping, cooking and drinking

• Premium packaging that works across core grocery, gifting and hampers

Azouro is a standout Portuguese olive oil that fits naturally into premium farm shops, delis, food halls and high-end gifting selections.

Why stock Azouro in your speciality food range?

For speciality retailers and distributors, Azouro delivers both commercial value and strong storytelling:

• Clear differentiation from mainstream supermarket olive oils

• A provenance-driven brand story your staff can share confidently

• High perceived value and strong margin potential

• Excellent performance in tastings and demos, driving repeat sales

• Flexibility across shelf displays, seasonal promotions and gifting

Perfect for gifting, hampers and trade ups

Premium olive oil is increasingly chosen as a gift for food lovers. Azouro’s quality, regional certification and award-winning flavour make it ideal for:

• Seasonal and year-round gift hampers

• Host and housewarming gifts

• Corporate and hospitality gifting

• Premium Mediterranean or Portuguese product displays

For distributors, Azouro is a compelling addition to any Mediterranean, Portuguese or premium grocery portfolio, with strong consumer appeal and clear points of difference.

Partnering with Gourmet Partners & Brand Builders

At Gourmet Partners and Brand Builders, our Brand Support Managers work closely with speciality retailers and distributors to position Azouro effectively:

• Helping with range placement and category strategy

• Supporting tastings and staff training

• Providing marketing and POS materials to tell the Azouro story in-store

We ensure retailers have everything they need to drive interest and repeat purchases.

Bring Azouro to your customers

With premium extra virgin olive oil in sustained growth and the “daily spoon” trend expanding, now is the ideal time to strengthen your olive oil offering.

Azouro gives speciality retailers and distributors everything modern shoppers want: origin, flavour, authenticity and a story they can believe in.

Oil is definitely back – and Azouro is ready to help you make the most of this growing category.

“Tasty, delicious, simple, clean, and honest flavours, our belief is that there’s no need to complicate what is already perfect.” — Stephen Firth, Azouro

 Want to stock azouro?

If you’re a retail buyer or distributor looking for a brand with real flavour, real integrity, and real consumer momentum

Request samples, pricing, or a trade pack

Email: hello@gourmetpartners.co.uk

To order directly from azouro, visit azouroportugal.com

azouro brings the best of Portugal to your plate and now, with Gourmet Partners & Brand Builders, to shelves across the UK.