The Sicilia PGI Nocellara del Belice monovarietal is recognized among the world’s leading extra virgin olive oils.
Olive Oil Times |
Menfi, Italy — Azienda Agricola Evo Sicily has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the Embrace brand.
Embrace is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity made from Nocellara del Belice. Produced in southwestern Sicily, Embrace is distinguished by bright green fruitiness and a clean, peppery lift, with aromas that recall unripe olive, green almond, tomato leaf and freshly cut grass.
Azienda Agricola Evo Sicily was founded by Carmen Bonfante, who began building the project in 2019 after years of work as a business consultant for wine and olive oil enterprises. A professional sommelier for a decade before turning to olive oil tasting and technical training, Bonfante qualified for the national list of olive oil technicians and experts, joined a Sicilia PGI certification panel and later became a panel leader. Her education spanned six years and included three master’s degrees—quality certification for agri-food supply chains, regional marketing and neuromarketing—along with specialized courses in blending, milling and monovarietal production.
Bonfante’s path into agriculture also drew on early memories of walking the countryside with her grandfather, who worked in agriculture and brought her along on his field rounds. Without family land, she started by renting a plot and taking over the management of abandoned groves, initially covering two hectares. In the Belice Valley near the Selinunte Archaeological Park, the farm’s olive trees grow in a landscape shaped by centuries of Mediterranean culture, where Nocellara del Belice thrives with the support of other native varieties used as pollinators.
At the first harvest, Bonfante produced 1,200 liters of oil, only to face the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic shortly afterward. With restaurants closed and sales channels constrained, the project continued operating while launching solidarity initiatives, including donating part of the proceeds from sales of Embrace to Italy’s Civil Protection to support national health structures.
“We are very happy for this recognition from the panel of the NYIOOC,” said Carmen Bonfante, co-founder of Azienda Agricola Evo Sicily. “We have chosen our brand name for his universal significance, and, with this clear message of openness, we are ready to cross the Italian borders.”
Alongside quality goals, Bonfante has emphasized sustainability and ethical action through the production chain. After receiving the Friends of the Earth certification for the sustainable method applied from harvesting to packaging, Bonfante connected the work in the groves to longer-term responsibility.
“Our goal is to obtain a good product but also make sure that the generations of our children can benefit from our work and enjoy a healthy planet,” said Bonfante, co-founder of Azienda Agricola Evo Sicily.
The 2026 Gold marks the third NYIOOC distinction for Azienda Agricola Evo Sicily, which has earned two Gold Awards and one Silver Award overall, including a Gold in 2025 and a Silver in 2021.
The NYIOOC Gold places Embrace among the world’s elite extra virgin olive oils. In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, Azienda Agricola Evo Sicily is ranked #48 in Italy, #92 in the Northern Hemisphere and #94 Worldwide.
The NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, widely regarded as the world’s leading olive oil quality contest, is a trusted reference for consumers and industry professionals.