The U.S. producer was recognized for five medium-intensity extra virgin olive oils, including California Olive Ranch Miller’s Blend.
Olive Oil Times |
Chico, United States — California Olive Ranch has been awarded a Silver at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the California Olive Ranch Miller’s Blend brand.
California Olive Ranch Miller’s Blend is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity, marked by herbaceous notes that lend a fresh, savory character suited to everyday cooking and finishing.
In a strong showing at the 2026 competition, California Olive Ranch also earned Silver Awards for California Olive Ranch 100% California and California Olive Ranch Arbosana, a medium-intensity monovarietal produced from Arbosana olives. The producer’s portfolio was further distinguished by two Gold Awards for Lucini Italia Premium Select and Lucini Italia Premium Select Organic, both medium-intensity extra virgin olive oils.
California Olive Ranch has emphasized rapid milling and careful handling as central to maintaining quality, cold pressing olives within hours to preserve a fresh, fruity character. Sustainably grown by California family farmers, California Olive Ranch extra virgin olive oils are positioned for versatility, spanning daily meal preparation and finishing applications.
California Olive Ranch has also highlighted regenerative agriculture as part of its long-term strategy to navigate the state’s increasingly hot and dry climate. In 2023, Michael Fox, the chief executive of California Olive Ranch, told Olive Oil Times that the company was implementing practices intended to build healthier soils and improve overall ecosystem resilience, including planting cover crops, reducing tillage, composting pruned branches, pomace and wastewater, grazing livestock in groves and reducing synthetic fertilizers. Fox added that California Olive Ranch was investing in research to quantify the impact of these practices on high-density olive trees and share results with other growers.
The 2026 results add to a long competition record for California Olive Ranch. Across its full NYIOOC history, California Olive Ranch has earned 25 Gold and 23 Silver Awards, including 2 Gold and 7 Silver in 2025, 4 Gold and 1 Silver in 2024, and multiple awards in every year listed back to 2015.
The strong performance also reinforces California Olive Ranch’s standing in the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, where the producer is ranked #1 in the United States, #2 in the Northern Hemisphere and #3 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.