Uruguayan producer recognized for Antigua Colina and Olivares de Rocha in a strong year for Southern Hemisphere quality
Olive Oil Times |
Rocha, Uruguay — Nuevo Manantial has been awarded a Gold and a Silver at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for its Antigua Colina and Olivares de Rocha brands.
Olivares de Rocha earned a 2026 Silver in the medium intensity category. Marked by a balanced profile, Olivares de Rocha is distinguished by herbal aromas, ripe olive character and a lift of artichoke, with a subtle pink pepper note that builds through the finish.
Nuevo Manantial also secured a 2026 Gold for Antigua Colina in the robust intensity category, underscoring the range that Uruguayan producers are increasingly demonstrating on the global stage. Together, the awards position Antigua Colina and Olivares de Rocha among the year’s recognized extra virgin olive oils in a competition that producers and buyers use as a reference for quality.
Nuevo Manantial is a Uruguayan agribusiness company with an area of approximately 25,000 hectares dedicated to the cultivation of olive trees, forestry, beekeeping, livestock and an important alternative energy enterprise. The breadth of activity reflects the diversified structure that has become more common among large-scale agricultural operators in Uruguay, where olive growing has developed alongside other rural industries and has increasingly been oriented toward international markets.
The 2026 results build on Nuevo Manantial’s established competition record at the NYIOOC. The producer’s full NYIOOC history now stands at five awards overall: two Gold and three Silver. In recent editions, Nuevo Manantial earned one Silver in 2024 and one Silver in 2023, following a Gold in 2022, a track record that has helped maintain continuity and visibility for Uruguayan extra virgin olive oil as producers work to grow exports and strengthen local appreciation for fresh, high-quality oils.
In the Olive Oil Times report “Producers in Uruguay See Awards Fueling Exports, Local Olive Oil Culture,” producers described how international recognition has supported commercial outreach abroad while also encouraging consumer attention at home. Nuevo Manantial’s 2026 Gold for Antigua Colina and Silver for Olivares de Rocha reflect that dynamic, adding new results that can be used in export conversations while reinforcing Uruguay’s presence in the broader Southern Hemisphere production landscape.
In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, Nuevo Manantial is ranked #2 in Uruguay, #29 in the Southern Hemisphere and #108 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.