Chilean producer earns top honors for Santiago Premium and O-Live & Co at the world’s leading olive oil quality contest
Olive Oil Times |
Santiago, Chile — Olivos del Sur has been awarded two Gold Awards at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, earning top recognition for the Santiago Premium brand and O-Live & Co.
Olivos del Sur received a Gold Award for Santiago Premium, a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil produced from Arbequina. The oil is distinguished by notes of artichoke, herbs and garlic, followed by a black-pepper kick that builds on the finish. Olivos del Sur also earned a Gold Award for O-Live & Co, recognized in the delicate category, underscoring the range of styles the producer has brought to the 2026 results.
The awards add to a competition record that now stands at seven NYIOOC honors overall, including three Gold and four Silver Awards. Olivos del Sur previously won a Gold in 2020 and went on to collect Silver Awards in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025 before returning to the top tier with two Gold Awards in 2026.
Olivos del Sur was founded in 2004 in a region nestled between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, where long, hot summers and mild, wet winters create conditions well suited to olive cultivation. On its 2,600-hectare estate, Olivos del Sur grows olives in a high-density grove system and mechanically harvests fruit at peak ripeness. Milling takes place on-site, with Olivos del Sur extracting and bottling within a few hours of harvest in facilities located in the heart of the estate.
In earlier reporting, Olivos del Sur was described as a catalyst for change in Chile’s olive sector, tracing its origins to a road trip through Spain that helped shape a project that would later scale rapidly. Over time, Olivos del Sur has focused on applying precision agriculture and sustainability practices as it expanded production, aligning orchard management and milling decisions with the goal of consistently producing high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
At the 2026 NYIOOC, the Gold Award for Santiago Premium, produced from Arbequina, highlights Olivos del Sur’s work with a cultivar that can deliver aromatic oils when harvested and processed quickly. The Gold Award for O-Live & Co in the delicate category further demonstrates how Olivos del Sur is able to deliver a lighter style alongside more assertive profiles within the same competition year.
The 2026 results place Olivos del Sur among the top-performing producers in the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, where it is ranked #3 in Chile, #17 in the Southern Hemisphere and #81 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.