The Brač producer earned another top distinction for a Levantinka extra virgin olive oil from groves overlooking Bol and Zlatni Rat Beach.
Olive Oil Times |
Bol, Croatia — OPG Nikola Bodlovic has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the M I Olive brand.
M I Olive is an extra virgin olive oil of medium intensity, produced from the indigenous Levantinka cultivar on the island of Brač. M I Olive is distinguished by ripe notes woven through sensations of artichoke, green tomato, fig leaf and olive leaf, a profile shaped by careful harvesting and rapid processing designed to preserve freshness and aromatic clarity.
OPG Nikola Bodlovic is a small family business based on Brač, where 260 olive trees are grown in Bol between the mountains and the Adriatic coast near Zlatni Rat Beach. The family handpicks the olives each year and presses them within a few hours of harvesting, a practice that reflects a focus on timing and handling as central to quality.
The roots of M I Olive are closely tied to Bol and to the family behind the grove. In earlier recognition at the NYIOOC, M I Olive earned a Gold Award in 2023 for a Levantinka monovarietal, an achievement that came during a difficult period for the people involved in the project. In an Olive Oil Times interview that year, Ivan Pfeiffer dedicated the award to his late wife, Magdalena, a co-founder of M I Olive. “I dedicate the award to my beloved wife Magdalena, who is most responsible for our success,” said Ivan Pfeiffer, owner at M I Olive. “It’s an incredible feeling.”
Over time, the team’s approach has combined traditional harvest work with practical steps intended to bring the oil to market under its own identity. In the 2023 interview, Pfeiffer described the decision to bottle and brand the oil as a turning point, moving away from selling in larger formats and putting more effort into packaging and presentation while maintaining a tight harvest-to-mill window.
The 2026 Gold adds to a growing record at the world’s leading quality contest. OPG Nikola Bodlovic has earned three Gold Awards and one Silver Award at the NYIOOC, including a Gold in 2025, a Silver in 2024 and a Gold in 2023.
The 2026 NYIOOC Gold places M I Olive among the world’s elite extra virgin olive oils. In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, OPG Nikola Bodlovic is ranked #23 in Croatia, #79 in the Northern 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.