The Croatian producers earned the award for a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil made from Dalmatian cultivars.
Olive Oil Times |
Šibenik, Croatia — OPG Vjeran Paić i Nikica Cukrov has been awarded a Gold at the 2026 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition for the OPG Vjeran Paić i Nikica Cukrov Oblica brand.
OPG Vjeran Paić i Nikica Cukrov Oblica is a medium-intensity extra virgin olive oil made from Oblica, Levantinka, Lastovka and Krvavica. Marked by herbaceous notes, the oil carries an olive-leaf freshness alongside arugula and radish, building to a clean peppery sensation on the finish.
On the slopes of Zgona near the historic town of Šibenik, overlooking the Adriatic Sea, the Škarica family’s olive-growing tradition spans five generations. The latest chapter has centered on 333 autochthonous Oblica trees planted on the site, a grove that reflects a broader revival of olive cultivation across Dalmatia.
OPG Vjeran Paić i Nikica Cukrov gained international attention in 2023, when Nikica Cukrov, a former footballer, and Vjeran Paić, his son-in-law and a lawyer, earned a Silver Award at the NYIOOC. Cukrov, who played for Hajduk Split and other Croatian clubs during the Yugoslav era, turned more fully toward agriculture after a health scare, focusing on family roots tied to farming and fishing on the island of Prvić.
The two expanded from an initial planting of roughly 60 olive trees on land near Šibenik to several hundred more trees, relying primarily on local varieties. Before planting, they carried out soil analysis with the Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation and, in their day-to-day work, followed professional guidance on agronomic practices and timely harvesting and milling. They have also explored irrigation options for their groves, weighing approaches such as drip irrigation and sprinkling in a region where dry conditions can make water management decisive.
The 2026 Gold brings OPG Vjeran Paić i Nikica Cukrov’s overall NYIOOC record to one Gold and one Silver. In the Olive Oil Times World Ranking, OPG Vjeran Paić i Nikica Cukrov is ranked #53 in Croatia, #124 in the Northern Hemisphere and #126 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.