Table Olive Competition Information

To enter your table olives in the AIOA table olive competition please click on either of the boxes above. For more information about the competition and entering, please read the detailed information below.

If you do not wish to enter online via the boxes above, you can enter using a hard copy entry form by downloading the PDF version below. Please be sure to complete the Entry Declarations and payment details. Please note that a $20 handling fee applies for hard copy entries.

PDF version: 2023 AIOA Table Olive Competition Entry Form

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Key Dates

ENTRIES OPEN: 1st June 2023

ENTRIES CLOSE: COB Friday, 1st September 2023 (post Australian entries by 11th August to ensure arrival by 1st September 2023.

MAJOR WINNERS ANNOUNCED: 27th October 2023

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Full entry details

Please read below or click on the following to download a PDF version:

PDF version: 2023 AIOA Table Olive Competition Information and Table Olive Frequently Asked Questions

Entries will be tested by an accredited laboratory to ensure they are fit for human consumption and the salt and pH levels are within normal guidelines.

Competition testing requirements are consistent with AOA’s OliveCare® Code of Practice parameters in accordance with The Voluntary Industry Standard for Table Olives in Australia (RIRDC 2012 / Updated January 2020).

Table olives in brine – natural (unpasteurised):

Minimum sodium chloride (NaCl): 6% (a_w <0.975)
Maximum pH: 4.3
Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g)
Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

Table olives in brine – treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (unpasteurised):

Minimum sodium chloride (NaCl): 5% (a_w <0.97)
Maximum pH: 4.0
Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g)
Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

Table olives in brine – Pasteurised:

Maximum pH: 4.3
Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g)
Microbiological Criteria – Lactobacillus: <10 cfu/g
Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

Table olives not in brine – Dehydrated / Shrivelled (non-pasteurised):

Water activity a_w <0.94 (10% NaCl)
Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli: Not detectable (<3 cfu/g).
Microbiological Criteria – Clostridium perfringens: Not detectable (<10 cfu/g)

For more information about The Voluntary Industry Standard for Table Olives in Australia visit: //australianolives.com.au/table-olive-standard/

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Entry Fees (per entry)

To receive the discounted entry fees below; all AOA Financial membership fees MUST be up to date or either paid in advance or at the time of entering the Competition. Invoices for membership will be emailed in early July 2023.

Prices are GST exclusive. International Exhibitors will not be charged GST.	Classes 11-18
Australian and International Table Olives (per exhibit)	$390.00
43% Discount for AOA members (Australian and International) For more information on AOA membership see page 5.	$230.00

Testing costs are included in the entry fees.

All Table Olive Entries will receive a Chemical Testing report for their entries.

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Judging Criteria

Table olives will be assessed on the following characteristics:

visually appealing to eat
absence of blemishes
appealing colour
good flesh texture
olive flavour
acidity
saltiness
residual bitterness
absence of off flavours
overall flavour balance.

SKIN: The skin of the fruit should be fine, smooth and not wrinkled, yet elastic and resistant to handling damage.

BLEMISHES: Blemishes should be absent however some white spots on green olives are natural. Others such as gas pockets or blistering are caused by processing and organisms that will reduce the point score.

COLOUR: Green olives should be bright green to strawy green colour. Some dulling may occur after several months in brine. Lye treated green olives are very bright green. Olives turning colour should be pale pink, and black olives vary from dark pink to black or winey colour.

FLESH: Should be firm but not woody or granular. Green olives should have firm, crisp flesh, ripe or black olives will have softer flesh due to the fruit being more mature than green olives, however it shouldn’t be soggy or flabby.

BITTERNESS: The olive shouldn’t be bitter to taste but some bitterness can be balanced by the amount of saltiness and olive flavour.

SALTINESS: The level of salt governs the flavour of the olive and must be balanced with the bitterness and acidity.

FLAVOUR: the olive should have an appealing fruit flavour, which for green olives often is a typical fermentation taste but retaining ‘olive’ character, and for black olives is a stronger olive flavour. There should be no ‘off’ aromas such as rancid, cheesy or faecal aromas.

SPECIALTY OLIVES: Samples submitted for this award must be visually appealing and an appropriate combination of olive and stuffing. ALL food items used to stuff or flavour olives NEED TO BE sourced from the specified Country of Origin of the entry.

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Table Olive Entry Requirements

Samples required: A minimum of 1.5 kg of olives, packaged in at least three separate commercially labeled containers must be provided for each entry submitted. Any remaining table olives remain the property of the Australian Olive Association Ltd.

All entries should arrive in commercial food grade packaging including glass jars with sealed lids, plastic screw-cap containers or be vacuum packed to prevent damage to the olives, container breakage, spoilage and spillage.

Olive harvest date: Competition entries are NOT restricted to the current year of production. Well processed table olives will last several years and 2023 entries may include 2020-2023 product.

Olive Testing: All table olive entries will undergo physico-chemical and microbiological testing, specifically Minimum sodium chloride (NaCl), / Maximum water activity, Maximum pH, Microbiological Criteria – Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens (if unpasteurised) plus Lactobacillus (if pasteurised). Entries found to be outside of the specifications of the Voluntary Standard for Table Olives in Australia may be ineligible for judging.

Proof of volume: The exhibitor agrees to accede to any reasonable request by the organising committee to prove that any entry submitted by them is commercially available in the volume specified on the entry.

Additional conditions for entrants of Class 18: Specialty Olives: This class is divided into those containing ‘chilli and/or garlic’ and those ‘without chilli and/or garlic’. Entries incorrectly identified may be re-categorised at the Chief Stewards discretion without notice.

For more comprehensive Australian International Olive Awards Conditions of Entry visit: //internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/AIOA-Conditions-of-Entry-2023.pdf

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Awards, Trophies and Decals

Gold Award (86-100 points)

Silver Award (76-85 points)

Bronze Award (65-75 points)

Major Awards

Awards may be given for the following:

BEST TABLE OLIVE OF SHOW – COMMERCIAL VOLUME. Awarded to the highest scoring oil of the day from a producer whose total commercial production exceeds 2000 kilograms. All classes eligible.
BEST TABLE OLIVE OF SHOW – BOUTIQUE VOLUME. Awarded to the highest scoring oil of the day from a producer whose total commercial production is 2000 kilograms or less. All classes eligible.
Best Northern Hemisphere Table Olive
Best Southern Hemisphere Table Olive
Best Australian Table Olive
Champion Green Olives (Class 11) & Reserve Champion
Champion Medley (Class 12) & Reserve Champion
Champion Black Olives (Class 13) & Reserve Champion
Champion Kalamata Olives (Class 14) & Reserve Champion
Champion Wild Olives (Class 15) & Reserve Champion
Champion Dried Olives (Class 16) & Reserve Champion
Champion Flavoured Olives (Class 18) & Reserve Champion

Official Award Decals

2023 Medal Decals and digital medal artwork will be available to order and pay for online. Details of online ordering and postage will be emailed to entrants by Monday the 9th October 2023.

See Conditions of Entry for more information more about Decal use.

Product Images

All products and labels will be photographed with a white background and used for marketing purposes. Entrants will have the opportunity to purchase the high-resolution JPEG image/s of their products to use for their own promotion. Purchasing details will be emailed on the 9th October 2023.

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Results

All entrants will be emailed their personal results by Monday the 9th October 2023. This email will include competition results including any medals won and notification of any major award achievements. The email will include a link to online decal ordering. Medal certificates and any major awards will be will be posted to winning entrants.

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How to Enter

Go to //internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au and complete your online entry by clicking on the EVOO, Flavoured Oils and Table Olives links at the top of the home page. Fill in your entry details and Add to Cart. You can add as many entries in this category as needed. When finished, click View Cart and your entries will be detailed. To enter another category (Flavoured Oils, Table Olives, EVOO) click on the ‘To enter more entries click here’ link at the bottom of the page.
Once you have completed your entries, they will all be in your Cart. When finished, click the Proceed to checkout box. You then need to fill in your contact and company billing details. When you first register with the online entries, you will be emailed a username and password to use to view your entries and make further entries. If you entered the previous AIOA competitions, your username and password will be the same.
Then click on Place Order to make the payment by credit card. All payments will be made in Australian Dollars. You will receive an emailed receipt of the entries you entered and the payment made.
Alternatively, you can download and complete the 2023 Australian International Olive Awards Entry Form from the same webpage. If you use a hard copy entry form you are required to provide credit card details. Your card will be charged on processing and you will be emailed an receipt from the AOA. Be sure to complete the Entry Declarations. A $20 handling fee will be incurred for all paper entries.
Clearly mark each container (tin/jar/tub) with the 4-digit Exhibit ID Code used on this entry form. Use a separate code for each different type of table olive entered. The front label will be photographed so place code sticker at the back of packaging.
Send your adequately packed and labelled entry(s) with a copy of your entry details (online entry receipt or hard copy entry form), oil analysis (classes 1 – 6) and payment receipt to: AIOA Head Steward, Trudie Michels, C/o 8 Alexander Avenue, Cumberland Park SA 5041 Australia. Entries must be received by Friday 1st September 2023.
The AOA recommends that you track your parcel to make sure it reaches the intended address on time. The AOA is not responsible for shipping or customs charges.

IMPORTANT: Carefully wrap each pack individually with bubble wrap or other suitable shock absorbent material to avoid entries being broken during transit. We also recommend placing each wrapped entry into a large plastic Ziplock back. The damage will be contained should the bottle break. Broken entries will not be included for judging and fees will not be refunded.

International Exhibits

For posting entries into Australia

Do not pack your entry in wooden or cardboard boxes that have been used to hold fruit, vegetables, or meat/smallgoods – this packaging is a biosecurity risk.
Do not pack with straw or dried plant material; use newspaper, bubble wrap or foam to wrap fragile goods.
Make sure you fill out the declaration label clearly and correctly, itemising everything inside the package, including any packaging materials you have used.
Clearly label the contents “Olive Oil” and/or “Table Olives”. “Sample, No Commercial Value. Not for sale. Mark them “Food sample for exhibition/competition”.
Entrants will be charged for all customs charges on their international shipping documents should the documents/sample package are not properly prepared.
DHL and FEDEX are recommended international couriers.

If you do not wish to enter online via the boxes above, you can enter using a hard copy entry form by downloading the PDF version here. PDF version: 2023 AIOA Table Olive Competition Entry Form

For details on how to pack and send your AIOA entry samples click here

For more comprehensive Australian International Olive Awards Conditions of Entry visit: //internationaloliveawardsaustralia.com.au/conditions-of-entry/

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Australian International Olive Awards Enquiries

Enquiries regarding the Australian International Olive Awards or general enquiries should be directed to:

Ms Trudie Michels

Competition Convenor & Chief Steward

Phone: 0419 031 527 (+61 419 031 527)

Email: [email protected]

AIOA Table Olive Entries (including evidence of entry payment and online entry receipt/hard copy entry form) can be sent or couriered to:

Head Steward AIOA

Trudie Michels

C/o 8 Alexander Avenue,

Cumberland Park SA 5041

AUSTRALIA

Mobile: +61 419 031 527

Email: [email protected]

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AOA Membership

The Australian Olive Association Ltd (AOA) invites all Australian International Olive Awards exhibitors to become a member of the AOA.

The AOA is the Governments Prescribed Industry Body (PIB) responsible for representing all levy payers in Australia. The AOA is also the peak Industry body that looks after interests of Australian olive growers as well as supporting the broader community of industry participants, including service providers, marketers, our international partners and olive enthusiasts.

As a member of the AOA you will receive a substantial 40% discount ($150/entry) on entry to the inaugural Australian International Olive Awards.
As a new AOA member, you will receive a complimentary copy of the excellent book Olive Growing, which is referred to as “the Olive grower’s bible” (normally $160.00).
AOA members receive discounts to industry run events such as workshops, training seminars and the annual National Olive Industry Conference & Trade Exhibition.
AOA members are also eligible to become Signatories to the OliveCare® Code of Best Practice.
AIOA testing is also accepted for compliance with OliveCare® requirements.
The AOA sends regular information and newsletters via email, and social media. AOA pages have industry focus //www.facebook.com/AustralianOliveAssociationLtd and consumer focus //www.facebook.com/AustralianExtraVirgin/
For more information visit australianolives.com.au