NEW YORK – The health benefits and delicious flavors of Greek olives highlighted the “Olive You” European Table Olive Campaign special event European Black Natural Olives from Greece on February 27 at Kyma in Manhattan. Members of the press were invited to taste the varied and delectable natural Greek olives and appetizers featuring olives, prepared by Kyma Executive Chef Chris Christou.

On the menu at the event were a classic Greek salad, olive tapenade, a variety of spreads, crudite, focaccia bread with olives, and toasted pita bread with olive oil and oregano.

Yanna Darilis, President and CEO of New Greek TV, gave the welcoming remarks at the event and introduced Chef Chris Christou who spoke about the versatility of Greek olives and about the recipes he prepared for the event. He noted the perhaps best-known Greek olive, the Kalamata, for its texture and flavor which complements many dishes in Greek cuisine.

Darilis also spoke about the well-known health benefits of Greek olives with their anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. She also noted that natural Greek olives also contain probiotics which are essential for good digestion.

Darilis told The National Herald that “I am a holistic nutritionist specializing in physical activity, but also a television reporter specializing in living well, travel, health and wellness. We called the press here today to introduce them to European table olives, because they are primarily a natural product. The amazing thing about Greek black olives is that they naturally ripen on the olive tree. I underline the fact that there are not many other countries that can support this.”

Grown naturally, without artificial ripening methods, European Black Natural Olives from Greece are viewed as a healthy alternative to the more familiar Commercial Black Olives.

Due to the fact that European Black Natural Olives from Greece ripen naturally on the tree without artificial methods, they are seen as healthier than Commercial Black Olives, which are ripened and colored by artificial methods. Commercial trade types, like those mentioned here, are defined by Codex Alimentarius International Food Standards. This Commercial type of European Black Natural Olives has been traditionally produced in Greece for decades, with olive growers collecting them manually, by handpicking the naturally ripe black olives daily from the olive trees, to be transported to the processing plants, where these commercial black natural olives are exported to the United States and other worldwide markets.

In addition to the mandatory labeling of the “Black Natural Olives” on their packaging, European Black Natural Olives can be easily be differentiated when checked closely with the naked eye. One can easily see that the olives are all a bit different in color between them, and have minor differences in appearance, as anything handcrafted/handmade is never exactly the same, as in shoes or clothing, so it goes with Natural Black Olives.

European Black Natural Olives from Greece offer great benefits as they retain their original nutrients, in comparison to artificial processing techniques applied by other olive producing countries to black olives that greatly reduce the olive’s nutrients.

The Greek olive industry is optimistic after the Office of the United States Trade Representative exempted Greek olives from the latest round of Retaliatory Tariffs on the European Union. Commercial Black Olives, like those imported from Spain, were hit with a 25% tariff, opening opportunities for Greece to increase its presence in the U.S. market.

Among those present were the Director of the Office of Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Consulate General of Greece in New York Georgios Michailidis, Economic & Commercial Affairs Attache Vasilios Liveris, Maria and Tasos Pardalis, as well as many members of the press.

Yanna Darilis and Executive Chef Chris Christou at the “Olive You” European Table Olive Campaign special event European Black Natural Olives from Greece on February 27 at Kyma in Manhattan. Photo by Eleni Sakellis

PEMETE (Panhellenic Association of Table Olive Processors, Packers, and Exporters) is a professional association, founded in 1970, that promotes the interests of table olive exporters. The members of PEMETE are Greek companies all of whom process their end products in accordance with the existing Food Safety Regulation 852/2004.

The 53 member-companies of PEMETE represent more than 90% of Greece’s exports of table olives to more than 100 countries. These companies export some outstanding and unique Greek table olive varieties, such as: Konservolia- farmed in Central Greece, Chalkidiki- in Northern Greece, and Kalamata- mainly but not exclusively – farmed in the regions of Etoloakarnania, Laconia, and Phtiotida. The greatest advantage of Greek table olives is that the olives “ripen” naturally on the olive trees.

More information is available online: www.oliveyou-eu.eu and via email: [email protected] / [email protected].