We Didn't Win the Platinum Award at London IOOC 2026. We Planted It.

The Platinum award was presented in London.

Its story began much earlier, in the olive groves of Aydın.

When people see an olive oil award, it is easy to focus on the moment of recognition: the judges, the scores, the medal. Yet every award-winning olive oil is the result of thousands of decisions made long before a bottle is filled.

For NizOlive, Platinum at the London International Olive Oil Competition 2026 was not created in a judging room. It was shaped by the Aegean landscape, by the Memecik olive variety, and by a family's commitment to growing olives in western Türkiye.

The award recognised a single harvest.

What it really reflected was everything that came before it.

Aydın: Where the Story Begins

NizOlive's groves are located in Aydın, one of Türkiye's most important olive-growing regions.

This part of the Aegean is defined by long, hot summers, mild winters and steady coastal winds that influence the character of the fruit throughout the growing season.

Olive cultivation has shaped the landscape here for centuries, with knowledge passed from one generation to the next.

For NizOlive founder Nebi Yorgun, olive growing is not a recent business opportunity. It is part of a family heritage rooted in the village of Naipli and connected to the agricultural traditions of the region.

Every harvest begins with the same foundation: healthy trees, healthy soil and careful stewardship of the grove.

Before There Was an Award, There Was a Tree

Long before judges assessed flavour profiles and quality standards, there were Memecik olive trees growing under the Aegean sun.

The Memecik variety is one of Türkiye's most distinctive olive cultivars and is closely associated with the Aegean region. It is valued for producing extra virgin olive oils with vibrant fruitiness, herbaceous aromas and a characteristic peppery finish.

These sensory qualities are not created in the bottle. They begin in the grove.

The variety itself contributes its own personality, but climate, soil, rainfall and seasonal conditions all play a role in shaping the final flavour.

Each harvest tells a slightly different story.

A Year's Worth of Decisions

Great olive oil is not made in a single day.

It is the result of decisions made throughout the year.

When should the trees be pruned?

How should water resources be managed during the hottest months?

How should the grove be monitored as the fruit develops?

When is the ideal moment to harvest?

Every choice influences the quality of the olives and, ultimately, the flavour of the oil.

This is why olive oil should be viewed first as an agricultural product rather than a manufactured one. The character of an extra virgin olive oil is determined long before the milling process begins.

The Decision That Matters Most: Early Harvest

Among all the decisions made during the season, one has perhaps the greatest impact on flavour.

When to harvest.

At NizOlive, the olives are harvested before they are fully ripe.

This approach requires accepting lower yields. Green olives contain less oil than fully ripened fruit, meaning fewer litres are produced from the same grove.

It is a choice that demands more work and often greater cost.

Yet it is also the key to producing oils with freshness, intensity and complexity.

Early harvest olives preserve the vibrant aromas and polyphenol-rich characteristics that define high-quality extra virgin olive oil.

For us, flavour comes before volume.

The Race Against Time

Harvesting is only the beginning.

The moment an olive leaves the tree, natural processes begin to affect its quality.

This is why speed matters.

To preserve freshness and protect the sensory qualities of the fruit, NizOlive olives are transported quickly and cold pressed within hours of harvest.

Careful handling during this stage helps retain the aromas and flavours developed in the grove.

The goal is simple: capture the character of the olive at its peak.

What Makes Memecik Olive Oil Distinctive?

The flavour profile of our early harvest Memecik extra virgin olive oil reflects both variety and place.

Typical tasting notes include:

• Fresh-cut grass

• Green almond

• Wild herbs

• Leafy green aromas

• A balanced peppery finish

These characteristics are often associated with freshly harvested green olives and careful extraction methods.

The result is an olive oil that brings brightness and character to food, whether drizzled over vegetables, paired with bread, finished over grilled fish or used in everyday cooking.

Platinum at London IOOC 2026

The judges at the London International Olive Oil Competition 2026 awarded NizOlive Platinum.

We are proud of that recognition.

Awards matter because they help validate the work that takes place throughout the season.

But awards are not the destination.

They are a reflection of a harvest.

For growers and producers, the work begins again almost immediately.

The next season brings different weather patterns, different challenges and a new opportunity to produce olive oil that expresses its place and time.

Looking Beyond the Medal

The Platinum award recognises one harvest.

But our focus remains unchanged.

Each season begins with the same commitment to caring for the grove, harvesting at the right moment and preserving the flavour and freshness that define NizOlive.

The medal was awarded in London.

But its roots remain firmly planted in Aydın.

Because we didn't win Platinum.

We planted it.

Our Awards

FAQs:

What is the London International Olive Oil Competition (London IOOC)?

The London International Olive Oil Competition is an international quality competition that evaluates extra virgin olive oils through professional judging panels and recognised assessment standards.

What is the Memecik olive variety?

Memecik is a traditional olive cultivar native to western Türkiye. It is known for producing oils with pronounced fruitiness, herbaceous aromas and a peppery finish.

Why are early harvest olives important?

Early harvest olives contain less oil, resulting in lower yields, but they often produce more vibrant and flavourful extra virgin olive oils with greater intensity and freshness.

What does cold pressed mean?

Cold pressing refers to extracting olive oil at controlled temperatures to help preserve flavour, aroma and quality.

Where is NizOlive olive oil produced?

NizOlive is produced from Memecik olives grown in Aydın, Türkiye, with roots in the village of Naipli in the Aegean region.