Silver medal in the ATHENA IOOC 2022 | ZAKROS ADELΦΟS

The 30 internationally renowned judges, with impressive resumes and experience in the production, research, marketing and evaluation of olive oil, visited olive groves, archaeological sites, olive mills and beautiful villages. They got to know up close the historic olive growing province that continues the tradition of olive cultivation uninterrupted, since the Minoan era. They thus got a taste of "life around the olive tree", our life.

Fan Fact: Tasters, olive growers, catering professionals, chemists, agronomists, quality control specialists, business consultants, academics and people of specialty around the production, quality and trade of olive oil, made up the jury from 12 countries.

The tasting judges, honored with their visit the three-phase olive mill of the Agricultural Cooperative of Zakros on April 6th. They had the opportunity to take a tour to our facilities and taste the unique traditional Cretan dishes prepared by the ladies of Zakros.

They also tried the extra virgin olive oil PDO Sitia ADELΦOS which participated in the competition and which to our joy was distinguished in the ATHENA IOOC with a silver medal, among top olive oils from various olive producing countries of the world. The extra virgin olive oil of Zakros, ADELΦOS, delicate and fruity of medium intensity, moderately spicy and bitter, impressed the judges who praised its delicate aromas and balanced, fresh character.

Ladies of Zakros, many of whom are also olive oil producers of the Agricultural Cooperative of Zakros, prepared, from fermented Koroneiki olives, to dakos, fava beans, mizithropitas and dolmades, all of course with extra virgin olive oil ADELΦOS, the cook's fraternal friend!

Photo: pouring ADELΦOS olive oil over the dako with the freshly grated tomato and Cretan herbs.

Fan fact: Characteristic of the versatility of the extra virgin olive oil of Zakros, ADELΦOS, is that it is suitable not only for savory dishes and snacks, but also for desserts such as the traditional xerotigana (sweets made from flour, honey and nuts) and kalitsounia (cheese pies made with honey, flower-water and goat cheese) which were tasted by the judges of the International Competition ATHENA IOΟC 2022.

The visit of the judges left us with the best impressions and with many smiles! Even if we spoke different languages, our shared devotion to the blessed tree, united us in more ways than words could. We thank the organization of ATHENA IOOC and especially the Municipality of Sitia, the Development Organization of Sitia and the Chamber of Lasithi, who honored our olive mill with this visit, we also thank the judges for their valuable opinions and presence. The competition, which bears the name of the goddess Athena, highlights the olive-producing history and importance of Greece as an olive oil producer and homeland of the olive tree, all around the world.

May the olive tree and its gold, always become the occasion for such productive meetings full of light!

A few words about the product and our Cooperative

The unity of the producers of the Zakros Agricultural Cooperative, as well as the long-term friendships with the visitors of Zakros and consumers of its olive oil, inspired the design of the "ADELΦOS" series with the Minoan dolphins, a timeless symbol of friendship and joy as well as a symbol of the sunny Mediterranean and seafaring voyages of commerce and pleasure, from antiquity to the present day. Voyages that connect good food with the whole world.

The Zakros Agricultural Olive Cooperative officially exists since 1936. Today, its 500 producers and their families produce olive oil in unison. They grow olives of the Koroneiki variety within the boundaries of the Sitia Global Geopark, with respect for the environment, application of quality agricultural production model and the support of science. Their dedicated expertise in olive cultivation has made Zakros an "Olive Oil Politeia", a community with continuous development of knowledge and cooperation.

Know more about ADELΦΟS EVOO PDO Sitia Lasithiou Kritis

Explore the history of the Agricultural Cooperative of Zakros