Gourmet olive oil is an essential component for many professional chefs and home cooks alike when it comes to cooking and cuisine. It’s no surprise that this exquisite oil has grown so popular, with its rich, powerful flavour and various health advantages. However, because of its expensive price, many customers doubt if it’s truly worth the money.

Let’s take a closer look at the elements that determine the price of gourmet extra virgin olive oil, compare the prices to supermarket products, and investigate the benefits of using gourmet extra virgin olive oil in your cooking.

1. What distinguishes gourmet extra virgin olive oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is produced by pressing olives cold without the use of chemicals or solvents. This procedure maintains the natural flavours and fragrances of the olives, resulting in a flavorful and aromatic oil. Gourmet extra virgin olive oil, on the other hand, is thought to be of even higher quality than regular extra virgin olive oil.

Gourmet olive oil is prepared from a specific variety of olives noted for their great flavour and aroma, such as the Pisciottana variety from southern Italy. It is also grown using traditional methods on small, family-run farms. As a result, the oil produces a distinct taste and aroma.

2. A variety of factors influence the price of gourmet olive oil:

As previously stated, gourmet extra virgin olive oil is produced using traditional processes and is generally sourced from small, family-run farms. As a result, the production process becomes more labour intensive and time consuming, raising the overall cost.

Olive variety:

Some olive types, such as the Pisciottana olive from Cilento in Southern Italy, are noted for their outstanding flavour and aroma. These olives are frequently more difficult to farm and generate less oil, which raises the price of the oil produced from them.

Location:

The region in which the olives are grown has a significant impact on the flavour and cost of gourmet extra virgin olive oil. Olives cultivated in Mediterranean settings, for example, are noted for generating high-quality oil, whereas olives grown in other places may be less fragrant or aromatic. Olives encapsulate the aromas and flavours of their environment and surroundings.

Bottling & packaging:

To protect the flavour and aroma of gourmet olive oil, it is generally packed in high-quality, dark glass bottles. This additional expense may have an impact on the overall price of the oil.

3. Cost of Gourmet Olive Oil vs. Supermarket Olive Oil per Meal

When comparing the price of gourmet olive oil to inexpensive supermarket olive oil, consider the cost per meal. This will provide you with a better knowledge of the exact cost of each type of oil and allow you to make an informed purchasing decision.

The exceptional quality of gourmet olive oil is one of its key advantages. This oil is prepared from the best olives and is cold-pressed to preserve its natural flavour and nutritional value. The flavours are superior to inferior extra virgin olive oil products, and you’ll use less of it in each meal. Cheap supermarket olive oil is prepared from lower-quality olives and mixed with other types of oil to provide some form of basic flavour and colour.

When evaluating the cost per meal, the serving size should be taken into account.

A typical serving size of extra virgin olive oil is a generous tablespoon, seeing as an imperial tablespoon is 17ml, let’s say a typical serving of gourmet extra virgin olive oil is 20ml. 

A 500ml bottle of extra virgin olive oil will produce around 25 servings.

Let’s say the gourmet olive oil bottle costs £25, this works out at £1 per meal.

Let’s say the supermarket bottle of extra virgin olive oil cost £10, this works out at 40p per meal. 

Are the flavour and health benefits worth 60p extra per meal? If you consider that often people will use more supermarket extra virgin olive oil per serving to make up for its minimal flavour, lower smoking point and lack of nutrients the numbers mean you should always use gourmet extra virgin olive oil.

Let’s say we use 2 generous tablespoons per serving of supermarket extra virgin oil for every 1 generous tablespoon of gourmet extra virgin olive oil. This means 500ml of supermarket extra virgin oil would make 12.5 servings, let’s round this up to 15 servings.

Let’s say the gourmet bottle of extra virgin olive oil cost £25, this still works out at £1 per meal.

Let’s say the supermarket bottle of extra virgin olive oil cost £10, this now works out at 67p per meal. 

Now we ask the question again, are the flavour and health benefits worth 33p extra per meal?

Conclusion

While gourmet olive oil may seem more expensive at first glance, when you consider the superior flavour, the cost per meal and all of the health benefits, it is unquestionably the way to go..

It’s also worth noting that when you purchase gourmet extra virgin olive oil, you are supporting small-scale farmers and producers who are committed to producing high-quality, sustainable olive oil. This is in contrast to cheap supermarket olive oil which may be sourced from large-scale, industrial producers who may not have the same commitment to quality and sustainability.