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Most people either love olives — or avoid them like the plague. That’s about to change.
An Australian-first innovation is flipping the script on table olives, turning what was once a bitter, high-labour product into a fruity, fast-tracked, low-cost powerhouse. And it’s got the potential to put Australia on the global culinary map.
Meet “Olives the Australian Way” — a revolutionary method developed by Professor John Fielke from the University of South Australia. His patented system rethinks everything: no fermentation, no flavour degradation, and no wasteful brine dumping. The result? Olives with tasting notes like passionfruit, citrus, and berries — yes, you read that right — that are ready in under five months from harvest.
“We’re not degrading the oil or fermenting it away,” says Fielke. “We’re crafting a new kind of olive — bold, bright, and surprisingly fruity.”
It’s not just about flavour. The method drastically cuts water use, slashes labour costs, and shrinks the entire processing timeline — all while keeping quality sky-high.
Lower Costs, Less Waste — and a Way Back for Struggling Farmers
One farmer already seeing the difference is George Kratopoulos in South Australia. Years ago, he scaled back his family’s grove from 14,000 trees to just 3,000 due to high labour costs and razor-thin margins. Now? He’s back in the game.
“We’re harvesting straight into brine,” Kratopoulos says. “That means less labour, less bruising, and almost zero waste. It’s a win-win.”
Before this breakthrough, George needed 20 workers just to hand-pick table olives for market. Now he can machine-harvest — saving time, money, and a mountain of effort.
“We were ready to walk away from the industry. Now we’re expanding.”
From 3,000 to 100,000 Tonnes: A National Opportunity
Right now, most of the olives on Aussie shelves are imported. Domestic production? Just 3,000 tonnes annually. But the new method is already proving it can scale — Fielke and his wife Sue processed 82 tonnes this season, aiming to triple that next year.
The big vision? Hit 100,000 tonnes over the next 10–15 years. But that’ll take more than just clever chemistry.
“We need more trees, more growers, and more automated bulk-processing facilities,” says Fielke. “The opportunity is real — but we need to move.”
Michael Southan from the Australian Olive Association agrees: this tech could shift the entire landscape.
“It’s not just for Australia. This method has global potential — but to win locally, we need to scale fast.”
Even diehard traditionalists are coming around. Mount Zero Olives’ Richard Seymour, once a fermentation purist, now calls the flavour “beautiful” — with fresh, grassy notes like top-shelf extra virgin olive oil.
“This is how we differentiate Australia from the rest of the world. It’s time to market our olives not just as local — but as premium.”
Want to See the Future of Aussie Olives Up Close?
This game-changing innovation is already making waves — and we’re just getting started.
Visit our website to learn how you can partner, invest, or bring premium Aussie-grown olives to your business.
Taste the change. Back local. Be part of the olive revolution.
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