Latest news with #FilippoBerio
Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
'I compared supermarket olive oils - best was £7.50 cheaper than popular brand'
Extra virgin olive oil is one of the most expensive grocery items in the supermarkets, with some premium brands coming with an eyewatering price tag, but which tastes the best? All extra virgin olive oil is derived from cold-pressed olives, while standard olive oil is a blend that includes processed oils. This makes extra virgin olive oil the healthier option as it retains more of the natural antioxidants and vitamins that can be lost during processing. However, extra virgin olive oil is among some of the priciest items on supermarket shelves, with some costing over £25. The popular ingredient, which is typically sourced in European countries, is incredibly versatile - ideal for drizzling over salads, using as a base for pasta sauces, swirling atop soups and of course, dipping your sourdough bread into. To help you determine if the most expensive extra virgin olive oil brands are worth splashing out on, Express journalist Andrea Partrone put ten different brands to the test. Filippo Berio "Starting off with one of the UK's most popular oil brands, Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil had a nice colour and thick consistency; however, in terms of flavour, there wasn't anything special about it. "Retailing for £14 to £16 per litre, there are certainly better options ahead that are far cheaper." Rating: 6/10 Il Casolare "Golden in colour and full of flavour. It's striking how smooth this £16 extra virgin olive oil is – silky, almost. I like this: it tastes like olives and artichokes; however, I wasn't a fan of the peppery, almost spicy finish." Rating: 8.5/10 Asda "Reminiscent of green herbs and tomato plants, I found this £7.38 oil from Asda really pleasing and surprising, not least for its persistent, peppery notes. "A great working oil that I would happily use for day-to-day cooking and dressings." Rating: 8/10 Tesco "Considering this wasn't the cheapest of the lot, this £7 Tesco olive oil was probably the worst one. "It felt thin in the mouth, and there was no hint of olive flavour. Perhaps this oil is best kept for stews and soups." Rating: 3/10 Morrisons "This £8.40 option from Morrisons was a little better than Tesco's, but not by much. It's got a much more grassy taste than some of the other offerings, rather than olive." Rating: 4/10 Aldi "Coming in at £6.49, the flavour was pretty good, better than a few of the other supermarket brands. "But the consistency was just a tad too thick, and left my salad wet and soggy, unfortunately." Rating: 5.5/10 Lidl "Considering a bottle of extra virgin olive oil costs £4.99 at Lidl, I can't believe how good it was. "It has a nice, strong olive flavour, but I found that it was a little too thick." Rating: 8/10 Sainsbury's "There wasn't as much flavour to the Sainsbury's £7 one, nor did it add much to my salad, as some of the others I tried. "But on the bright side, the consistency was perfect, leaving my veggies not too soggy." Rating: 6/10 Marks & Spencer "Coming in as the most expensive supermarket brand of extra virgin olive oil, this £9 option from Marks and Spencer had a great texture. It's nice and light, so you could drizzle it over any meal for an added oomph. "However, while the initial flavour was nice, I wasn't a fan of the aftertaste." Rating: 7.5/10 Waitrose "I was very impressed with the light, subtle taste of the Waitrose extra virgin olive oil, which was still peppery but smooth. The consistency is also thinner than some other oils on the market, making it ideal for covering lettuce. The only downside of this was the slightly pricey cost of £8.50, but it wasn't the most expensive." Rating: 10/10
Telegraph
21-02-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Middle-class relief as olive oil prices finally fall
Olive oil prices have started to fall from record highs in a boost for middle-class kitchens. The average price of best-selling supermarket olive oils has declined steeply over the past six months, data show, in the wake of a bumper harvest of Spanish olives. The cost of a 500ml bottle of own-label oil in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons dropped by an average of 7.8pc to £5.30 over the six months to Feb 17, according to data firm Assosia. The cost of the same size bottle of Napolina oil, meanwhile, dropped 12.3pc to £6.98 over the same period, while a bottle of Filippo Berio dropped 7.5pc to £9.21. Olive oil prices soared to an all-time high last year, rising 150pc between 2021 and 2024, amid a collapse in production caused by extreme weather and droughts across much of southern Europe. Spain produces two fifths of the world's olive oil and is an international benchmark for prices. Both Napolina and Filippo Berio, though Italian brands, use a blend of oils from all over Europe, meaning a drop in the price of Spanish oil can have a significant impact on the costs associated with making them. Gary Lewis, president of the National Edible Oil Distributors Association, said: 'Two years ago, we had a crop of about 650,000 [tons] in Spain. Last year was about 830,000 and this year looks to be 1.4m to 1.5m – it could be 1.6m tons.' He added: 'I've never seen Andalusia so green. It's had lots of rain. The trees look in good condition and the olives look in good condition.' Falling prices will come as a relief. Mr Lewis said some customers had stopped buying olive oil altogether because of price increases, opting for alternatives such as sunflower oil. The price of a 500ml bottle of Napolina or Filippo Berio in the UK is still higher than it was a year ago, while supermarket own-label bottles are now as expensive as they were 12 months previously. However, Walter Zanre, the chief executive of Filippo Berio, said he expected to see further price falls in the supermarkets over the coming months. Jeremy Gibson, at Napolina, added: 'We knew olive oil harvests were projected to be higher than last year, helped by rain and milder temperatures in Spring, which created better growing conditions. 'This ideal climate improved the state of the olive trees, previously decimated by the dry weather and heatwaves experienced across southern Europe last year. 'This was welcomed by growers, and as a result, they were able to shift their focus away from navigating another poor harvest, to preparing the groves for a solid season and a return to normal volumes. 'With improved harvests in key regions driving down wholesale prices, we may see further adjustments in retail pricing, benefiting consumers nationwide.'
