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Huge response for olive growersSource: The Rural, 16/11/2007
Sponsored by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development, joint proprietors Neville Chapple and Chris Ryan-Chapple were part of the Regional Food and Flavours of NSW Stand, which was selected as one of the five top displays. “Being part of the exhibition was the most exciting and rewarding time,” Mr Chapple said. “We received a fantastic response to our products and the life force of this eventful four days has given us renewed energy and determination to achieve our very best.” While at the four day exhibition the couple were invited to the “A Tase of NSW at Fine Food Australia” networking breakfast where Australian Women’s Weekly food director Lyndey Milan acknowledged Mrs Ryan-Chapple’s contribution as a member of the Wagga Sensory Tasting Panel and olive oil show judge. Throughout the exhibition more than 25,000 visitors connected to the food site with a total of 800 exhibitors both nationally and internationally took part. In addition to the exposure received at the exhibition Wollundry Grove Olives have scored their first export market into the US. “We have sent an order to the exclusive and elite Rainier Club in Seattle,” Mr Chapple said. “It was founded in 1888 and is said to be the cornerstone of Seattle’s history.” “The executive chef came across our
oil in Sydney and contacted us as he felt it was exceptional.” Ministerial Praise for Local Olive IndustryPress Release
The success of Wollundry Grove Olives is testament our Wagga Wagga region is at the forefront of producing, marketing and selling great produce,” Mr Maguire Member for Wagga Wagga said. At Parliament House in Sydney, Wagga couple Neville Chapple and Chris Ryan-Chapple showcased their award winning olive products to retailers, restauranteurs, food and wine journalists. Neville Chapple explained “the climate, growing conditions and practices in Australia are very different from those in Italy. The term extra virgin olive oil is European. From our experience the consumer is often confused by the terms olive oil, light olive oil and extra virgin olive oil. Frequently, we are asked: what is the difference? While our oil is classified extra virgin olive oil we have made the decision to label our oils as Premium Olive Oil to establish a term which has meaning for the Australian consumer”. As growers Neville Chapple and Chris Ryan-Chapple recognize the importance of establishing a regional entity and more especially the need to promote the distinctive flavour and characteristics of their own oil.
One of Australia’s most recognised journalists, George Negus who spent a year living in Tuscany entertained guests with an address on the health benefits of olive oil and a reflection of its history. “Olive oil is literally a vital ingredient of the rural culture in Tuscany,”he said. “Most people have their very own favourite regional olive grove that they swear makes the best oil in the world. They go there directly to buy their supplies rather than to shops or the supermarket”. George, a passionate cook in his spare time, and his family are continually on the lookout for locally made oils from one of the many regions around this country. But following the example set for them by the people of Tuscany they go directly to the makers where possible.
It astounds me that some people blindly prefer an imported product which has traveled thousands of expensive food miles when there is stuff produced at home”. He believes the small, artisan producers of Australia are setting quality and flavour standards most industrial producers are unable to reach due to their need for quantity over quality. For further information please contact:
Wollundry oils strike metalIndustry awards for 2005 In its first formal outing on the market Wollundry Premium Australian Olive Oil has received three acclamations from the industry. The Wollundry Grove Premium Australian Olive Oil (varietal Frantoio) won a Silver Award at the 9 th National Extra Virgin Olive Show, 2005, held in Canberra in October by the Australian Olive Association. It was entered in the Class IC robust (intense fruity) section for single estate grown oil of a minimum of 200 litres production. We couldn’t resist the occasion to personally collect the award at the event dinner and exchange ideas and opinions with other growers. A memorable night … one we hope will become a regular appointment, a rewarding indulgence for all the hours at the end of a pair of secateurs, a picking rake, a tractor wheel …. That same oil received a Bronze Award at the 6 th Annual Golden Olive Awards conducted by the Olive Producers (NE) Victoria, also held in October. And in the same class ( EVVO Class 3: Estate bottled from fruit sourced entirely from a single identifiable property or estate) another Wollundry Grove Premium Australian Olive Oil – this time the varietal Manzanilla – received a Silver Award. Since the official launch of the Wollundry Grove label on September 11 this year our products have been received with amazing success and are now available in an increasingly wider range of outlets both in NSW and other states. This alone has justified our choice to produce the highest quality product at the most economical price. These first awards are a wonderful and rewarding bonus. The 2005 Wollundry olive harvestLots of fruit, fatigue and fun The olive harvest is a bitter-sweet time of joy and exhaustion … the culmination of a year’s work anticipating adversity and dealing with the inevitable. The aim always is to ensure the trees produce the maximum amount of healthy fruit possible, but with any agricultural pursuit there are many forces and influences which try and prevent it!
Some trees, particularly the Frantoio variety, bore over 40kgs. each … not bad for seven-year-old trees! We used pneumatic rakes and our custom-designed portable catcher to ensure the fruit wasn’t damaged, and, once picked, it was taken directly into cold storage prior to processing. The green fruit from the Manzanillo variety destined for table olive production was picked first and immediately sorted to be put under brine according to the precise instructions of international authority, Linda Costa from Olives-In-Fact in South Africa. They’re slowly pickling in our 200 litre brine tanks and are being closely monitored for optimal flavour and consistency. Then the different oil varieties were harvested according to their varying fruit maturity and sent to the continuous extraction plant nearby for processing. The average oil yield was 22.5% and the oil displays all the characteristics we were hoping for. That oil is now sitting in new airtight stainless steel tanks within our cold storage facility ready for bottling as demand requires. With the launch of the new Wollundry Grove Olive products and an abundant harvest, 2005 will be a year to be remembered!
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Selected
as one of 16 food producers in NSW, Wagga’s Wollundry Grove
Olives were this year part of The 2007 Fine Food Australia Exhibition.
Liberal
Member for Wagga Wagga, Daryl Maguire praised local growers for
their hardwork in promoting the local area.
“Last
night was a chance to promote Wagga Wagga as a great place to grow
and do business as well as to promote our products in the competitive
Sydney market” said Chris Ryan-Chapple.
He
avoids comparing the oils from Italy with those from Australia:
While
the most important and valued accolades come from those who purchase
and use our products, nonetheless, it’s extremely satisfying
to have the judgements of our peers and colleagues and measure how
our oils stand up against others produced in Australia. It gives
us a benchmark from which to work and a stimulation to even further
improve the quality of our product range.
But … to our relief … the 2005 harvest was an incredible success. Over 22 tonnes of high quality fruit was plucked from our trees over 24 days of frantic activity. This was almost a 250% increase over the nine tonnes we picked last year. 