Olive oil is going to the dogs (and cats)
The Groves on 41 harvest their first estate olive oils
–A first estate harvest is the culmination of excited anticipation built on years of planning, planting, nurturing, harvesting, milling, storage, racking, testing and finally the debut, but for the Groves on 41 this year, the rewards were bittersweet.
A scant harvest is a costly harvest. Chin up, though, they thought, farming has its ups and downs. Of the two varieties that were planted, the Spanish Arbequina did not disappoint. Earning a Silver medal at the Napa competition amongst a crowded field made this California Olive Oil Council (COOC)-certified product sell out fast. At this writing only a handful of cases remain on the shelves.
There was some bad news for the olive company too: their beloved and much anticipated Greek Koroneiki oil kept them reeling for months. While the chemical analysis proved this peppery oil to be well within allowable limits for certification, the final word came from the COOC taste panel. A small, single taste defect was discovered and after requesting a second sample to confirm these findings, they rejected this oil from certification. “We were devastated,” said the company in a news release, “Our losses were mounting, but more importantly we did not have this beautiful oil to bring to the market this year.”
The Koroneiki oil sat in a temperature controlled storage while they tried to determine what to do with it now. Sell it for soap oil? What a shame, they thought. The Koroneiki is so high in polyphenols and very healthy. When a friend asked them for leftover oil for her dog, they decided her dog might as well enjoy the healthiest stuff they had.
Fast forward to copious conversations with organic soup flavoring folks in the Midwest, more research and discussions with our local veterinarians and an intense cooperative test kitchen comprised of well qualified four-legged tasters they are now releasing Oh! Luv Oil.
What they didn’t anticipate were the vibrant, often very funny, community discussions flowing from taste trials. Do dogs and cats care about flavors at all? If so, would they consistently prefer one over the other? It turns out that the results were as varied as pets’ personalities.
Got a finicky cat? A dog that needs a little boost in his step? Treat your four legged friend to a healthy flavor adventure, then help ’em report their preference on Facebook.
Oh! Luv Oil is now available in two and six ounce sizes and four flavors: Original, Chicken, Beef & Bacon all ready to ship!
The company says that they can’t be sure exactly what happened with the Koroneiki, but have sure had fun turning lemons into lemonade with this product. Lower cost packaging and labeling with a little guerilla marketing are culminating in a tasty win-win stocking stuffer and gift set for faithful companions throughout the US.
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