EU OLIVE OIL: QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY ON YOUR TABLE.

The level of exports of olive oil and extra virgin olive oil to Canada, with a positive CAGR in the last 8 years of 2.58% and 1.29% respectively, represents a significant opportunity for EU producers. The medium-term trend, however, has registered a slowdown in the last two years and a decline in market share to the advantage of Tunisia despite the fact that EU olive oil products enjoy an excellent reputation in Canada. The Programme represents an opportunity for a further relaunch by focusing mainly on quality, indications of origin (the PGI production of the proposing OP) as well as on the organic version of the promoted products. The European producers can also make use of an important trade agreement with Canada, the CETA, which, although not yet definitively ratified, has eliminated duties on many agricultural products including the processed ones and recognised 143 PDO and PGI products, including 29 olive oils and extra virgin olive oils from France, Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal. Strengthened by the association of the promoted products with internationally recognised cuisines as well as by the association of the EU origin which guarantees consumers safety, quality, traceability as well as compliance with the health-conscious and ethically responsible trends of the target market, the objective of this proposal is to increase the market share of Canadian import of EU olive and extra virgin olive oils (CN codes 150990 and 150910) highlighting their quality, origin, taste, sustainability and ease of use in cooking. The campaign’s strategy will be adapted to the different groups in the target market. Considering the current market’s consumption, perception and awareness of the proposed products (1.4 kg per capita), activities will be properly mixed and balanced (on-field as well as digital / social channels) and will concentrate on importers and distributors, the HoReCa channel and opinion leaders as well as on different categories of consumers (aged 25-64).