Tunisia’s Olive Oil Heritage

Olives ripening photo courtesy of Domaine Adonis

Tunisia is an important olive-growing country and olive oil is an integral part of its gastronomy and culture. Tunisian olive oil, produced since as far back as the 8th century BC, has been a major export product for decades. More recently Tunisian producers have turned to the production of premium extra virgin olive oils marketed under local brand names and prized by connoisseurs for exceptional quality.

The rolling green hills of Tunisia’s northwest contrast sharply with the arid desert landscape of the south. Yet from north to south, the olive tree is omnipresent. In fact, olive groves blanket a third of this North African country, covering an area of 1.3 million hectares (3.2 acres). Tunisians are attached to this magical and almost sacred tree which is a symbol of the Mediterranean.

A long-time exporter

Production figures vary from year to year, but in the past three years Tunisia has been one of the top five olive producing countries along with Spain, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. Olive oil represents roughly 10% of Tunisia’s total agricultural production and 40% of agricultural exports. Tunisia is also among the world’s top exporters of olive oil and the second largest African exporter of agricultural goods, mainly olive oil.

In fact, 80% to 90% of Tunisian olive oil is exported, with most of it shipped to the European Union, in particular Italy and Spain, where it’s blended with local oils and sold under popular Italian and Spanish brand names. In this way, Tunisian olive oil makes up for the shortage in stocks experienced by these countries, especially in recent years when adverse weather conditions have negatively affected production.

A country of olive trees

Tunisia is made up of three main olive growing regions divided between the north, the center, and the south, with 85% of groves located in the center of the country around the city of Sfax, as well as the south.

The dominant varietals here include chemlali which is found in the groves of central and south Tunisia and represents 80% of the country’s total production. This olive produces a mild, fruity oil that appeals to many palates and is ideal for blending, hence its popularity as an export product.

The chetoui variety grows predominantly in north Tunisia but can also be found further south. This variety accounts for close to 20% of olive oil produced in the country and is a favorite with olive oil lovers for its robust peppery flavor and high polyphenol content.

Some other Tunisian olive varieties include sayali, ouslati, gerboui, zalmati, zarazi, barouni, chamchali and gafsa.

From bulk to premium

Fresh oil photo courtesy of Domaine Adonis

Though Tunisia has been a long-time exporter of olive oil, Tunisian producers are today increasingly launching premium extra virgin olive oil brands that leave the country in attractively-packaged bottles instead of bulk containers.

There are 300,000 producers of olive oil in Tunisia, with 95 percent of these being small family-run outfits. Scattered across the country are close to 1600 mills, a number that has increased in recent years as olive oil makers choose to invest in their own modern two-phase mills to ensure an efficient and high-quality milling process. 

Tunisian olive oils are showcased at olive oil competitions around the globe, and many brands have won a slew of international awards in the past decade, giving recognition to the country’s high quality extra virgin olive oil.

Organic advantage

Another fact that makes Tunisia’s olive oil exceptional is that more than two thirds of its groves are organic, which represents 20% of the world’s organic olive groves. Almost all of the organic oil imported into the European Union comes from Tunisia – this represented 37,000 metric tons, and 20% of total olive oil imports in 2022.

North Africa’s climate is a boon to olive growers who do not have to face the threat of pests or resort to the use of pesticides. The number of certified organic producers is growing, while many follow organic cultivation and production practices without certification, a process that can be expensive and laborious. This fact hints at a larger actual percentage of organic production.

Into the olive groves

Tunisia has long been a draw for tourists looking for a sunny beach holiday. With the growing interest in experiential travel, visitors now have the opportunity to explore the country beyond its beaches and venture into its olive groves and vineyards to discover Tunisia’s rich culinary heritage up close. 

As part of a country-wide cultural tourism initiative called The Culinary Route of Tunisia, a series of regional culinary itineraries has been designed to celebrate Tunisian olive oil as well as other gastronomic specialties. Many olive oil makers are also welcoming visitors to their groves where they can learn about olive oil production and sample high quality oils.

3 Tunisian Olive Oils to Try

Domaine Adonis

Olive trees photo courtesy of Domaine Adonis

The family estate of Domaine Adonis won 13 awards in 2020, a number that sharply rose to 36 the following year, before snapping up an impressive 77 international awards in 2022. “In 2023, we didn’t enter all the competitions like we have this year, but we still won 32 medals,” says the farm’s producer Salah Ben Ayed. Their line of premium organic extra virgin olive oils includes monovarietals pressed from native chetoui, chemlali, and sayali olives, as well as arbosana, koroneiki, picholine, and a blend.  

His groves are located in the hilly terrain of the Medjerda Valley in north-western Tunisia at an altitude of 700 meters. “When I bought this olive farm almost ten years ago, it had 2900 trees, some of which were over 100 years old,” shares Ben Ayed. “The groves have been here since 1903 and had belonged to a French colonist.”

Today the farm’s 100 hectares (247 acres) is home to 13,000 trees and its own on-site mill, a two-stage MORI-TEM. This allows for the olives to be pressed immediately after harvest, the very same evening. “In Tunisia we generally have a good harvest every other year, our olive trees need a rest too,” adds Ben Ayed.

La Maison Parcelle 26

Parcelle 26 photo courtesy of Parcelle 26

Michaël Zeitoun inherited his farm of chetoui and arbequina trees in Zaghouan from his late father. “My father was from Sfax where olive oil goes way back,” he explains. “So like everyone from Sfax, it was part of his DNA. It took me two long years and a lot of investments to bring the farm to a state of optimal production. Along the way I met some people who introduced me to the world of olive oil and I was inspired to create an olive oil brand.”

After installing an olive mill on location, creating a website, designing a bottle, and producing the first liters of his own extra virgin olive oil, Zeitoun launched La Maison Parcelle 26 at the end of 2019. Today his award-winning extra virgin monovarietals and blends are sold in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. 

“When I first started this adventure in olive oil it was as a homage to my late father,” he shares. “As a small producer in a world of big producers, and taking into account economic considerations, I decided to launch a premium olive oil brand and make small quantities of high-quality oil. This is also a nod to my father, a mark of appreciation for the work he started.” 

Réserve Familiale Ben Ismail

Maher Ben Ismail Courtesy of Domaine Familiale Ben Ismail

Toukaber, in the governorate of Béja in north-west Tunisia, is the ancient site of a former Roman city known as Thuccaboar, perched at an elevation of 620 meters (2034 feet) in a landscape of undulating hills. This is the picturesque location of the Ben Ismail family's farm, Réserve Familiale Ben Ismail, where neat rows of olive groves ribbon the hillsides.

In 2018, the Ben Ismails were the first to create a dedicated space on the family farm for Tunisia's first olive oil bar. This was in addition to an on-site organic mill, education center offering training workshops in sensory analysis led by experts, and a shop.

Maher Ben Ismail reveals that the family’s decision to introduce olive tourism was also due to other considerations. “Climate change has had a profound effect on production,” he explains. “We’ve experienced a 40% decline in rainfall and our olive trees are suffering from these drought conditions. In response, we’ve had to adapt and have a hard look at our approach. Instead of planting more trees we decided to make the most of what we already have. Olive oil tourism is a way to welcome visitors to our farm and increase recognition for our brand while also introducing another activity that’s aligned with our agricultural production.”

Visitors to the Ben Ismail family farm can take a stroll through the family’s grove of 5000 olive trees and have a guided tour of the mill and production unit, before sitting down for a crash course in sensory assessment. A highlight is the chance to sample the family’s Triomphe Thuccabor organic extra virgin olive oil, an intense chetoui which has earned them multiple international awards from almost every continent.