Women in Olive Oil

Women in Olive Oil website

Much of what happens on social media is a momentary distraction (cat videos, vacation snapshots, and memes). Women In Olive Oil (WIOO) demonstrates the power of social media to truly create community, thanks to a network of over 2,000 women in the olive oil industry who have built deep, lasting connections.

Jill Myers courtesy Jill Myers

WIOO began with a Facebook group in April 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It started with about 120 women I knew around the world,” says Jill Myers, WIOO founder and CEO. “I invited them, and invited them to add people they knew, and it quickly grew from there.” Myers has a robust background in the olive oil industry, with experience importing and distributing olive oil, leading olive oil tastings, and judging olive oil competitions. 

From Connecting Online to Connecting In Person

WIOO virtual meetup photo credit Lori Jean Levy

Connections between group members flourished during Zoom calls and webinars. “We started having phone calls on topics that were of interest to all of us—‘all of us’ being producers, importers, distributors, writers, really a wonderful group of some very important people in the industry,” says Lori Jean Levy. “The conversations were deep and connected us all in a way that has only grown.” Levy serves as WIOO’s Executive Vice President of Business and Trade, and came to olive oil through her work as a licensed U.S. Customs Broker and her former position as  Director of Trade and Product Development for New York-based Fairway Market.

Over the past four years, the organization has hosted virtual panels and educational seminars, as well as in-person gatherings at the Specialty Food Association’s annual Fancy Food Show. “We all come away from the meeting [at the Fancy Food Show] feeling really great,” says Levy. “To watch that room grow, to watch everyone taste each others’ oils and talk about the issues of the day, just to have a cocktail after a long day of the show and be with your people—it’s really meaningful.”

Since WIOO members hail from 40 different countries, virtual meetings have been key to the group’s success. A Zoom meetup every other Tuesday hosted by olive oil sommelier, educator, and author Emily Lycopolus serves as an open forum for people to discuss the industry. “Emily is leading really wonderful, deep conversations,” says Levy. “People are reporting that they really appreciate that time.” Read more about Emily Lucopolus. 

Advancing Equity

Lori Jean Levy headshot photo courtesy Lori Jean Levy

Having those kinds of safe spaces in a male-dominated industry has been beneficial for WIOO members. “It’s hard to always be the only woman at the table,” says Levy. “I’m finding through WIOO that many other members have had that experience, too.”

“[As women are] getting deeper in the industry, and being more communicative with ourselves and producers, it’s opening people’s eyes to the benefit of why you want to have a more level playing field—more women coming up as C-suite executives, more women on tractors, more pictures of women on the farm, and more opportunity for women in this field. It should be a more level playing field,” she continues.

“I would love to see how we can help with internships, matching young women who would love to be in agriculture to more seasoned women in the industry,” says Myers.

Looking Ahead

WIOO fancy food show meetup 2024 photo credit Lori Jean Levy

In addition to social media accounts with over 2,000 followers and an email distribution list, WIOO has a membership platform available for a modest fee. “We’re still at the beginning, we’re hoping to shortly launch a member directory and build out the forum,” says Myers. “We want to do the database well and offer valuable benefits to our members.” 

Looking to the future, Myers and Levy hope to continue to grow WIOO membership, promote olive oil tourism, and expand WIOO’s educational offerings, especially when it comes to teaching the public about the health benefits of olive oil.

“We have some great ideas as far as bringing small producers and their products to buyers, helping match them—those are goals we’d love to be a part of,” says Myers. “But our biggest voice is education, being a solid voice for the industry and in solidarity with women.”

“It’s really easy for those of us in the olive oil world to get segregated by politics, by lobbyists, by different interests,” adds Levy. “We want to be a conduit to help, whether that’s helping people market their brands, or get information to service providers—that’s why we want to be politically neutral. We just want to be a resource and a good one.”

When it comes to building meaningful connections between women in the olive oil industry, WIOO has already made an impact. “It’s been beautiful to see the relationships that have grown through this platform,” says Myers. “Pretty much every day, I hear from someone who has benefited from our network.”

“It’s a wonderful community, and it’s been wonderful to watch commercial success take place,” Levy agrees. “But to watch the hugs at Fancy Food when we haven’t seen each other in a year? That’s the best feeling about WIOO, period.”