One of the Largest Olive Oil Producers in the World.. What is the Secret Behind Tunisia's Absence from Labels?

- Tunisia has been producing olive oil for nearly three thousand years. This year, forecasts indicate that it will become the second largest producer of olive oil in the world.

Despite this, it will be difficult to find a product in stores outside the country that clearly bears the label "Tunisian Olive Oil." For the new generation of independent producers, this paradox is the result of a business model that should have been challenged years ago.

Among those determined to prove there is a better way is young Tunisian Sara Ben Ramadan, founder of the KAÏA brand of organic extra virgin olive oil. She told Afaaq News: "In Tunisia, we say that the number of olive trees exceeds the number of Tunisians; every family has a story with olive oil.

My family was the first to export it from Tunisia to the United States. But it is also the magical natural remedy that grandmothers resort to for treating ailments and moisturizing the skin, and of course, for adding a wonderful flavor to food."

She continued: "Unfortunately, our country has drifted away from that deep and personal relationship we used to have with our land and its fruits." During the 2025/2026 season, 86% of Tunisian olive oil exports were sold in bulk to be packaged later under foreign brands, according to local producer OLYFO, with Spain, Italy, and the United States being its three largest markets.

Therefore, do not expect to find a seal that says "Made in Tunisia": these bulk imports are mostly packaged within those countries and mixed with local olive oils. The European Union regulations only impose general and non-specific statements about the origin, such as "a blend of olive oils from European and non-European origins."

In the United States as well, labels may make it difficult to distinguish between the country of import, the country of production, and the country of harvest, which may be completely different places. As a result, Tunisia is often reduced to the role of a low-cost supplier, while the quality of its oil is overlooked and its role in the global market is undervalued, according to Ben Ramadan, who explained that "our olive oil is among the best in the world, and these stereotypes are the result of injustices imposed on us by foreigners."

Ending the colonial legacy in Tunisian olive oil trade, Tunisian economist Fadel Qaboub, author of the newsletter "Global South Perspectives" and associate professor at Denison University in Ohio, believes that the lack of recognition for Tunisian olive oil is closely linked to the soft power and quotas that "have been imposed by the legacies of post-colonialism." He told Afaaq News: "The real competition is not in olive cultivation, but in controlling the value chain."

This is due to colonialism, which imposed a narrative that still exists today: former colonies, like Tunisia, are supposed to supply markets with cheap raw materials, not luxury products." Tunisia was under French rule from 1881 to 1956.

Despite seven decades since independence, that legacy still weighs heavily on the way the Tunisian government and the European Union manage the olive oil sector, according to Qaboub. He said: "Olive oil production is costly, and it is difficult for farmers to obtain local financing because the land is often inherited from tribes and lacks modern property titles."

With limited financing options, most Tunisian farmers sell their crop in advance, a year before harvesting, to Italians or Spaniards who buy it in bulk. It doesn't matter if your crop is the best in the world, because the price, which is usually low compared to the quality and quantity of the product, has already been set.

He added that this model contributes to the continued poverty in rural Tunisia, where olive oil does not receive its due value, while seasonal workers, the vast majority of whom are women, struggle to make a living from it. Working conditions can be deadly, as olive pickers are transported in trucks designated for goods and livestock, often in large numbers and frequently without the simplest safety measures.

Over the past decade, reports have emerged of dozens of accidents and fatalities that agricultural workers have faced while being transported in what are known as 'death trucks.' Driven by the desire to provide an alternative for her country and contribute to improving living standards, Ben Ramadan belongs to a wave of independent producers who are fighting for Tunisian olive oil to receive the recognition it deserves, including the award-winning 'Les Moulins Mahjoub,' Triomphe de Tuccabor, and 'Domaine Fendri.'

She said: 'I was born in Paris to a Tunisian father and a Syrian mother. I grew up in London, and I used to spend summers in Tunisia.'

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt the need to return to my roots, which led me to reinvest in the ancient olive trees (over 100 years old) that my family has been cultivating for five generations and to produce my own oil, KAÏA.' She continued: 'What we are doing, in essence, is liberating the olive oil trade from its colonial legacy.'

This message lies at the heart of the story told by the brand, and I truly hope it inspires a new local model." From the orchards of Tunisia to luxury food stores around the world, and in just five years, thanks to the high-quality local Shamlali olive harvest and the power of the story the brand tells, KAÏA, founded by Ben Ramadan, has succeeded in reaching some of the most famous luxury food stores in the world, including "La Grande Épicerie" and "Berrie," and "G. Detou" in Paris; "Selfridges" and "Harrods" in the UK; "Sabah" in New York; and "Monsieur Marcel" in Los Angeles.

The brand supplies about 100 luxury food stores and around 50 restaurants across France, ranging from the Michelin-recommended restaurant "Pluto" to the "Café Les Deux Gares" pub and the hospitality group "Savoir Vivre."

This does not include its points of sale in boutique hotels within Tunisia. KAÏA's oil is expensive, with a price of $34.99 for 50 centiliters (17 fluid ounces) at some retailers in the United States, but Ben Ramadan says this price allows her to offer a different model.

Ben Ramadan employs about 50 women and pays them wages equal to those of men, which is rare in the country, and she exports an image based on excellence and quality instead of the image of cheap oil sold in bulk. She says that the demand for her products is on the rise.

She said: "It is very exhausting and very ambitious, but I am extremely excited to be part of this new sector in the country." To meet the increasing demand, Ben Ramadan is investing in establishing her own mill, which is scheduled to open in 2027.

Currently, it relies on a shared press, which requires her to personally supervise the implementation of strict cleaning, processing, and temperature control protocols. This is a costly process that takes a lot of time. Owning her own press will grant her complete independence, including hiring full-time workers, increasing production beyond its current level of 10 metric tons annually, and even transforming the site into a tourist destination for olive oil enthusiasts.

For her, this represents another way to elevate the image and discourse surrounding Tunisian olive oil. Although only 3.9% of the olive oil produced in Tunisia during the last season remained on the African continent, Qaboub pointed out that demand for olive oil is increasing outside traditional markets in Europe and the United States.

He said: 'Latin America and Asia are also emerging markets that are witnessing growing interest, and the quality of Tunisian olive oil is expected to benefit from this demand.' Qaboub believes that ultimately, a coalition of independent producers offering high-quality products, like Ben Ramadan, can compete with major Western players and move beyond the realm of gourmet food stores to be found on supermarket shelves.