Today, innovation is a crucial driver for making Italian extra virgin olive oil more competitive, transparent, and recognizable. This transformation spans the entire supply chain — from traceability and the ability to clearly convey the product’s quality, origin, and characteristics, to the tools used to communicate these values ​​to the market and consumers. This vision underpins “Olio è Innovazione” (Oil is Innovation), one of the three key themes of the third edition of EVOLIO Expo. Organized by Senaf on behalf of Nuova Fiera del Levante, this B2B trade fair dedicated to extra virgin olive oil and the olive oil supply chain is scheduled to take place from January 28 to 30, 2027, at the Fiera del Levante exhibition center in Bari.

But what does it really mean to innovate the olive oil supply chain, from field to table?

Vincenzo Laudadio, Vice President of ADUSBEF (Association for the Defense of Banking and Financial Service Users) Puglia, and Luigi Fino of Confconsumatori Puglia discussed the relationship between technology, traceability, and communication.

“The cornerstone is certainly information: the ability to ensure consumers are increasingly well-informed — in detail — about a product’s history. It is here — in transparent labeling — that the consumer’s strength and genuine awareness regarding a purchase are justified,” explains Fino.

Among the tools capable of making this transparency a reality, Fino highlights new technologies applied to traceability.

“There are now well-tested technical tools, such as blockchain, that allow us to capture the exact journey a product takes — from the moment the olive is produced (including its historical, technical, and production characteristics) through to processing and sale. It is a guarantee that allows consumers to read the product’s history simply and immediately, ensuring they know exactly what they are buying.“

Traceability will be a key focus at EVOLIO Expo 2027, which will bring together experiences, tools, and solutions to create a more transparent supply chain capable of making the value of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) more recognizable.

In this process, transparency also extends to the label, where mandatory information can be supplemented by additional details chosen by producers to provide a more complete picture of the product’s origin, characteristics, and journey. This step links traceability with communication and can help make the value of EVOO more apparent to the consumer.

And how does innovation change the way products are made and how businesses compete in the market?

According to Laudadio, competitiveness also depends on adopting methodologies, standards, and controls that ensure consistently high quality levels and minimize the margin for error. “Producers no longer simply commit to offering a product; they must explain and implement a methodology that — when consistently applied — guarantees quality levels and achieves production excellence, thereby reducing the margin for error,” explains Laudadio.

This approach entails investments in facilities, processes, and verification systems, but it can also serve as a lever to strengthen the presence of Italian extra virgin olive oil in international markets.

“If you adopt this production model, you can compete globally: the ultimate cost remains the same, because a methodology based on specific quality standards requires investments, infrastructure, control processes, and verification — and these come at a cost anywhere. This is how our oil — not just from Puglia, but from Italy as a whole — can establish itself as a true hallmark of ‘Made in Italy’ excellence worldwide.“

Discussions at EVOLIO Expo 2027 will also focus on the relationship between innovation and competitiveness, broadening the scope to include the production models, skills, and standards needed to maintain quality and bolster the market presence of Italian extra virgin olive oil.

Technology and expertise converge at the oil mill, a pivotal point in the supply chain. It is here that the evolution of processes and equipment can help preserve and enhance the quality cultivated in the groves. “Our millers have a rich historical tradition and are already at the forefront regarding the techniques and technologies used in production. However, we still lack robust regulatory safeguards for those who comply with the rules — measures that are truly effective in protecting them when others fail to do so,” emphasizes Fino.

According to Fino, this line of thinking must also translate into a shift in approach by consumer associations themselves. “By 2026, the world will have changed; we associations must also rethink our role — not necessarily as adversaries, but as supporters of those who commit to and strive for quality-driven production methods,” concludes Fino. “Knowing how to produce, but also knowing how to communicate and share that knowledge: this is the dynamic we must all consider together, with a focus on quality and the protection of consumer interests.”

The relationship between the supply chain’s production expertise and the ability to communicate its value is a central aspect of “Oil is Innovation” — the overarching theme through which EVOLIO Expo 2027 will link production skills, technology, and communication.

The “Oil is Innovation” focus will be part of a broader program that, over the course of the three-day event, will also explore the fair’s other two key themes: “Oil is Health,” dedicated to the link between extra virgin olive oil and well-being, and “Oil is Tourism,” dedicated to the potential of olive oil tourism and the promotion of olive-growing regions.

The third edition will retain the event’s signature format, featuring B2B meetings, talks, conferences, guided tastings, masterclasses, tasting workshops, live cooking demonstrations, and in-depth sessions with producers, buyers, experts, chefs, medical professionals, researchers, and institutional representatives.

Building on the success of the previous edition — which attracted 6,720 visitors and 150 exhibitors, hosted over 100 sessions (including conferences, talks, tastings, masterclasses, and events), and welcomed 50 international buyers from 16 key markets — EVOLIO Expo returns to Bari. Its goal is to strengthen its role as a B2B platform for Italian and Mediterranean extra virgin olive oil, fostering dialogue between supply and demand while positioning the product as a benchmark of excellence in terms of production, technology, and regional heritage.