Super-premium extra virgin olive oil brand Morocco Gold, is the latest new client to join the Jellybean food and drink agency family. The owners of the single estate extra virgin olive oil from Morocco appointed Jellybean following a competitive pitch earlier this year. We are excited to be working with this luxury food brand on an integrated B2B and B2C campaign which will create widespread brand awareness and drive long-term sustainable sales through traditional retail and e-commerce channels. Here’s the low-down on this high quality oil.

What is Morocco Gold?

Morocco Gold is a superior quality, single estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil from an entirely new source for the UK market. The oil is made from olives grown in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, where the unique micro-climate and geology provides ideal conditions for olive growing.

Morocco Gold combines centuries of local cultivation and harvesting knowledge, with rigorous traceability and quality assurance procedures to bring what is locally considered a ‘noble food’ to the UK market.

Who’s behind it?

The Morocco Gold team combines a lifetime’s experience within the UK food and drinks industry with the best of local Moroccan heritage. Gordon Davidson, director and co-founder has over 30 years of experience as a Business Consultant and now divides his time between the UK and Morocco. Bob Watson, director and co-founder has extensive experience of operations within the food and drinks industry including brewing, distilling, soft drinks, bottled water and is a recognised industry expert. He is currently Director of the British Soft Drinks Association, and is a Board member, Vice President & Treasurer of the European Federation of Bottled Waters. Jaouad Hadani is their Moroccan based accountant with extensive knowledge of local farming, traditions and culture. Linda Lyons runs one of the most successful riads, Riad Linda, in the centre of Marrakech’s medina.

How is Morocco Gold made?

It’s made from the Picholine Marocaine cultivar, characterised by its high concentrations of polyphenols that give it oxidative stability, distinctive fruity taste and health enhancing qualities. Harvested and cold-pressed early in the season when the fruit is young, with no mixing or blending with other oils across the season to maintain its fresh milled flavour. The olives are hand-picked, handled with care and attention.

What does it taste like?

It has a distinctive green fruitiness, hints of sweet almonds, fresh turf and a hint of herbs. It has the distinctive ‘pepperiness’ of a fine extra virgin olive oil giving Morocco Gold a clean, well balanced finish. You really must try it.

What’s the back story and inspiration for the brand?

Gordon and his wife went to Morocco 10 years ago to complete a renovation project and whilst there they came across some of the very large-scale agriculture, as well as some of the lesser known parts where they have been producing high quality olive oil for literally hundreds of years.

The olive oil industry in Morocco mostly serves the domestic market, but the government has recently been putting a lot of time and effort into increasing capacity of both olive production and olive oil production. It’s a strategic initiative for them. The team has worked closely with farmers, growers and Moroccan suppliers to produce an excellent product which is fit for the UK and European markets. It’s an entirely new ball game for Moroccan suppliers and it’s an exciting time to bring Morocco Gold to the UK market.

Jaouad is also incredibly important to the team and so he has built a fantastic relationship with the farmers and workers in the local community. They employ a large number of Moroccan women which helps emphasize gender equality and give women greater influence over household income and expenditures – this typically helps to reduce household poverty and benefit children. The team also give back to the local community through long-term special community projects and investment.

Why has the olive oil industry been getting bad press recently?

The UK market has experienced challenges due to olive oil supplies from Europe being affected by a poor harvest and blight across key olive growing regions. Also an article published in The Times (August 2017) found that a third of the olive oil being sold in the UK was either fake or in breach of quality standards. This has had a big impact on the market and tainted the perception of the sector in the eyes of both retailers and consumers, with alternatives to extra virgin olive oils that really do not compare well under scrutiny. Morocco is free from the blight that has devastated the European olive crop, and Morocco Gold sets a new standard for authenticity; we work with certified growers and the product is tested locally by ONSSA, (the National Office for the Sanitary Protection of Food Products in Morocco), then re-tested by our EU certified laboratory to guarantee extra virgin quality. It’s a product that consumers can place their absolute trust in.

What is Jellybean doing for Morocco Gold?

Jellybean’s integrated campaign for Morocco Gold sets out to make Morocco Gold one of the most celebrated and sought after extra virgin olive oils available on the market.

The Jellybean team is led by Group Account Director for Retail, Neil Brenson who says: “The team at Morocco Gold have left no (olive) stone unturned in developing Morocco Gold – everything about the brand exudes premium quality and authenticity. We fell in love with the brand as soon as we tried it and we are delighted to be working in partnership with such an experienced and esteemed team at Morocco Gold. Our integrated campaign will help to unlock omnichannel sales by engaging and introducing both stockists and many thousands of consumers to the brand in lots of exciting new ways.”

Where is Morocco Gold currently being sold?

Morocco Gold is now stocked in two of the most prestigious fine food retailers, Partridges of London and Fortnum & Mason as well as specialist delis and online retailers. Conversations with other major supermarkets and distributors are ongoing. Also a brand new direct to consumer e-commerce website https://morocco-gold.com/ will be going live in August.

The product retails at £18.95 for a 500ml bottle.

How has it been going so far?

Gordon says: “We are delighted to be working with Jellybean, the well-known and respected PR /Marketing specialist in the food and drink sector. They are really going to help us help us ‘get the message out’ about Morocco Gold.

We have already secured some great trade and consumer press including : The Grocer, Female First, Ethica Magazine, Fine Food Digest, Food Chain and others. Their expertise in social media management and content generation is also critically important as it’s a key channel to reach and engage our trade partners and consumers.

Our shared aim is to make Morocco Gold the most talked about and sought after extra virgin olive oil in the UK market (and beyond) and we are certainly off to a flying start!”

https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/foodanddrink/top-10-ways-to-use-extra-virgin-olive-oil-1147373.html

http://www.ethicamagazine.com/food/taste-test-condiments-oil-vinegar-aminos

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