Olive Oils From Spain Calls for a Spanish Flavor Renaissance of the American Mediterranean Diet

Honoring National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day, Sept. 30

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For 10 years, National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day (Sept. 30) has celebrated the health benefits and versatility of genuine extra virgin olive oil. This year, Olive Oils From Spain is going further, declaring a Spanish Flavor Renaissance to elevate the everyday recipes at the heart of the American Mediterranean Diet.

The campaign spotlights Spain's best-kept culinary secret: more than 200 different olive varieties to produce extra virgin olive oil, perfected over 3,000 years. Flavors range from delicate green apple and almond notes to bold, peppery finishes — a spectrum most American kitchens have never explored.

For three decades, Americans have embraced the Mediterranean Diet for healthier eating. But many have missed the range of Spanish flavors that fit the diet, produced by Spain's 360 million olive trees in the world's largest man-made forest.

Spain is the world's No. 1 olive oil producer, responsible for nearly half the global supply. Its signature varieties include the bold, peppery Picual; the sweet, fruity Arbequina; the balanced, grassy Hojiblanca; and the herbaceous and complex Cornicabra — each shaped by its own terroir.

International judges agree. Seven of the top 10 selections in last season's World's Best Olive Oils rankings were Spanish. Spain has led the rankings for more than 15 years.

"Many Americans following the Mediterranean Diet use just one type of EVOO for every dish," said Teresa Pérez Millán, general manager of the Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional. "But once they learn that a peppery Picual or a delicate Arbequina can upgrade their healthy dishes, they'll cook with a lot more freedom. We're giving U.S. home cooks easy ways to taste the difference for themselves."

The timing is fitting: National Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day falls within Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. A Spanish twist on the Mediterranean Diet lets home cooks mark both occasions — one drizzle at a time.

The moment also arrives as New York deepens its recognition of Spanish culture. On September 21, 2026, a corner of West 14th Street and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan was co-named "Little Spain–La Nacional Way," honoring the Spanish immigrant community that transformed this stretch of downtown Manhattan throughout the 20th century.

New York is celebrating Spain's heritage. Now home cooks across the country can taste it. Olive Oils From Spain is offering four early-fall recipes at oliveoilsfromspain.org that introduce different Spanish EVOO varieties to enliven the American Mediterranean Diet:

• Virgin Mary with Picual EVOO: A zesty, non-alcoholic take on the classic. Picual's bold, peppery character adds depth to every sip.
• Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Hojiblanca EVOO: Its bright, herbaceous notes turn a fall vegetable into the dish everyone remembers.
• Crockpot Chicken with Cornicabra EVOO: A hands-off dinner. Cornicabra's balance of spice and richness adds comforting warmth on a cool night.
• Pumpkin Pie with Arbequina EVOO: An autumn classic, made Spanish. Arbequina replaces butter in the crust and filling for a lighter, fruitier dessert.

For more information, visit www.oliveoilsfromspain.org/allinadrop or follow @OliveOilsFromSpain on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

About Olive Oils From Spain

Olive Oils From Spain is the global promotional brand of the Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional Organization. It is a nonprofit organization made up of all the representative entities of the Spanish olive oil sector, including olive growers, cooperatives, olive mills, bottlers and exporters. Its main objective is to promote the image of the product and the industry worldwide. It has been developing promotional campaigns for the product for over seventeen years in about thirty countries across five continents.

SOURCE Olive Oils from Spain