Questions, answered.

Egyptian table olives, pickled peppers and pickled vegetables. Our olives include Manzanilla, Azizi, Picual and Dolce, plus natural black and oxidised black olives. Our peppers include jalapeño, Macedonian, Lombardi, cherry, chilli, Guindilla, banana, Kardoula and pepperoncini. We also supply gherkins, cucumbers, baby corn, mushrooms, onions, grape leaves and artichokes.

Olives prepared for eating, as opposed to olives pressed for oil. Table olive varieties such as Manzanilla, Picual and Azizi are chosen for their size, firm flesh, good flesh-to-stone ratio and taste, then cured to remove their natural bitterness. The international Codex standard for table olives sets their types, styles and quality rules.

Yes. Botanically the olive is a fruit, a drupe with a single stone, like cherries, plums and peaches. In the kitchen it is used more like a vegetable or a savoury snack.

Whole, pitted, sliced, grilled and stuffed olives.

Stuffed olives are filled with carrot paste or pepper paste.

Whole olives keep the firmest texture and the most flavour, ideal for snacks, meze and cooking. Pitted olives are easy to eat and to stuff, chop or add to salads. Sliced olives are made for toppings on pizzas, sandwiches and salads, and for food manufacturing.

Green olives are picked once they reach full size but before they change colour; olives turning colour are picked during the change; and natural black olives are picked when fully or almost fully ripe. Around the Mediterranean this runs from about September to January, starting with the green olives. In Egypt the season starts earlier and runs from August to November.

Ripeness. Green olives are picked before they ripen; black olives are picked ripe, or are green olives darkened by oxidation. Both are cured to remove the natural bitterness.

Olives picked while they are changing colour, between green and fully ripe. The international Codex standard calls them “olives turning colour”. They range from pink and wine-red to brown, with a taste between green and black olives.

Because olives on the same tree ripen at different speeds and get different amounts of sun. Small differences in shade are natural and do not affect quality or taste. Oxidised black olives are the exception, as they are made to be evenly black.

Yes. Green olives are picked before they ripen, so they are naturally firm and crisp. Black olives are riper, and oxidised black olives are also heat-sterilised, so they are softer. But mushy olives that fall apart are not normal for either colour.

Wrinkled olives have lost water, either naturally on the tree or by curing in dry salt or with gentle heat. They are a recognised type in the international Codex standard, called dehydrated or shrivelled olives, and have a concentrated flavour.

We supply both. Natural black olives are ripe olives cured in brine. Oxidised black olives are green olives darkened in a controlled process and heat-sterilised in sealed packs, as the international Codex standard for table olives requires.

No. Natural black olives get their colour by ripening on the tree. Oxidised black olives are not dyed either. They are green olives darkened by exposure to air, and an iron salt (E579 or E585) fixes the even black colour. Both are allowed, and the iron salt is listed in the ingredients.

Natural black olives ripen to black on the tree and are cured in brine by natural fermentation. They have a fuller, fruity taste, a firmer texture, a dark stone and a colour that varies from brown to purple-black. Oxidised black olives are picked green and turned black by exposure to air in an alkaline solution; an iron salt (usually E579, ferrous gluconate) fixes the colour and is listed in the ingredients. They are evenly jet-black, milder and softer, with a light-coloured stone, and are always heat-sterilised in sealed jars or tins.

Check three things. The ingredients list an iron salt in oxidised olives, ferrous gluconate (E579) or ferrous lactate (E585). The colour of natural black olives varies from brown to purple-black, while oxidised ones are evenly jet-black. And the stone is dark in natural olives, light in oxidised ones.

Usually because of how they are made. Oxidised black olives are cured quickly with an alkaline treatment, which gives a very mild taste and a soft texture, and some people notice a slight metallic note from the iron salt that fixes the colour. Natural black olives, fermented slowly in brine, have a fuller, fruitier taste.

Because they take longer and cost more to produce. They must ripen fully on the tree, are harder to harvest and handle without bruising, and ferment slowly in brine for months, while oxidised black olives are made from green olives in about a week.

“Spanish-style” describes a method, not a place. Green olives are given a short alkaline treatment, washed and then fermented in brine. It is the most common way to prepare green olives, and Manzanilla is the classic Spanish-style variety.

Rarely, yes. Pitting is done by machine, and no producer can guarantee that every single stone or fragment is removed, which is why pitted olive labels often carry a warning. Take a little care, especially when serving children.

Once the stone is removed, brine soaks into the centre of the olive as well as from the outside, so pitted olives absorb more salt and soften faster. Whole olives keep a firmer bite; choose them when texture matters most.

They are optional trade categories in the international Codex standard. Extra (or Fancy) is the top grade, with almost no defects in colour, shape or texture; First (or Choice, Select) allows slight defects; Standard covers good olives with more visible defects. Whatever the grade, olives must meet the same safety rules.

Fresh olives are very bitter because of a natural compound called oleuropein. Curing in brine, with or without a short alkaline treatment, removes the bitterness.

In four steps. The olives are picked green or ripe, depending on the type. They are debittered, either directly in brine by natural fermentation or by a short alkaline treatment followed by washing. They then ferment and mature in brine for weeks or months. Finally they are graded by size, pitted, sliced or stuffed if needed, and packed in brine, in barrels and buckets, or in jars and tins that are pasteurised or sterilised.

Both, depending on the product. Some are fermented in brine, others are packed in vinegar. The specification of each product states which.

Medium hot. Fresh jalapeños measure roughly 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units, far milder than very hot chillies such as habanero, and pickling makes them taste a little milder. Pepperoncini are mild, for buyers who want less heat.

Heat depends on the pepper itself. Variety, weather, water and ripeness all change it, so two peppers from the same field can taste different. Pickling softens the heat a little, but some variation from batch to batch is natural.

No, but they are close relatives. Both are mild, yellow-green peppers that are usually pickled. Banana peppers are smoother, longer and slightly sweeter; pepperoncini are more wrinkled, with a tangier, slightly bitter taste. Elite Foods supplies both.

Gherkins are small cucumbers picked young, so they stay firm and crunchy. Pickled cucumbers are larger cucumbers, whole or sliced. “Pickles” is the everyday word for any of them once preserved in brine or vinegar. We supply both gherkins and cucumbers.

Olives go on pizzas and sandwiches, in salads, pasta and tapenade, and on a meze or antipasti plate. Sliced olives are the classic pizza topping. Pickled peppers and vegetables go on pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, wraps and tacos, in salads and pasta salads, and chopped into sauces and dressings. Sliced jalapeños, banana pepper rings and pepperoncini are favourites in food service, and gherkins go well with burgers and cold cuts.

By the number of olives per kilogram, as in the international Codex standard. For example, 200/220 means 200 to 220 olives per kilo. The lower the numbers, the bigger the olives. For pitted and stuffed olives, the size is that of the original whole olive.

It depends on the size grade. Table olives are graded by count per kilo, from about 80 per kilo for the largest to more than 400 for the smallest. A grade such as 200/220 means 200 to 220 olives per kilo. Trade names stand for count ranges. For example, Super Colossal is 100/120, Colossal 121/140, Jumbo 181/200 and Extra Large 201/220 olives per kilo. In the United States the same names describe other sizes, counted per pound, so the count per kilo is the safest way to order.

Throw them away if you see fuzzy mould, if they smell sour, rancid or rotten, if the brine has turned slimy or thick, or if the lid or tin is bulging. If in doubt, throw them out.

A bulging lid or tin means gas has formed inside, usually because microorganisms are active. Do not open or taste it. Throw it away. The same applies to tins that leak or spurt liquid when opened.

A small dent on the side is usually fine. Throw the tin away if the dent is deep or sharp, if it is on the seam or rim, or if the tin is bulging or leaking.

Olives in jars and tins are normally heat-treated, pasteurised or sterilised, so they keep safely on the shelf until opened. Olives in barrels and buckets are preserved by the salt and acidity of their brine instead, which is why they must stay closed and covered by brine.

Natural oil from the olives themselves. Olives are rich in oil, and a little of it can rise to the surface of the brine or coat the fruit. It is harmless and normal for a natural product.

No. Closed jars, tins, buckets and barrels keep in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Put olives in the fridge only after opening, and keep them covered by their brine.

Follow the storage instructions on the label. Once opened, keep olives in the fridge, fully covered by their brine, in a closed glass or plastic container, and eat them within the time the label gives. Unopened packs keep until the best-before date on the label. Throw them away if you see mould or smell anything unusual.

Usually a film of yeasts that grows when the brine is exposed to air. If it is only a light film and the olives smell normal, remove it and eat the olives soon. If there is mould or a bad smell, throw the whole jar away.

Not for long. Brine protects olives from spoiling. Out of it they start to dry out and lose quality within hours, and plain water dilutes the salt and acidity that keep them safe. Keep opened olives covered by their own brine in the fridge.

Olive brine is salt water flavoured by the olives. It is safe in small amounts, for example in dressings, marinades and drinks, but it is very salty, so people watching their salt should go easy. Keep it in the fridge with the olives after opening and throw it away if it turns cloudy or slimy, or smells unusual. Do not reuse it to preserve fresh vegetables.

You can, but there is no need. Olives in brine keep well in the fridge. Freezing softens their texture, so drain them first and use frozen olives for cooking.

Olives contain mostly monounsaturated fat, the same type as in olive oil, and natural antioxidants, and they are part of the Mediterranean diet. They taste salty because they are cured in brine; rinsing them in water before eating lowers the salt.

Not in normal portions. Olives have roughly 115 to 145 kcal per 100 g, mostly from healthy monounsaturated fat, so a portion of ten olives is about 40 to 70 kcal. The exact figure varies with each type and size, and black olives are usually a little lower in calories than green ones.

No. Like all plant foods, olives contain no cholesterol. Their fat is mostly monounsaturated oleic acid, the same as in olive oil.

Yes. Elite Foods’ olives, peppers and pickled vegetables are gluten-free.

Naturally fermented olives are made by lactic acid bacteria, and when they are not heat-treated they can still contain these live cultures. Research on olives as a probiotic food is promising but still early. Pasteurised or sterilised olives no longer contain live bacteria.

Both are healthy, with similar fats and antioxidants. Black olives are usually a little lower in calories and salt, while green olives are firmer and tangier. Choose by taste and use, and for less salt, rinse them before eating.

There is no official limit; the main thing to watch is salt. Ten green olives contain roughly 1.5 g of salt, depending on their size and brine, close to a third of the 5 g daily maximum the World Health Organization recommends. A handful a day fits easily into a balanced diet; people told to cut down on salt should eat fewer or rinse them first.

Olives and pickles go soft when the brine is too weak or too warm, or is exposed to air, which lets natural enzymes and yeasts break down the flesh. Keep them closed, cool and covered by their brine, and in the fridge once opened. Fresh, firm raw material and the right salt and acidity at the factory keep them crunchy.

Most are low in calories and keep much of the fibre of the vegetables. The main drawback is salt, so enjoy them in moderation. Naturally fermented pickles that are not pasteurised also contain live lactic acid bacteria; vinegar pickles and pasteurised products do not.

Yes. Keep them in the fridge, covered by their liquid, and use them within the time the label gives. Throw them away if the liquid turns cloudy or slimy, or smells unusual.

230-litre plastic barrels, 16-litre buckets, A10 and A12 tin cans, glass jars and PET containers. Other formats are available on request.

Yes. Our 230-litre barrels and 16-litre buckets are food-grade plastic, made within our own group and sealed for export shipping.

84 or 108 barrels of 230 litres in a 40 ft container and 80 in a 20 ft container. A barrel holds 160 kg drained weight of whole olives, or 140 kg of pitted, sliced or stuffed olives.

2,000 buckets of 16 litres (10 kg drained) in a 40 ft container and 1,500 in a 20 ft container. For A10 and A12 tins, 1,400 in a 40 ft container and 700 in a 20 ft container.

Net weight is the olives plus the brine. Drained weight is the olives alone, after the liquid is drained off. Gross weight is the net weight plus the packaging, such as the barrel, bucket, tin or jar. In the European Union, foods packed in a liquid must show the net and the drained weight on the label. Our quotes state the drained weight.

Yes. We pack olives and peppers under your brand in jars, tins, PET or buckets. You send your artwork and label requirements, and we produce, pack and ship to your market.

Yes. For private label we pack under your brand and print labels to your artwork, in the language and with the information your market requires.

We export to the United States, Brazil, Europe and the Middle East, and we ship worldwide in full or palletised 20 ft and 40 ft containers.

Ready-to-eat table olives are usually classified under HS 2005.70, and olives packed in vinegar under 2001.90. Olives provisionally preserved in brine for further processing can fall under 0711.20. Peppers and other pickled vegetables have their own codes, and the exact code depends on the product and the destination country, so confirm it with your customs broker.

Normally the importer, through a customs broker, clears the goods and pays import duties and taxes in the destination country. The Incoterm agreed in the contract decides who pays freight and insurance up to that point. The exception is DDP, where the seller clears the goods and pays the import duties.

The importer files FDA Prior Notice before each shipment and must verify the foreign supplier under the FDA’s Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). The producing facility must be registered with the FDA, with a DUNS number as its unique facility identifier. Shelf-stable acidified products such as pickled peppers also need two FDA canning filings, an FCE registration for the factory and an SID for each process. Canned ripe olives, the black or green ripe olives sterilised in tins, and bulk olives for canning as ripe olives are also inspected by the USDA. Spanish-style green olives are not. Elite Foods is registered with the FDA and has a DUNS number and FCE and SID filings.

Yes. Tell us in the quotation form which products you would like to try, as a trial order or as samples.

Mainly the variety and size grade, the style (pitted, sliced and stuffed olives cost more than whole ones), the packaging, the quantity, the destination and Incoterm, and each season’s harvest. Send the quotation form with these details and we reply with a price for your exact order.

Send the quotation form on our contact page with your products, packaging, volume and destination country. We reply with a price and a loading plan. You can also email us or message us on WhatsApp.