Olive oil wants to eat the world with a new global campaign

New York .- The guild of Spanish olive oil today presented in New York its new campaign to conquer America, Asia and Europe: it will last three years, has a budget of six million euros and is funded from the European Union.

The campaign, called "Let's Make A World More Tasty", was announced at the Cervantes Institute in New York, the US market being one of the most important at this time for the Union. .

There is no start at zero, and two years ago the tennis player Rafael Nadal was already facing the first big campaign of this type, and now, with the results in hand, the Interprofessional of the Spanish olive oil wants to continue to reap followers.

Olive oil continues to be a niche: its overall consumption accounts for only 1.50%, very far from 15% oil. rapeseed, 29% soybean oil or 35% soybean oil. of palm tree.

Still, the growing popularity of the Mediterranean diet and the poor reputation of other oils, such as palm oil, have paved the way for oil. olive, which in the United States continues to grow.

"Ten years ago, in Spain, we consumed 60% of our olive oil and exported 40%, now this trend has reversed, we are exporting 70 % and consume 30% ", Efe summarized the president of the inter-professional, Pedro Barato.

Ten or so years ago, the American market was not distinguished by its consumption of olive oil but today it is the third global consumer, a "merit" taking into account that the first two L & # 39; Spain, are producing countries.

The United States has gone from just 30 tons of olive oil to spend up to 310,000 in just a decade.

To achieve this, the "complicity" of several actors, doctors who certify their health benefits, to the US government was needed, which in its latest guide on healthy living tips in 2015 recommended the use of this type of oil.

This also has something to do with the success of Spanish cuisine in the United States, and that's why Seamus Mullen, a New York chef who, having worked in a Burgos bar, opened the campaign in 2013 "El Colmado", one of the most popular tapas restaurants in the city.

The campaign, which will have more than 3,000,000 impacts, will be present in ports, airports and train stations, since according to Barato, "those who travel have a special consideration for try new experiences, also in the kitchen ".

Olive oil will be present at airports in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York, where "lounges" or seating areas have already been opened, where travelers can try olive oil while they listen to music or charge their devices.

"The future is bright for us, the consumption of olive oil in the United States does not reach a kilo per person per year, while that" 39, in Spain it is 13, "said the union president. He pointed out that consumption is "concentrated" on the east and west coast of the country, so that there are still many states "to conquer".