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Olive Varieties

There are more than 800 olive varieties in the world. Every geography and every climate has created its own distinct variety. Discover this colourful world, from Turkish olives to Italian and Greek varieties.

Turkish Olive Varieties

Gemlik

Turkey's most widespread variety. Native to the Bursa-Gemlik region, it stands out for its high flesh-to-stone ratio and deep flavour. When brined it develops an extraordinary taste.

Memecik (Edremit)

The icon of the Aegean. Small in size but with a very high oil content, this variety produces Turkey's finest olive oils. Prevalent around the Gulf of Edremit.

Domat

A large table variety grown around İzmir. Harvested green, its crisp texture makes it a firm favourite at the breakfast table.

Leading World Varieties

Variety	Origin	Character	Use
Kalamata	Greece	Large, almond-shaped, dark purple	Table
Arbequina	Spain	Small, fruity oil	Oil & Table
Manzanilla	Spain	Most popular green variety	Table
Picual	Spain	27% oil content, sharp flavour	Oil
Frantoio	Italy (Tuscany)	Fruity, lightly bitter	Oil

Table vs Oil Varieties

Table varieties: High flesh-to-stone ratio — produced for direct consumption.
Oil varieties: High oil content (20–30%) — used primarily for olive oil production.
Dual-purpose varieties: Suitable for both uses.

The Importance of Colour at Harvest

The same variety can differ greatly in colour and flavour depending on when it is harvested. Green olives are unripe; black olives are fully ripe. Purple or burgundy olives fall somewhere in between.

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