The olive oil sector gathered in Rute for the third Aceite de Lucena PDO Awards, a gala highlighting the quality, outreach and excellence of the extra virgin olive oils covered by this designation of origin.
The event took place at the CEMAC Pintor Pedro Roldán Cultural Centre, bringing together institutional representatives, producers and industry professionals to recognise the work behind one of the region’s most emblematic products.
Before the awards ceremony, the programme included two talks on the properties of extra virgin olive oil. Nutrition specialist Dr Escribano discussed its benefits for health and sport, while Eva Millán spoke about its culinary uses and value as a healthy food.
The 2025 Extra Virgin Olive Oil Outreach Award went to IPRODECO for its support of the Festival Córdoba Virgen Extra. The 2025 PDO Quality, Promotion and Training Award was presented to the Lucena Análisis Sensorial tasting panel for its support and advice in improving the quality of certified oil.
The gala also recognised the best bottled oils bearing the Aceite de Lucena PDO seal. This year, for the first time, three prizes were awarded because of the high level of participation and excellence.
Third prize went to Cooperativa Nuestra Señora de Araceli for its Pagos de Aras brand. Second prize was awarded to Aceites Fuente Grande S.A., one of the designation’s founding companies. First prize went to Cooperativa La Unión de Montilla SCA, recognising the quality of its oil and its ongoing commitment to training and product improvement.
During the ceremony, attending officials highlighted olive growing as an economic driver for the region and the need to continue investing in quality as a distinguishing factor. They also recognised the designation of origin’s role in protecting, promoting and enhancing the prestige of Lucena’s extra virgin olive oil.
The day concluded with a cocktail reception at Patio con Duende, where guests tasted oils and other products covered by designations of origin, reinforcing the event’s gastronomic and cultural value.
