Tunisia is one of the world’s largest olive oil producers — but you’ll rarely see it mentioned on a label

Tunisia’s Olive Oil Deserves a Name on the Label

Healfromzero.com – Tunisia is one of the world’s leading olive-oil producers, with a tradition that has shaped family life and agriculture for nearly 3,000 years. Yet shoppers outside the country may struggle to find bottles that clearly identify Tunisia as the origin, even as the nation is expected to become the world’s second-largest producer in the 2025/2026 season.

The issue is not a lack of olives or expertise. Much of Tunisia’s oil is exported in bulk, then bottled, blended and marketed in other countries. By the time it reaches consumers, its Tunisian roots can be difficult to trace.

For Sarah Ben Romdane, founder of the organic extra virgin olive oil label KAÏA, that lack of recognition overlooks a product tied closely to culture, family memory and everyday life.

“In Tunisia, we say there are more olive trees than Tunisians. Every family has a history with olive oil — mine was the first in the country to export it to the US. But it’s also the miracle grandma’s natural remedy for curing sickness, hydrating your skin, and of course, tasting great in meals.”

Why Tunisian Olive Oil Is Often Hard to Identify

OLYFO estimates that 86% of Tunisia’s olive-oil exports during the 2025/2026 season were sold in bulk. Spain, Italy and the United States were the main destinations. Imported oil may later be bottled abroad or mixed with oils from other producing countries.

This process can make origin labels unclear. European Union rules may allow descriptions that refer broadly to oils from EU and non-EU sources instead of naming Tunisia. In the United States, a label may not clearly separate where an oil was imported, bottled, produced or harvested.

As a result, Tunisia is one of the world’s major suppliers while still being presented less visibly than countries better known for retail olive-oil brands. Producers argue that the country’s oil is too often treated as a low-cost ingredient instead of a distinctive finished product.

Who Benefits From the Olive-Oil Value Chain?

Fadhel Kaboub, an associate professor at Denison University in Ohio and author of the newsletter Global South Perspectives, says the central struggle is not olive cultivation alone, but control over processing, branding and sales.

“The real competition isn’t growing olives; it’s controlling the value chain. It comes from colonialism, which has imposed a narrative that persists to this day: former colonies like Tunisia are supposed to supply cheap raw materials, not premium products.”

Tunisia was governed by France from 1881 until 1956. Kaboub links today’s trade dynamics to that history, as well as to financing barriers that affect growers. Inherited farmland may lack modern title documentation, making it harder for farmers to obtain domestic credit.

Without reliable financing, some growers sell their harvest to bulk buyers from Spain or Italy long before collection. Prices can therefore be set early, regardless of the eventual size or quality of the crop. The pressure affects rural communities and seasonal workers, many of whom are women seeking stable incomes.

A Growing Push for Tunisian Brands

A new generation of producers wants consumers to see Tunisia is one of the world’s important olive-oil origins, not merely a supplier behind someone else’s label. KAÏA, Les Moulins Mahjoub, BenIsmail’s Triomphe de Tuccabor and Domaine Fendri are among brands promoting Tunisian olive oil as a premium product with its own identity.

Ben Romdane, who was born in Paris to a Tunisian father and Syrian mother, grew up in London and spent summers in Tunisia. During the Covid-19 period, she invested in olive trees cultivated by her family for five generations, bringing a personal connection to her effort to build a visible Tunisian brand.

FAQ: Buying Tunisian Olive Oil

How can shoppers identify Tunisian olive oil? Look for Tunisia clearly named as the country of origin on the bottle, rather than relying only on the country where it was bottled or imported.

Why might a bottle not mention Tunisia? Tunisian oil is frequently exported in bulk and can be blended or packaged in another market. Labels may then use broader origin descriptions.

Why does origin matter? Clear origin labeling helps buyers understand where an oil was harvested and supports producers seeking a greater share of the value created through bottling and branding.