Postira Symposium Honors Leaders of Adriatic Olive Oil Renaissance
The International Symposium on Olive Oil of Croatia and the Adriatic Coast concluded in Postira, Brač, with the first-ever Olive Oil Times Champion of Excellence Awards, honoring producers and experts whose work has elevated the region’s oils to global acclaim.
The three-day International Symposium on Olive Oil of Croatia and the Adriatic Coast concluded in Postira, Brač, with the Olive Oil Times Champion of Excellence Awards ceremony. The honors were presented to individuals whose dedication, leadership, and vision have significantly advanced the high-quality olive oil sector.
“Our goal is to firmly position Croatian olive oil on the global map of excellence,” said Curtis Cord, founder of Olive Oil Times and president of the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition. Together with the Postira Tourism Board, led by Director Ivana Jelinčić, Cord organized the landmark event, which brought over 100 participants from Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and more than 15 other countries.
First Olive Oil Times Champion of Excellence Awards
“For the first time tonight, we are presenting the Olive Oil Times Champion of Excellence Awards,” Cord announced. “These awards were created for this occasion and will travel with us into the future.”
Of the 12 awards, eight went to honorees in Croatia, two to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and one each to Slovenia and Montenegro. Each recipient received a medal and a certificate. The first went to Tomislav Duvnjak, owner of the family groves and mill Sveti Ivan – Olive Oil Center in Vodice. Five years ago, Duvnjak encouraged Dalmatian producers to submit their oils to the NYIOOC, significantly raising Croatia’s global profile.
Tomislav Duvnjak was presented with the Olive Oil Times Champion of Excellence Award by Curtis Cord. (Photo: TZ Postira / Domagoj Blažević)
“This recognition is not only for me and the other awardees but for all the farmers, experts, and scientists who have contributed to the development of olive growing in our region,” Duvnjak said after receiving the award from Cord.
Other honorees included Domagoj Živković, owner of OPG Laurenta and president of the Šibenik-Knin Association Ultra Extra; Ante Vulin, a renowned, multi-award-winning producer from Pakoštane; and journalist and grower Nedjeljko Jusup from Zadar.
Mirela Žanetić of the Institute for Adriatic Crops in Split received the Olive Oil Times Champion of Excellence Award
Also recognized were food technologist and IOC-certified panel leader Mirela Žanetić of the Institute for Adriatic Crops in Split; the Šolta Olive Association, known for its award-winning PDO-protected oils; and the Postira Agricultural Cooperative, which has helped secure recognition and protection for Brač olive oil.
From Slovenia, biochemist Danijel Stojković Kukulin of Terra Centuria was honored for his work producing oils with high polyphenol content. From Bosnia and Herzegovina, Professor Marko Ivanković, director of the Agro-Mediterranean Institute in Mostar, was recognized for revitalizing Herzegovinian olive growing and launching the “Golden Drops of Herzegovina” brand. The HUUM olive growers’ association also received a special award. From Montenegro, the honor went to Ćazim Alković, president of the Bar Olive Growers’ Society and IOC delegate.
Global Voices Join in Postira
The symposium featured tastings, guided courses, and certification programs led by internationally recognized instructors. Among them was Chile’s Carola Dummer Medina.
Carola Dummer Medina led a sensory assessment lesson at the Postira Symposium. (Photo: TZ Postira / Domagoj Blažević)
“I’ve been in love with Croatian oils for years,” she said. “They have an authenticity and uniqueness that consumers are now seeking. This symposium is an excellent opportunity for local producers to gain confidence and realize they are creating something truly special.”
Looking Ahead: “Ultra Virgin” Category
Discussions also focused on marketing strategies, climate challenges, and sustainability. One highlight was the announcement of a new category—“Ultra Virgin”—by the recently united Dalmatian associations under the Oleum Primum Dalmaticum Club. This classification would establish stricter standards than those for extra virgin olive oil.
Participants also visited Dol, an eco-ethno village near Postira, and toured the Postira Agricultural Cooperative, which processed 1.7 million kilograms of olives last season and produced 43 tons of oil.
A toast at the Postira Symposium of Adriatic Olive Oil Excellence (Photo: TZ Postira / Domagoj Blažević)
A Toast to Croatian Excellence
The closing ceremony featured local cuisine, music, and pairings with Brač olive oils. Raising a toast, Curtis Cord said, “We have never seen such a dramatic rise in quality on the world stage as we are witnessing here in Croatia. Excellence here is not just about terroir—it’s about the dedication and hard work of talented people whose efforts deserve global recognition.”
He concluded with a message of gratitude and hope: “We leave here with new friends, new energy, and a deeper appreciation of what makes this region so extraordinary. Safe travels—and until we meet again.”