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Whether it’s drizzled over salad or gifted to a loved one, fans of olive oil agree that it’s worthy of its ‘liquid gold’ title.
Now, the stakes have got that little bit higher with Selfridge’s new line of extra virgin olive oil, which includes the extra luxe ESTOUBLON bottle costing £450 – and it’s already sold out.
After noting a 23 per cent year-on-year increase in olive oil sales, Selfridges introduced a new collection of more than 80 different olive oils sourced globally, including from Turkey, Tunisia and Europe.
It’s now the retailer’s second biggest grocery category, second only to the nation’s favourite beverage – tea.
Sales have been boosted by recent etiquette guidance that to impress at a dinner party, you should arrive with not an expensive bottle of wine but olive oil that the host can proudly display in the kitchen as a mark of good taste.
Lucy Menendez, Director of Restaurants & Food at Selfridges, said: ‘It’s wonderful to see our customers’ growing obsession with olive oil and to be able to help them explore all the different styles and varieties of this delicious liquid.
‘We’re seeing a real increase in shoppers seeking out the finest quality olive oil from smaller producers and lesser-known countries.
‘They’re shopping for bottles that suit their individual tastes and needs, whether for their own kitchens or to present to someone as a beautiful gift.’
At the same time, beautifully decorated tins of gourmet tuna fillets, sardines and pilchards are among the products to give – and to show off.
Elinor Griffin, Waitrose’s oils and vinegar buyer, said: ‘Whether it’s a gorgeous bottle of olive oil or raw apple cider vinegar, or artisanal flavoured salts, it’s a great way to spark conversation and show off your chef credentials.’
The supermarket’s Food and Drink Report insisted that premium oils, olives, nuts, honey, vinegar and salts are more refined and fashionable dinner party gift options than wine or bubbly.
Demand for such items has soared by as much as 79 per cent last year after House & Garden magazine asked if ‘trendy olive oil is the new wine’ and reported: ‘A chic store cupboard has become a status symbol.’
Premium olive oil brand Graza told the magazine: ‘We have heard from customers and investors that olive oil is very well received as a gift, especially because you can use it at dinner, and then still have some left over whereas a bottle of wine either disappears in ten minutes or collects dust.’
American TV chef Ina Garten previously also weighed in, suggesting that taking wine to a dinner party could be seen as rude.
She warned: ‘[The host] feels like they should serve it with the meal. I don’t bring a particular course.
‘Like, I wouldn’t bring cheese because they feel like they need to serve the cheese with dinner.’
Waitrose claimed ‘premium, ethical and, crucially, pretty’ brands are de rigueur in well-to-do households.
The report said: ‘We’ve seen an interest from food-loving customers in the provenance of store cupboard stalwarts while social media has made them more brand savvy.’
It added that sales of environmentally friendly boxed wines have seen a 25 per cent rise year on year, while canned plonk is up 36 per cent.
Waitrose wine buyer Emma Penman said: ‘We have had a lot of feedback about wanting to have the odd glass of wine after work without opening a bottle.’
Waitrose executive director James Bailey said the supermarket has noticed a ‘shift’ in shopping habits this year, with many now willing to splash out on luxury essentials. He added: ‘We are now seeing the beginning of a return to indulgence.’
