Introduction

The global olive oil industry in 2023 has entered uncharted territory, experiencing an extraordinary surge in olive oil prices driven by a combination of climatic and economic forces. At the centre of this crisis lies Spain’s devastating drought, which has crippled the world’s largest olive oil producer. This severe shortage has led to a dramatic contraction in olive oil supply, triggering price escalation and a corresponding decline in consumer demand. The ripple effects are being felt worldwide, reshaping the balance between producers and consumers alike. Meanwhile, Australian olive oil producers find themselves in a rare position of advantage, benefitting from unprecedented market highs. This article explores the causes, consequences, historical trends, and economic signals surrounding this remarkable global olive oil price spike.

The Spanish Drought and Its Impact on Supply

The ongoing drought across Spain stands as the principal factor behind the current olive oil price surge. As one of the largest olive oil-producing nations globally, Spain’s drastically reduced harvest - caused by months of extreme heat and minimal rainfall - has sharply curtailed olive oil availability in both European and international markets. This has intensified supply shortages, compelling consumers to pay more for what has long been a staple Mediterranean product. The interplay of limited supply and escalating demand has magnified price volatility, reinforcing the classic supply-and-demand imbalance now driving global markets.

Incredible to see the olive groves of Jaen, Spain. This one province produces around a fifth of the *entire* global supply of olive oil

But a combination of drought & extreme heat has left many trees badly weakened... This years harvest looks set to be the worst in living memory pic.twitter.com/QYs41eXCwC

— Secunder Kermani (@SecKermani) August 31, 2023

Decline in Consumer Demand

As prices have risen steeply, the shortage of olive oil has led to a noticeable decline in consumption, particularly in Spain, where demand has reportedly dropped by around 35%. Consumers are now scaling back their purchases, finding olive oil increasingly unaffordable compared to other cooking oils. The once-steady household consumption patterns are shifting as people seek alternatives or modify their cooking habits. This contraction in domestic demand not only highlights the growing accessibility gap for consumers but also underscores the broader economic strain caused by high inflation and food price increases.

Australian Olive Oil Producers Reap the Rewards

Amid the turmoil, Australian olive oil producers are experiencing a windfall. Thanks to limited global supply, Australian growers are commanding record prices exceeding AUD $8 per litre, marking the highest levels ever recorded in the nation’s olive oil industry. This lucrative period presents a rare opportunity for Australian exporters, with demand from Europe - including Spain itself - now turning toward Australian supplies. For producers Down Under, this unique reversal of roles underscores how regional climate resilience and diversified production can translate into significant financial gains when global shortages arise.

Historical Context: How the Market Reached 2023

The olive oil market’s volatility is not a new phenomenon. Previous spikes occurred in 1996, 2006, and 2015, each triggered by weather-related supply constraints. Yet, the 2023 price explosion stands out as the most dramatic in recorded history -over 40% higher than any previous price peak, and roughly double the magnitude of earlier surges. This extreme escalation reflects not just climatic hardship but a clear pricing bubble forming within the market, echoing the cyclical nature of commodity pricing.

Cyclical Trends and Economic Correlations

The olive oil sector has long followed cyclical pricing patterns, typically alternating between low and high price phases roughly every decade. The current surge aligns almost perfectly with the predicted start of another 10-year cycle, occurring just three years into its anticipated timeline. Furthermore, a notable correlation has been identified between the Australian Food Inflation Index and the Global Olive Oil Price Index as reported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This connection illustrates the deep interdependence between food commodity pricing and global economic conditions.

While the IMF’s benchmark prices are denominated in USD, for the purposes of this analysis they have been converted to AUD to track the trend relative to Australian markets. These benchmark indicators -based on the world’s largest olive oil exporters -serve as a reliable gauge of overall market direction, confirming how global shortages and inflationary pressures move in tandem.

Technical Indicators: Signals of an Overbought Market

From a technical analysis perspective, the Relative Strength Indicator (RSI) is often used to measure price momentum and potential overextension in markets. On recent olive oil price charts, the RSI (represented in purple) indicates that prices have once again entered overbought territory - a level seen during previous speculative phases. Historically, such readings have preceded market corrections or reversals, suggesting that the current surge may not be sustainable in the long term.

Analysts caution that as the European olive harvest begins in September and October 2023, an influx of new oil supplies could help ease prices, though the timing and extent of this correction remain uncertain. Until then, speculative trading and limited inventory continue to support inflated market values.

Conclusion

The record-breaking olive oil prices of 2023, primarily triggered by Spain’s drought-induced production collapse, mark a turning point for the global olive oil economy. With consumer demand declining under the pressure of soaring prices and Australian producers thriving amid the scarcity, the industry is experiencing a dramatic rebalancing. Historical precedents, cyclical trends, and market indicators all point toward a complex, transitional period defined by volatility and uncertainty.

As the world’s producers, traders, and consumers adapt to these new market dynamics, one truth remains clear: olive oil - celebrated for its taste, health benefits, and cultural significance - continues to be at the mercy of both climate change and economic cycles. Stakeholders across the value chain must remain alert, flexible, and forward-thinking as the olive oil market navigates this extraordinary phase of transformation.

Other Sources

• Olive Oil Prices at Origin   
• POOLred, Spain

Introduction

For artisanal olive oil makers and table olive processors, investing in the right equipment can vastly improve efficiency and product quality. TENCO, an Italian manufacturer with roots in Liguria’s olive oil industry, offers a range of compact bottling and capping machines tailored for small to medium operations . These machines are designed to preserve the flavor and integrity of even the most delicate extra virgin olive oil during packaging . From vacuum filling machines that gently bottle oils without exposure to air, to pneumatic dosing systems for viscous olive pastes, and semiautomatic cappers for consistent sealing – TENCO’s lineup (available via The Olive Centre) covers the needs of boutique olive businesses. In this article, we provide an overview of key TENCO equipment models and their features that make them ideal for operations with smaller throughput. 

Enolmatic Vacuum Filling Machine (Single-Head) 

The TENCO Enolmatic is a benchtop vacuum filler designed for small-scale production of oils, wines, spirits, sauces, and other liquids – including those with relatively high viscosity. This compact unit uses vacuum suction to draw product directly from a tank or drum into the bottle, which means the liquid never passes through an impeller pump or mechanical components. This gentle filling method helps maintain the oil’s organoleptic qualities (taste and aroma) by minimising oxidation and turbulence during bottling. 

• Throughput: Fills approximately 150 bottles per hour (750 ml size), making it suitable for boutique producers scaling up from manual filling. (For smaller bottles or lower viscosity liquids, it can approach 250 bottles/hour in optimal conditions .) 
• Consistent Fill Levels: The fill level is adjustable and, once set, the Enolmatic automatically stops each fill at the precise height for uniform presentation. You don’t need to toggle the machine on/off for each bottle – removing a filled bottle stops the flow via the vacuum mechanism by default. This ensures consistent volume and reduces spillage or overfill waste. 
• Ease of Use: Simply insert the bottle, and the vacuum does the rest. The source container (tank, drum, or even a barrel) can be placed up to 4 meters below the filler, as the vacuum pump will lift the liquid without manual priming. This gives flexibility in setup, e.g., drawing oil straight from a settling drum on the floor. 
• Adaptability: The standard Enolmatic works with bottle necks 16–28 mm in diameter (common wine or oil bottle neck sizes). For other formats, TENCO provides interchangeable kits – for example, a Jar kit for wider jar openings, a Mignon kit for tiny liqueur bottles, and even an oil-specific kit with stainless steel components for edible oils. These kits allow one Enolmatic to handle everything from small 100 ml sample olive oil bottles to large jars of table olives. 
• Hygiene & Quality: Because product contact parts are food-grade and the vacuum fills without forcing liquid through a pump, the risk of contamination or shear damage to oil is minimal. All wetted parts can be easily disassembled and cleaned, ensuring sanitary operation even for unfiltered oils or flavoured products. An optional Tandem filter housing can be attached inline to filter the oil during bottling, letting you filter and fill in one step – a great way to remove sediment (e.g., olive pulp) without an extra handling stage. This not only saves time but also ensures a bright, clear product in each bottle.  

Practical example: Using the Enolmatic, a family olive farm can bottle a 200-litre batch (~266 bottles of 750 ml) of olive oil in just around 2 hours of work, with one person operating. In contrast to manual funnel filling, the vacuum system minimises air contact, preserving the oil’s fresh taste. The adjustable fill level means every bottle looks uniformly filled, which conveys professionalism. If the same farm also packs marinated olives in brine, they can swap to a jar kit and fill jars under vacuum, reducing mess and oxidation of the brine.

Accessories

Enolmaster Multi-Head Vacuum Filler (4-Head)

For producers who need a higher throughput but still want the benefits of vacuum filling, the TENCO Enolmaster offers an excellent solution. Essentially an upscale version of the Enolmatic, the Enolmaster features four filling heads (stainless steel) operating on the same vacuum principle. This allows parallel filling of 2 or 4 bottles at once, drastically increasing output while retaining a compact, bench-friendly design.

• Higher Throughput: With four nozzles, the Enolmaster can fill roughly 500 bottles per hour under optimal conditions – ideal for a medium-sized grove or a cooperative bottling line. Despite the speed, filling is still done under vacuum, meaning no foam and no oxidation. Each head stops at the set fill level, ensuring uniform fills across all bottles. (In practice, some users report it can reach up to ~600 bottles/hour for water-thin liquids, but ~500/hour is typical for olive oil viscosity.) 
• Quality Preservation: Just like the Enolmatic, the Enolmaster’s vacuum-driven process bottles the oil “in the most natural way, allowing it to maintain its original quality”. Oil is never exposed to excessive air or pumping stress. The design guarantees perfect hygiene – there’s no contact between the product and any mechanical pump parts as the liquid is pulled directly into the bottle by vacuum. This is crucial for olive oil, as it prevents metallic contamination and preserves aroma compounds. 
• Adjustable & No-Drip: The fill level across all four spouts is adjustable with one setting, and the machine has a built-in no-drip system to prevent dribbles when bottles are removed. An overflowing bottle isn’t an issue; any excess is drawn into an internal recovery vessel, which can be emptied later – meaning less product loss and a cleaner work area. 
• Robust Build: The filler’s frame and nozzles are made of stainless steel for durability and easy sanitation. Even with continuous operation, it’s built to handle long bottling sessions (the vacuum pump can run for hours). Many small wineries and oil mills use this unit as a stepping stone before investing in fully automated lines. 
• Expandable & Customizable: TENCO offers accessories to customise the Enolmaster for various tasks. For instance, you can equip Pyrex glass vessels and filter cartridges to bottle alcoholic tinctures or herbal-infused oils (the glass parts resist high-proof alcohol). There are also specialised spouts for filling mini bottles or wide-mouth containers. The manifold can even be configured with mixed spout types – e.g., two standard and two for larger bottles – to run different bottle formats simultaneously. This flexibility suits diversified producers (olive oil, vinegar, liquors, etc.) who want one machine for multiple products. 

Accessories

Doselite Volumetric Dosing Machine (Pneumatic Filler) 

Not all olive-related products are free-flowing liquids. For thicker substances like olive paste (tapenade), olive jam, flavoured sauces, or even cosmetic products (olive oil soaps, creams), TENCO’s Doselite® pneumatic dosing machine is the go-to solution. The Doselite is a volumetric piston filler that uses air pressure to accurately dispense a pre-set volume of product, from as little as a few millilitres up to over a litre. It’s extremely versatile and food-safe, making it well-suited for artisanal producers who handle a range of product viscosities. 

• Wide Filling Range: Depending on the cylinder configuration, Doselite can dispense doses anywhere from ~50 ml up to 1300 ml in a single stroke (and some models/attachments allow as low as 0.5 ml up to 1500 ml ). This means one machine can fill small jars of olive tapenade or large jugs of sauce by simple volume adjustment. A hand-wheel on the unit lets you fine-tune the fill volume within its range, ensuring repeatable fills batch after batch. Filling accuracy is within ±1% of the set volume, which prevents giveaway (overfilling) and keeps your portioning consistent. 
• Handles Viscous Products: The Doselite is built to handle liquid, semi-dense, and highly dense products – even those with bits and pieces (like herbs or fine olive pieces in a spread). It works by suction: as the pneumatic piston retracts, it draws product into a dosing chamber, then a forward stroke pushes the exact dose out through the nozzle. Interchangeable valves are available to suit different product types – e.g., a larger opening valve for chunky spreads versus a smaller one for smooth liquids. This flexibility makes it suitable not just for olive products but also for honey, jams, pesto, cosmetics, etc., which many olive farms diversify into. 
• Food-Grade Construction: All parts that contact the product are made of AISI 316L stainless steel and food-safe gaskets (PTFE/Silicone for food use). This high-grade stainless steel resists corrosion from salt or acids (important if filling brine or vinegar-based marinades). It also means the machine can be used for organic and premium products without risk of contamination. 
• Easy Cleaning & Maintenance: The design uses tri-clamp fittings (common in pharmaceutical and dairy equipment), so no tools are needed to disassemble the dosing parts for cleaning. An operator can break down the hopper, valves, and piston in minutes for washing or product changeover. This is crucial for small producers who might switch between, say, a chilli olive sauce and a plain olive tapenade – cleaning is quick and cross-contamination is avoided. Minimal maintenance (just gasket replacements and keeping the pneumatic cylinder lubricated) is required, and all Tenco machines come with a 12-month warranty. 
• Operation: The Doselite is pneumatically driven, requiring an air compressor (~6 bar air supply). This pneumatic operation is advantageous for farm settings because it avoids electrical components near wet product and allows installation even where only compressed air (not high-voltage power) is available. It can be operated via a foot pedal or automatic cycling, and the fill speed (both suction and dispensing) can be adjusted by regulators to accommodate the thickness of the product. TENCO even offers the Doselite on a wheeled frame or with twin filling heads for those who want to scale up production or integrate into a future automated line.  

Practical example: A small olive producer makes an olive relish and packages it in 250 ml jars. Using the Doselite with a 30L hopper, they can set the dose to ~250 ml and fill jars one after another with foot-pedal activation. The ±1% accuracy means each jar is filled within ~±2.5 ml of the target, virtually eliminating the variance you’d get scooping by hand. With the pneumatic drive, the operator can maintain a steady pace without fatigue – e.g., filling hundreds of jars per hour with consistent weight. Afterwards, cleaning the machine is straightforward: tri-clamp fittings allow the entire product path to be taken apart without wrenches, so cleanup and changeover to their next product (perhaps a lemon-infused olive oil lotion) is quick. The machine’s precision and minimal waste help reduce product loss and ensure every customer gets a full jar with a professional appearance. 

Accessories

Semi-Automatic Capping Solutions for Bottles and Jars

Once olive oil or olives are filled into containers, the next critical step is secure capping. Hand-capping can be tedious and inconsistent – especially for metal caps that require proper torque or crimping. TENCO provides bench-top capping machines that give small producers a fast, reliable way to cap bottles and jars with professional results. These systems are compact and often pneumatic or electric, making them easy to fit into a small processing room. Below, we highlight two key capping solutions from Tenco and their features:

4-Roller Descending Head Capper (Pilfer-Proof & Versatile Capper)

For olive oil bottles that use pilfer-proof aluminium caps (the type with a tamper-evident ring, often with an integrated pourer insert), Tenco’s descending head capping machine is ideal. This is a semiautomatic electric capper with a 4-roller stainless steel capping head that forms and tightens aluminium caps around the bottle neck thread in one motion. It’s the same style of closure seen on wine bottles (Stelvin® caps) and many olive oil bottles for a leak-proof, tamper-evident seal. 

• Secure Capping: The 4-roller head ensures a tight, uniform seal on smooth aluminium screw caps (24–50 mm diameter), sealing them with consistent pressure all around the rim. This uniform crimp means the pourer inserts are locked in place and caps are neither too loose (which could leak or fall off) nor over-tightened (which could strip threads or damage the cap). The result is a professional seal just like in larger commercial bottling lines, but on a tabletop machine. 
• Fast Throughput: This capper can close up to ~500–600 bottles per hour with a single operator. The workflow involves placing a cap on the bottle, setting it under the capping head, and pressing the twin start buttons. In a few seconds, the head descends, crimps the cap, and releases – the bottle is capped and tamper-proofed. The two-handed activation system is a safety feature to keep the operator’s hands away from the mechanism during capping. Even at half its maximum speed, this machine saves enormous labour time compared to hand-capping with a handheld roller or cap wrench.
• Versatile Cap Types: Uniquely, this descending head capper isn’t limited to aluminium caps. By swapping the 4-roller ROPP head for a different head (a magnetic clutch chuck), it can tighten Twist-off lids on jars or plastic screw caps on bottles. That means the same machine can cap jars of table olives, sauces, or cosmetic jars by gripping and torquing their lids, as well as handle pump/dispenser caps or spray caps for olive oil sprayers. This multi-capability is a big advantage for a small producer who might bottle olive oil in metal caps but also jars other products – one machine covers all needs with the right attachments. 
• Robust Build, Small Footprint: Constructed with a heavy-duty stainless steel frame, the machine is built to last in industrial use. Yet it occupies only a benchtop space (~45×45 cm base). With a ~60 kg weight, it’s stable during operation and can handle glass or PET bottles of various heights (up to ~350 mm tall). The benchtop design and single-phase power option make it feasible for on-farm use without special electrical requirements.
• Consistency & Safety: The semi-automatic operation means each cap is applied with the same torque and tightness – improving product consistency and reducing leaks/spoilage. The bimanual safety controls and an emergency stop ensure that the operator is protected, an important consideration when mechanising your bottling line. 

Practical example: A boutique olive oil producer uses the 4-roller capper to seal their 500 ml olive oil bottles with pilfer-proof caps (31.5 mm diameter with pourer inserts). An operator can comfortably cap a bottle in ~5 seconds – aligning the bottle, pressing the buttons, and then removing the sealed bottle – which translates to around 500 bottles/hour at full pace. This is a huge improvement over manually threading on caps and twisting with a hand tool. Moreover, every cap comes out evenly crimped and tightly sealed, preventing the slow drips or oxygen ingress that might occur with uneven hand capping. When the same producer has a run of pickled olives in jars to cap, they switch the capping head on the machine to the magnetic clutch chuck and adjust the height. Now they can cap twist-off jars just as efficiently – ensuring each lid is sealed to the perfect tightness, which reduces product spoilage and extends shelf life by maintaining the vacuum in the jar. 

Easycap Pneumatic Capper (Twist-Off & Plastic Caps)

TENCO’s Easycap is a pneumatically-driven bench capper dedicated to twist-off metal lids (common on jars of table olives, jams, etc.) and plastic screw caps. If your operation involves jarring olives, tapenades, or sauces in glass jars with metal lids – or bottling oils/vinegars with plastic caps – Easycap provides a convenient, flexible solution. It’s entirely air-powered (no electricity), which is advantageous in food environments or where compressed air is readily available. 

• Designed for Small Producers: Easycap is described as “the ideal choice for small and medium-sized producers looking for a reliable solution for automated capping.” It’s compact enough for a tabletop yet delivers consistent capping torque via its pneumatic motor. This makes it a great fit for artisanal businesses that want to mechanise capping without investing in large, complex machinery.
• Multiple Cap Types and Sizes: The capper works for twist-off caps from 38 mm up to 110 mm diameter (including standard pickle/olive jar lids) and plastic screw caps up to 50 mm diameter. By changing the magnetic mandrel (the cap gripping chuck), you can accommodate different cap designs. For example, you might use one mandrel for a 63 mm twist lid on olive jars and another for a 31.5 mm plastic screw cap on 250 ml olive oil sampler bottles. The machine supports quick mandrel swaps, allowing easy adaptation to various product lines. 
• Fast and Efficient: With adjustable air pressure and a robust pneumatic drive, the Easycap can cap roughly 500–600 containers per hour at full speed. Operators typically place the cap on the container, position it under the capping head, and activate the capper via a foot pedal or two-hand control, depending on configuration. The cap is tightened in a fraction of a second to a preset torque. This high throughput suits seasonal packers – for instance, during the olive harvest or pickling season, one can rapidly cap the entire batch of jars for the year. '
• Adjustable Torque & Gentle Handling: The torque applied to caps is adjustable by regulating the air pressure and flow to the pneumatic motor. This fine control ensures you can tighten caps securely without cracking lids or bottles. For delicate plastic caps or lids with liners, you can dial back the pressure; for ensuring a vacuum seal on a hot-filled jar, you might use a higher torque. Additionally, optional container support blocks can be added – for example, a sliding pneumatic jar clamp to hold the jar in place and prevent it from spinning during capping. This is especially useful for taller or lightweight containers. 
• Safety and Reliability: The all-pneumatic operation means there are no electrical sparks or motors – a benefit in wet or flammable product environments (e.g., alcohol-based infusions). It also reduces maintenance, as the pneumatic motor is simple and durable. The Easycap’s body is made of sturdy materials (with stainless steel in key areas), built to withstand continuous use. With an estimated weight of ~30 kg, it’s relatively portable if the producer attends farmers’ markets or needs to move the unit seasonally. Maintenance typically just involves keeping the air supply dry and clean. 

Comparison of Key TENCO Equipment for Small-Scale Olive Operations

To summarise the discussed TENCO machines, the table below outlines their key specifications and recommended applications: 

(All throughput rates are approximate and assume an experienced operator and continuous operation. Actual rates may vary with product viscosity, fill volume, and operator pace.)

Conclusion

Outfitting a small or medium olive processing operation with TENCO’s specialised equipment can significantly boost efficiency, reduce waste, and improve product consistency. These machines bring industrial-level precision to the artisanal scale: vacuum fillers that protect oil quality while speeding up bottling, piston dosing machines that deliver exact portions of savoury olive products, and semiautomatic cappers that ensure every bottle and jar is sealed tight and secure. Importantly, they are accessible in terms of size, cost, and ease of use – designed with the professional grower/producer in mind rather than a large factory. By adopting such equipment, even a family-run olive grove can achieve a streamlined packing process: imagine bottling and capping your extra virgin olive oil in the morning, with minimal spills or rejects, and confidently offering a shelf-stable, beautifully presented product to customers. 

TENCO’s range (available through The Olive Centre) covers each step from filling to capping, and each machine is engineered to handle the nuances of olive products – from preserving delicate flavours to handling viscous textures. This integrated approach helps artisanal producers maintain quality control and scale up throughput without sacrificing the handcrafted appeal of their products. In short, whether you produce boutique olive oil, jarred olives, or related gourmet items, TENCO’s bottling and capping equipment provides a smart investment to elevate your operation’s productivity and professionalism. With these tools, you can save time, ensure consistency, and focus on what you do best: creating excellent olive products.