14 Slovenian Olive Growers Featured in the Renowned Slow Food Guide 2026

The Olive Growing Institute of the Science and Research Centre Koper, (ZRS Koper) in cooperation with and with the support of the Institute for Youth, Culture and Tourism Koper, organized a presentation of the Slow Food Guide to Extra Virgin Olive Oils 2026. The event took place on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the ZRS Koper Centre for Humanities.

The Slow Food movement, which since 1986 has promoted respect for producers, the preservation of local knowledge, and the protection of biodiversity, included in this year’s 26th edition of the guide what it considers the best extra virgin olive oils from Slovenia.

Slovenia is represented in the guide by 14 outstanding producers, standing alongside the most renowned Italian olive oil producers. This is not only about evaluating olive oils, but also about whether they are produced in accordance with sustainability principles and whether they preserve the characteristics of the territory, biodiversity, and tradition.

On behalf of the Slow Food movement, the audience was addressed by Francesca Baldereschi, editor of this year’s Slow Food Guide to Extra Virgin Olive Oils (Guida agli Extravergini 2026), and Stelio Smotlak, coordinator of the guide for Slovenia and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Francesca Baldereschi presented the activities of Slow Food Italia, which focus on sustainable olive growing and environmental protection. The movement advocates that the development and promotion of local olive-growing heritage can only be based on good agronomic practices, with particular emphasis on biodiversity and traditional varieties.

Stelio Smotlak spoke about the experiences gained during the preparation of the guide, highlighting the exceptional characteristics of Slovenian extra virgin olive oils.

The event, which represents an excellent opportunity to promote Slovenian olive growers and the broader gastronomic destination, was attended, among others, by the Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Koper, Mateja Hrvatin Kozlovič, the Head of the Olive Growing Institute ZRS Koper, Dr. Maja Podgornik, and the Director of the Institute for Youth, Culture and Tourism Koper, Helena Brec Loredan.

A total of 14 olive oil producers were included in this year’s guide:

Egon Podgornik (Skrlin),
Bose Oil,
Olea d’Istria,
Abrami – Gorazd Jereb,
Ažman,
Jasa Prestige,
Olja Jenko,
Jernej Brec – Carcauec,
Olje Morgan,
Oljarna Babič,
Sabadin,
Santomas,
Organic farm Šturman,
Dario and Robi Glavina.

Among the 32 olive oils evaluated from these producers, ten also received the GRANDE OLIO award:

Briška črnica – Bose Oil,
Istrska belica – Ažman,
Jasa Prestige – Belica – Jasa,
Istrska Belica PDO Slovenska Istra – Jenko,
Carcauec PDO Slovenska Istra (Karbonaca, Buga, Istrska belica) – Jernej Brec,
Carcauec Istrska Belica PDO Slovenska Istra – Jernej Brec,
Belica – Morgan,
Istrska belica – Oljarna Babič,
Belica – Sabadin,
Piransko Zlato – Buga – Dario and Robi Glavina.

The presentation was enriched by a cultural program performed by harpist Bilka Peršič.