Monini created the Zefferino d’Oro, the FIRST ITALIAN RECOGNITION that rewards the commitment, dedication and competence of our raw material suppliers 100% Italian.
Here are the Italian millers who, on the evening of May 19th 2023, were celebrated with the Zefferino d’Oro 1st Edition:
category LIGHT FRUITY
category MEDIUM FRUITY
category INTENSE FRUITY
CELEBRATING THE ITALIAN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL SUPPLY CHAIN
The history of Monini is a family history. A story that began in 1920, thanks to an intuition of Zefferino Monini, which continues today with his grandchildren Maria Flora and Zefferino.
In honor of the founder of the Monini company, and on the occasion of the 2022/2023 oil campaign, we present the first edition of the Zefferino d’Oro, the celebration through which we wish to valorize the commitment, dedication and competence of our suppliers of 100% Italian raw material, with the aim of raising awareness and involving oil millers in the creation of solid relationships oriented towards the valorization of the entire oil production chain.
RECOGNISING VALUE TO CREATE VALUE
Our work has always been built on knowing how to recognize: a quality oil, the fruit of a quality mill and a quality miller. Our commitment, today, is to recognize the value of the supply chain from which an excellent product originates, which today more than ever needs to be enhanced, so that it can grow and evolve into a system of care, ethics, and planning, with the broader objective of building value for the future.
THE SELECTION PARAMETERS
The selection parameters of the Zefferino d’Oro do not represent an exception or an exclusive for the initiative itself, but rather testify to the guaranteed quality in all the blends that are made daily at Monini.
DIGLYCERIDES
Ratio of 1.2 diglycerides / 1.3 diglycerides greater than or equal to 90%: this is a parameter that conveys the freshness of the product, a freshly pressed oil at the height of its sensory expressiveness.
ACIDITY
Maximum acidity level of less than 0.40%: the minimum acidity level (considering even the worst years) that an oil must have to participate in the Zefferino D’oro is a value 50% lower than the limit set by law. Because an oil with low acidity is a sign of a healthy and quickly pressed fruit.
ETHYL ESTERS
Maximum ethyl ester content of less than 15.0 mg/kg: An oil from healthy, quickly pressed olives and a mill that follows the rules of cleanliness and sanitation returns a value with a very low ethyl ester content. The minimum value to participate in the Zefferino d’ORO is more than 50 per cent lower than the maximum legal limit for an extra virgin olive oil.
PESTICIDE RESIDUES
Maximum number of permitted pesticide residues of 4: because a quality raw material is not only good, but also healthy. The use of many substances and/or the use of pesticides to preserve olives from parasitic attacks is not a correct and prosecutable course of action, even if the limits are within the appropriate law. Oils participating in the Zefferino d’oro must have received restrained, correct and planned treatments.
POLYPHENOLS
The sample must contain a polyphenol concentration of at least 250 mg/kg. Polyphenols, the antioxidant substances contained in extra virgin olive oils, not only represent a fundamental contribution to health, but are direct witnesses to the goodness and freshness of olives picked early in ripening when the concentration of nutraceutical substances is at its highest.
“The hope is that this choice can represent a first step towards an Italian extra virgin olive oil that is increasingly of quality and towards a system that protects the richness of our territory. Italian olive growing is not going through a simple moment: there is a need for a change of course, an evolution towards a modern and sustainable production in environmental, economic, and obviously social terms. In our view, this change can no longer be postponed, and requires a joint effort by all players in the supply chain. We, as a company, try to set a good example and are proud to be able to count on the collaboration of producers who share our values, putting them into practice every day, and with whom a relationship of mutual trust has been established.“
Zefferino Monini, CEO and President, Monini SpA
A HAND FOR THE FUTURE
In 2020, on our 100th anniversary, we presented our Sustainability Plan “A Hand For The Future”: a challenging plan, with a commitment to take care of our earth and the will to preserve its precious fruits for future generations.
To define the horizons to 2030, we have not only rethought our operations, but also identified actions that will contribute to a widespread and profound cultural change. We want to offer a product of superior quality, good for the health and with an unmistakable taste to all our consumers, not only in Italy but also in the rest of the world, creating value for the entire Italian olive oil chain.
Extra virgin olive oil is our passion and for this reason we want to make it the heritage of all, starting from those who work with us every day to create a product of excellence, with passion, vocation, and competence: our millers.
