So you know you love Italian olives and olive oil, but do you know the difference between different olive cultivars? Olive cultivars, or varieties of olives, play a significant role in determining an olive's color, shape, and flavor.

There are literally hundreds of olive cultivars growing throughout the world, with at least 400 known varieties in Italy alone. At Eataly, we have at least 32 olive cultivars on our shelves! A few of our extra virgin olive oils are monocultivars (meaning they are made with just one type of olive), while others are made with a blend of cold-pressed olive varieties.