[Tenuta del Barone di Montemurlo](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en) — Toscano PGI extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany # Italian olive oil extended to restaurants under new ministry agreement On 12 November 2026, Italy's Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement extending its commitment to Italian extra virgin olive oil from school and hospital canteens to the whole restaurant sector. The news comes from l'OlivoNews. Restaurants and catering currently account for about 20% of olive oil consumption in Italy. ## What the agreement covers According to l'OlivoNews, the agreement signed at Italy's Ministry of Agriculture broadens a commitment that until now mainly covered school, workplace and hospital canteens: using Italian extra virgin olive oil. The source reports that restaurants, including hotels, restaurants and catering (the horeca channel), account for about 20% of olive oil consumption in Italy. Out of roughly 500,000 tonnes consumed each year, that is around 100,000 tonnes. An operational plan, coordinated by the office of Undersecretary Patrizio La Pietra, will now define how the agreement works in practice. Collective catering has asked for supply contracts covering at least two years, tied to public and private tender cycles. The cash-and-carry wholesale channel, where restaurateurs, hoteliers and bar owners buy their supplies, will also be involved. ## Why it matters for buyers As long as this commitment remains voluntary and under technical discussion, nothing changes immediately for someone eating out or buying oil off a shelf. The source notes that much of the restaurant sector currently sources cheaper EU or non-EU oil. An agreement aiming to shift that pattern concerns the oil on the plate, not just the bottle bought at home. For anyone buying extra virgin olive oil, the practical takeaway is that origin remains the simplest thing to check: the label must state the country where the olives were grown and milled, not just where the oil was bottled. ## A small Tuscan producer's view We do not sell to restaurants: our scale is direct sale, from our website, to people who want to know exactly where their oil comes from. Our extra virgin olive oil is Toscano PGI, grown, picked and milled in Tuscany, in Montemurlo, between Florence, Prato and Pistoia, about half an hour from Florence. The olives are only ours: nothing bought in, no blending with oil from other countries. We harvest by hand between October and November and mill the olives 870 metres from the grove, the same day they are picked. Each harvest gives us two oils: Luce, from early-season green olives, bitter and peppery, for those who want a decisive oil to use raw; Raccolto, from the ripe November olives, round and balanced, for everyday cooking. Both are sold directly from our website, shipped to Italy, the European Union and worldwide, straight to your door. ## Frequently asked questions ### how much olive oil does Italy consume each year According to l'OlivoNews, Italy consumes roughly 500,000 tonnes of olive oil a year. Around 100,000 tonnes of that goes through restaurants and catering, including canteens. ### how do you check if olive oil is really Italian Check the label for the country where the olives were grown and pressed, not just where the oil was bottled. For an oil like ours, Toscano PGI, that means Italy, Tuscany, Montemurlo. ### what does this agreement mean for restaurants It opens a working process, not an immediate rule: it will define how collective catering and the hospitality trade can source more Italian olive oil, taking into account existing multi-year supply contracts. News source: [l'OlivoNews, «Solo olio italiano: oltre alle mense, coinvolti anche i ristoranti», 12 November 2026](https://olivonews.it/solo-olio-italiano-oltre-alle-mense-coinvolti-anche-i-ristoranti/) ## Our oil, from tree to bottle Two 100% Italian extra virgin olive oils from Tuscany, from a single hand-picked harvest, milled the same day three minutes from the grove. Luce is green, bitter and peppery; Raccolto is round, for every day. We ship across Italy, Europe and worldwide. [Luce](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/oil/luce) [Raccolto](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/oil/raccolto) [The estate journal](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/journal) [Luce — Toscano PGI extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/oil/luce) [Raccolto — Toscano PGI extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/oil/raccolto) [Worldwide shipping](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en/shipping) [All oils](https://www.oliodelbarone.com/en)