The olive oil brand, Solar, won the gold medal at the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, one of the most prestigious awards in the industry. This marks the third distinction for this Lebanese olive oil, which won a gold medal in 2022, and then a silver one in 2023.
Amid challenges in Lebanon, this award holds particular significance for the founder of Solar, Karim Arsanios. According to him, this victory goes beyond just the olive oil. “In the last five years, we have endured the economic collapse, political turmoil and constant hardships. Today, this award is proof that our land still speaks, that our trees bear fruit and that excellence can persist, even in the face of adversity,” he said.
He added that Solar is “a tribute to the previous generations of farmers who cultivated the land, protected the soil and passed on a legacy of responsible management rather than exploitation.” He insisted, “We are only passing through. The land and the olive trees will outlast us all.”
The olive trees of Solar are planted in the alkaline soils of the village of Kour, in the Batroun district, in northern Lebanon.
These lands were passed down from generation to generation, and have been maintained through ancestral practices such as terraced cultivation, companion planting and regenerative farming, all without the use of chemicals.
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