Olives on the Rise

Tap into trends to drive olive and antipasti sales in the deli.

Shoppers in the deli department at many Publix Super Markets stores will find olives featured either in a self-serve olive bar or in convenient pre-packed containers merchandised alongside specialty cheeses. The assortment spans marinated and pitted favorites, such as Kalamata, Castelvetrano, and grilled green olives, plus seasoned medleys of green, black, and Kalamata varieties with red peppers and herbs.

Stuffed options range from blue cheese-filled queen olives to feta-stuffed Mediterranean styles and jalapeño-stuffed colossal olives. Antipasti, like peppadew peppers, stuffed grape leaves, and provolini, round out sets designed to encourage cross-merchandising and incremental sales.

“Our customers are increasingly exploring the olive category for its flavor and versatility,” says Nicole Maristany Krauss, media relations manager for the 1,400-plus-store chain headquartered in Lakeland, FL, operating across eight Southeastern states.

PAST TO PRESENT

Olives have graced human tables for over 7,000 years, dating back to the Neolithic era in the Eastern Mediterranean. At first, they grew wild.

By 4000-3000 BC, olives were cultivated and pressed for oil on the Greek island of Crete. The Romans expanded cultivation throughout Europe, while Spanish missionaries brought trees to the Americas, establishing them in California by 1769.

Today, California is the primary domestic olive producer, albeit the fruit is almost exclusively sold processed, i.e., canned and jarred. When it comes to brined table olives, the U.S. is a net importer, with over a third (39%) sourced from Spain, and other countries, such as Greece, Morocco and Italy, according to the International Olive Council (ICC), headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

Americans’ per capita consumption of table olives is approximately 2.4 pounds annually, according to ICC data, relatively low compared to other global regions. However, the North American Olive Market is expected to reach $9.64 billion by 2030, a CAGR of 5.74%, according to the North America Olive Market Size & Share Analysis — Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025-2030), by Mordor Intelligence.

Several trends are poised to drive demand growth.

“Olives have been around for thousands of years, but for us it’s one of the fastest-growing categories. More people are receptive to eating olives, eating more olives, and eating them in a variety of ways. I think the popularity of the Mediterranean diet has a lot to do with it,” says Adam Lagreca, in sales at family-owned Rachel’s Table, a Greenville, RI-based manufacturer of its Troino’s Gourmet brand and private label stuffed olives, including its more popular Spanish queen olives stuffed with blue cheese.

The Mediterranean Diet was named the Best Overall Diet by U.S. News & World Report for the ninth consecutive year as of 2026. This diet recommends one to two servings of olives daily, with one serving equaling five to 10 small olives.

“Today’s consumers prioritize sustainability, freshness, and traceability as key indicators of a product’s quality, health benefits, and nutritional value,” says Melissa Pepe, export assistant at the Ficacci Olive Co., based in Castel Madama, Roma, Italy, which uses a brineless packaging method to preserve olives without liquid or preservatives. “Clean label is another big driver and a major trend in the USA due to shifting consumer priorities toward health, transparency and trust. This especially attracts Millennials and Gen Z, who favor minimally processed foods over ultra-processed options linked to health risks.”

Convenience and versatility, and premiumization plus discovery, are also two clear themes driving consumer demand for olives and antipasto, according to Harold Weiss, executive vice president and chief sales officer for Kayco, the Bayonne, NJ-headquartered distributor of Tuscanini Olives & Antipasto, which offers premium kosher-certified Italian olives. “Consumers are building charcuterie boards, snack plates, salads, grain bowls, and easy weeknight meals, and olives and antipasto fit perfectly, while naturally elevating meals with minimal preparation. Plus, shoppers are also willing to trade up for products that feel authentic, imported-inspired, and special.”

BEST SELLERS & WHAT’S NEW

Pitted Jubilee, a spiced marinated medley of Kalamata, classic Niçoise-style, Picholine and plump green olives; Greek Feta Salad, a combination of pitted Kalamata, black, and green olives paired with feta cheese cubes; and Provolini Antipasti, an Italian-inspired mix of provolone cheese cubes, mushrooms, sweet red peppers, and both pitted green and black Manzanilla olives in an herb-oil based marinade, are the three best-selling products at Publix Super Markets.

“Inspired by European flavors, these assortments, along with traditional and stuffed varieties, have gained popularity due to their unique and flavorful profiles,” says Krauss.

Overall, in the U.S., the most popular olives are pitted Kalamata and pitted Castelvetrano, according to Al Sozer, president of Valesco Foods, in South Hackensack, NJ. The company carries 79 different types of olives, giving it a deep inventory that enables it to work with retail deli operators to create private-label, customized olive medleys tailored to their shoppers. “Kalamata was the king for a long time, but in some regions the pitted Castelvetrano is No. 1. It all depends on the region. For example, Castelvetrano is the top seller in the Northeast, such as around New York City and its suburbs, where there is a large Italian, Greek, and Spanish population, and in the Boston area.”

Manufacturers are innovating around several themes, says Weiss. These include chef-driven flavor profiles, such as herb, citrus, and garlic, convenient packaging and portion control, curated assortments for entertaining, and formats designed for both snacking and cooking.

“We’re leaning into the growing pickle trend with inventive olive-and-pickle combinations, including a Spicy Sweet Bread & Butter Pickle and Green Olive Salad with crushed Calabrian chile peppers, and a Tangy Dill Pickle and Castelvetrano Green Olive blend,” says Giuliana Pozzuto, director of marketing and product innovation for DeLallo, the Mount Pleasant, PA-headquartered, family-owned Italian food brand and the largest olive importer in the U.S.

“Throughout the year, and especially during entertaining seasons and holiday spikes, the performance of a well-executed olive bar is unmatched.”
— Giuliana Pozzuto, DeLallo, Mount Pleasant, PA

Valesco Foods has also introduced Kosher Dill Olives. Also, the company has introduced red-colored olives that get their color from natural sources rather than Red Dye No. 2 (E127), which will be banned in food products in the U.S. as of January 2027. Both products will be available this spring.

“We’ve started making prosciutto-stuffed olives, using an imported prosciutto from Italy,” says Rachel’s Table’s Legreca.

The Ficacci Olive Co.’s latest launch, for 2026, is a sustainable, four-compartment paper Party Platter. “This lets consumers sample four distinct olives and/or antipasti in one convenient, shareable tray. Perfect for table companions,” says Pepe.

Ficacci is also developing new olive indulgences, such as chocolate-coated pitted olives, poised to captivate buyers at the U.S. summer trade shows.

SELF-SERVE & GRAB-&-GO

To meet shoppers’ needs, Publix Super Markets offers both olive bars and prepackaged specialty olives, says Krauss. “Olive bars allow shoppers to customize their selections, while our packages include options, such as Kalamata olives and blue cheese stuffed olives, perfect for charcuterie boards and cooking.”

Olive bars are making a comeback since many were closed or repurposed during the COVID pandemic.
“The retailers who have kept or reinvested in them (olive bars) are using them as a clear point of differentiation,” says DeLallo’s Pozzuto. “An olive bar immediately sets a full-service deli apart from club and discount formats, where shoppers are limited to a small, prepackaged assortment. The bar consistently outsells packaged olive programs because it delivers what today’s consumer wants: variety, discovery, and the ability to mix and match. It creates impulse purchases and invites shoppers to explore new flavors.”

Post-COVID changes in retail deli bars Kayco’s Weiss has witnessed include more structured programs with tighter selection, integration into Mediterranean or prepared-food bars, and stronger labeling and rotation discipline.

While olive bars excel at product showcasing, pairing them with grab-and-go packaged products can streamline the consumer purchasing process and boost sales, says Ficacci’s Pepe. The company’s FreshPack line features premium Italian and Greek olives packed brineless in modified-atmosphere 4- to 7-ounce refrigerated tubs. The unpasteurized, preservative-free olives deliver clean-label appeal, firm texture, and authentic flavor across more than 20 varieties with a six- to eight-month shelf life.

“The use of signage like ‘preservative-free,’ ‘no artificial colors,’ ‘brineless’ can attract health-conscious shoppers.”
— Melissa Pepe, Ficacci Olive Co., Castel Madama, Roma, Italy

Tuscanini has introduced a 1-ounce single-serve, shelf-stable, liquid-free, pitted green olive pack in three flavors: Original, Spicy and Garlic.

“These are an ideal choice for on the go, and appeal to diet-conscious, keto, vegan, and gluten-free consumers seeking high-protein, low-calorie alternatives to processed snacks,” says Weiss. “For retailers, there is ease of merchandising. The slim, vertical stand-up pouches are in a ready-to-merchandise tray, designed for ‘anywhere, anytime’ shelf placement.”

MERCHANDISING & PROMOTION

The most successful olive and antipasto programs rely on usage-driven merchandising rather than price-driven promotions, according to Kayco’s Weiss. “Use signage to guide usage — mild vs. bold, ideal for salads, boards or cooking.

“Merchandise olives and antipasto as part of meal solutions such as ‘Build-a-Board,’ ‘Mediterranean Night,’ or ‘Salad Toppers.’ Feature olives in deli-prepared recipes, and cross-merchandise with cheese, hummus, bakery items and prepared salads.”

Publix Super Markets’ extensive olive selection, both from the olive bar and packaged, is found next to specialty cheeses in the deli. “We promote these pairings through our weekly ads and our website, suggesting delicious combinations with jams, crackers, wine, and more,” says Krauss.

Companies, such as DeLallo, have continued to expand beyond traditional olives and antipasto to support the entire charcuterie occasion, helping retailers build a full solution in the deli. “For example, we’ve introduced a new cheese glaze from Italy that elevates specialty cheeses and boards with a premium, imported touch, as well as our organic focaccia thin, flaky baked crackers that help bring everything on the deli case together,” says Pozzuto.

For promotion, Pozzuto adds DeLallo is leveraging seasonal limited-time items to create excitement and incremental sales. “Our Summer Pitted Olive Party Mix features a patriotic design celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, perfect for picnics and summer entertaining. With the World Cup coming to the U.S., we’re also introducing a limited-time ‘Kick Off Salad,’ a soccer-themed antipasto designed for game-day gatherings. These packaged items are easy to cross-merchandise and help retailers build themed displays that drive seasonal lift.”