Highlights

Our market development project has garnered strong support from specialty crop stakeholders, in particular from numerous alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage producers who use local crops in their products. The project’s main strength was its collaborative nature: many lively discussions were held with beverage producers to brainstorm about the benefits of olive material and its effects on the flavor profiles of beverages.

Over a dozen beverage producers have participated in the project to some extent, and half a dozen have launched commercial products made with oliv material as an ingredient. From a marketing point of view, the inclusion of the olive material in the new beverages was highlighted when the beverages were launched, because of the recognition that the olive has as a sophisticated and healthful ingredient.

Novel beverages with olive material as an ingredient were sampled at venues such as the Good Food Mercantile in Portland, the Fancy Food Shows in Las Vegas and in New York, and at several events at the OSU Food Innovation Center.

Our project has led to the development of beer, cider, cocktail bitters, sparkling water, spirits, and tea made with olive material. We hav collaborated with Bauman’s Cider Divine Distillers, DriftWest Water, Freeland Spirits, Heartland Ciderworks, Level Beer and the OSU Food Innovation Center. Some of the beverages are highlighted below in social media posts.