ArigatOlivo Association
ArigatOlivo Association was born in honor of the olive trees that have coexisted with humans for centuries. “ArigatOlivo” is a word coined from “thank you in Japanese” and “olive tree”, and we want to express our sincere thanks to the olive trees.
ArigatOlivo Association
Spain has been and continues to be the world’s leading olive oil producer, and its position is absolute, as evidenced by its cultivated area. This prominent position has provoked and promoted different research initiatives on the cultivation of olive trees, table olives and olive oil in Spain. The history and achievements of the most important research centers in the world and the accumulated knowledge have created novel technologies related to olive growing, table olives and the improvement in the production of extra virgin olive oils, at the same time they have played a very important role in consumer education and expert training.
The healthy aspect of these oils plays a central role in the global expansion of their consumption, and research on minority components such as polyphenols is remarkable, which is providing new properties to the Mediterranean diet in which extra virgin olive oils are its representative food.
Thus, Spain and Olive tree are closely linked, especially in the south, where they are part of the daily life of the population and are inseparable.
ArigatOlivo Association was born in honor of the olive trees that have coexisted with humans for centuries. “ArigatOlivo” is a word coined from “thank you in Japanese” and “olive tree”, and we want to express our sincere thanks to the olive trees.
Unfortunately, an important part of the accumulated knowledge as a result of multiple investigations, as it would be necessary, does not transcend to the population, especially to the population of non-Mediterranean countries. ArigatOlivo Association is an organization dedicated to education and spreading culture to expand the knowledge researched and developed in Spain to the whole world, and make the world olive industry grow and promote the consumption of table olives and extra virgin olive oil.
Instead of just selling and consuming oil or table olives, we want you to know the culture of the olive tree, and spread it. The olive tree, which has a history of thousands of years and has lived with humans. We will spread that wisdom, love and story all over the world.
Our goal is to realize a global exchange of information and knowledge. We will select teachers with outstanding knowledge in each subject, and we will carry out courses, conferences and events to increase the number of people interested in olive trees, train professionals and raise consumer awareness about table olives and extra virgin olive oil, helping to increase their consumption.
The ArigatOlivo Association places great importance on the opinions of all those who participate in the events and courses. We will carry out exclusive courses in which both the experts who teach them and those who attend them will be involved. Together with you, we want to create unique courses and events. Let’s enjoy learning together, let’s meet experts and spread the olive culture around the world together.
OUR GOALS
Spreading culture of extra virgin olive oils and table olives, both in its technical aspects and its sensorial and healthy attributes.
Increase consumer knowledge and awareness about Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Exchange knowledge on new extraction technologies, olive cultivation and research projects that add value to extra virgin olive oil and contribute to improving the professional profile of the entire production chain.
OUR MAIN ACTIVITIES
Training
Specific training on technology for the cultivation, production and marketing of extra virgin olive oil and table olives through training.
Knowledge share
Work with official research institutes and leading experts in the sector to share, exchange and deepen the knowledge of the strengths of extra virgin olive oil: healthy and sensory properties.
Educational exchange
Be a point of educational exchange with the olive sector of other countries.
Promote employment
Promote employment in the world olive oil sector.
Support women
Support women in the sector.
Create a global network
Create a global network in the olive sector through education.
ArigatOlivo Association
WHO WE ARE
 | President : Anunciación Carpio Dueñas |
Biologist. High Specialization Diploma in Fats and Oils. Taster and panel leader. She had worked for 35 years in the Ministry of Agriculture of the Junta de Andalucía(Andalusian government).
Technician of the Regulating Councils of the Designation of Origin from Sierra de Segura and Sierra Mágina.
She teaches selection, education and training courses for tasting panels throughout Spain and the world like Shodoshima, Japan.
Coordinator and advisor of the installation of the Hacienda La Laguna Oil Museum.
Participation in a jury of national and international awards such as Biol y Sol de Oro (Italy), Olive Oil (Los Angeles), Sol de Oro Southern Hemisphere: Santiago de Chile, Cape Town in South Africa, Australia Melbourne and Paal, and Peru. In Spain: Expoliva, Alcuza de la DO Sierra Mágina, Diputación de Málaga, Aragón, Jaén Selección etc.
Technical Director of the CINVE International Competition and the IBEROLEUM Guide (The best Spanish oils ).
Publications related to oil, research works, conferences and articles in specialized magazines.
Counselor of the Consejo Económico y Social de la Provincia de Jaén since 2002.
Contributor to newspapers and radio stations.
She has a professional blog related to the culture of olive oil since 2012.
Counselor of the Instituto de Estudios Giennenses (IEG) since 2016.
 | Vice Presidenta : Brígida Jiménez Herrera |
Doctor in Pharmacy. Master in Economics and Business Management. High Specialization Diploma in Fats and Oils.
Director of the IFAPA center in Cabra (Córdoba).
Participation as a jury in international and national awards such as Sol de Oro, New York International Olive Oil Competition, the BIOL in Rio de Janeiro, 2015 BRASIL Consumption Institute Prize, “Der Feinschmecker” in Germany, Expoliva, Terraoleum, Jaén Selección, EVOOLEUM, IberOleum, Ecotrama, Provincial Council of Córdoba, Huelva and Málaga.
She has participated in international seminars and conferences at the BRASIL Consumption Institute “SENAC” in Rio de Janeiro and at the CERVANTES INSTITUTES of Holland, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, Brazil and Japan.
She has received many awards and recognitions, and as the most outstanding in recent years are : 2019 Special Ambassador of the Mediterranean diet of Alicante, 2018 Ambassador of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil of Andalusia, 2018 Distinction of the Andalusia Flag, XIX Andrés Núñez de Prados Award to the “Research in Organic Agriculture and Livestock”, “2017 Comparative study of organic farming versus conventional farming in quality and volatile profile of Extra Virgin Olive Oils of the HOJIBLANCA variety” in Baena, 2016 VI Ricardo López Crespo Research Award from the Foundation Caja Rural del Sur to R+D+i Projects in the field of Agrifood activity in Córdoba.
She has a multitude of professional collaborations and publications.
 | Secretary : José Juan Gaforio |
Immunology Professor in the Health Sciences Department of the Jaén University. Researcher of the Carlos III Health Institute (Madrid) at the Center for Biomedical Research in the Epidemiology and Public Health Network (CIBER-ESP).
Researcher in charge of the Functional Health Unit of the Advanced Study Center in Olive Grove and Olive Oil. Researcher at the CeiA3 Campus of International Agrifood Excellence. Graduate and Doctor (extraordinary award) in Medicine and Surgery by the Granada University. Specialist in the Clinical Analysis and Immunology Department of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada. Received three Postdoctoral Research Grants: (1) Research Aid Grant for specialist physicians who completed their postgraduate training, funded by the Andalusian Regional Government Health Council, and developed in the Clinical Analysis and Immunology Service of the “Virgen de las Nieves” University Hospital of Granada. (2) Postdoctoral research grant awarded by the Commission of the European Communities to develop a stay as a visiting researcher at the “Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research” of the Catholic University of Leuven in Brussels, Belgium. (3) Cancer Research Grant funded by the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, and developed in the Clinical Analysis and Immunology Service of the “Virgen de las Nieves” University Hospital of Granada.
Author of more than 100 scientific publications. He has participated in 28 R+D+i projects and research contracts. 17 awards and distinctions related to the quality and spread of his research activity. One of his lines of research focuses on the effect of virgin olive oils on human health.
 | Treasurer : Tomiko Tanaka（CREAPASION） |
She has been living in Spain since 2001. After taking an expert course in Virgin Olive Oils Tasting at the Jaen University (Andalusia) in 2008, She has taken countless training courses on cultivation, extraction and oil tasting. A recent notable course is the 14th Advanced Specialization Course in Olive Growing by IFAPA of Alameda del Obispo.
In 2013 she obtained the second prize in the AEMO Award on the Spreading of the Olive Oil Culture by AEMO (Spanish Association of Municipalities of the Olive Tree).
Participation as a jury in international and national awards such as EVOOLEUM, Jaén Selección, Alcuza from the Regulatory Council of the DO Sierra Mágina, Ovibeja (Portugal), Ecotrama, Athena International Olive Oil Competition and HORECA LEBANNON.
Participation as a speaker, “Festival de Oli Nou 2013″ in Lléida, FOODEX in 2015, in Shodo Island in 2017 (Improving the Olive Oil Quality) and in 2019 (Olive Summit), “The Keys to promote Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Japan, US and Germany” by EXTENDA ( Trade Promotion Agency of Andalusia ) in 2017, “Bridge between Cordoba and Japan”, as part of the150th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Spain” in 2018, 4th Industrial Design Contest “Martos City” in April of 2019, “TASTING CLUB O&A ” in the Interpretation Center of Olive Orchard and Oil in 2020, “5th Conference of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Health” by the Regulatory Council of the DO Sierra Mágina and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University of Madrid in 2021.
Advice for municipalities and companies related to the olive sector.
Organization of courses on the cultivation, the virgin olive oils extraction and oil tastings.
Definition of the composition of the extra virgin olive oil blend.
Collaboration in specialized magazines in the Spanish olive sector, documentary film on olive growing and olive oil, television documentaries and Spanish radio and television programs.
Asociación ArigatOlivo 