LA RIOJANA LAUNCHES ARGENTINA’S FIRST FAIRTRADE ORGANIC OLIVE OIL

La Riojana has already got a reputation for being one of the world’s leading producers of Fairtrade certified wines, however it is probably a lesser-known fact that La Riojana co-operative also produces over 4.5 million kilos of olives annually and has been growing olives, alongside wine grapes, in its olive groves in the Famatina Valley for over 50 years.

Now, seven years on from receiving Fairtrade certification for its olive oil, making the co-operative Argentina’s and Latin America’s first Fairtrade certified olive producer, La Riojana is very excited to become the first producer from Argentina to be launching a Fairtrade certified olive oil in the UK.

The dry, sunny conditions found in La Rioja’s Famatina Valley, where the olives are grown, provide the ideal environment for organic cultivation and for producing naturally healthy olives.

The product, Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a fruity blend of premium olives, including Arbequina, Arauco, Manzanilla among other olive varieties, is being sold in 25cl bottles (RRP £2.95), currently retailing in over 400 Co-op stores nationwide. 

Export Director for La Riojana, Walter Carol, commented “This is a real triumph for us as we have been working on this new product for a while and we are delighted that after all the hard work, we can finally see our Fairtrade olive oil on the Co-op shop shelves in the UK. Everyone who buys a bottle will be helping contribute to the Fairtrade projects that we are carrying out in support of our local communities in the Famatina Valley. Projects such as building a new water tank, a secondary school and more recently a health centre.”

LA RIOJANA INAUGURATES CONSTRUCTION OF FAIRTRADE FUNDED HEALTH CENTRE

On 30th June 2022, the day of La Riojana’s 82nd anniversary, a crowd of over 500 people, including co-operative growers’, workers, local dignitaries, and special guests, gathered to witness and celebrate the completion of Los Pioneros – Roberto Mantovani Health Centre, situated on the outskirts of Tilimuqui, whose construction was funded by the Fairtrade Social Premium generated by sales of La Riojana’s Fairtrade certified wines.

The new health centre, which spans 800 m2, will offer much needed medical care to mothers and children living in the local region, and will include consultation rooms, a laboratory, an Accident and Emergency unit, as well as telemedicine, a facility which will provide remote clinical services to patients. 

The Los Pioneros – Roberto Mantovani Health Centre has been named in honour of the world’s first ever co-operative, established in 1844 and known as the Rochdale Pioneers, as well as in remembrance of the recently deceased Roberto Mantovani, who held the position of General Manager of La Riojana co-operative for 35 years.  

During the inauguration, La Riojana’s President Mario Gonzalez commented “Our co-operative is able to provide work for over 2000 families and as such provides an important form of support to the local economy in the region, building important and useful community projects, such as the one we are opening today.”

Also present at the inauguration was Bjorn Wittmark, Director of Giertz Vinimport – a member of the Viva Wine Group, Sweden who commented “We feel very proud to be part of this Fairtrade journey together with La Riojana and The Co-op, UK”. Bjorn highlighted the fact that Giertz Vinimport has been working with La Riojana for almost 20 years and pointed out during which period the winery has exported approximately 60 million bottles of wine to the Swedish market alone. 

Representing and speaking on behalf of the Argentine government, Juan Carlos Vergara, Health Minister for La Rioja province, remarked “building a medical centre like this is very relevant to our health care system because it helps strengthen the primary level of care for the people who most need it, providing accessibility and equity.”

In addition to the inauguration of the health centre, La Riojana decided to celebrate its 82nd birthday with the unveiling of three different murals, located in three different locations. One located on the Health Centre, one on the oldest tank in the winery and one on the winery’s bottling plant. The murals were painted by the ONG Pinta Argentina, a foundation that works with wineries, and have been painted to represent the history and identity of the co-operative over the past 82 years. 

The inauguration of the health centre on 30th June 2022 represented the completion of the main building works. Once the health centre has been fully equipped and furnished and is ready to welcome its first patients, which is expected to be early 2024, there will be a full opening ceremony to celebrate this incredible Fairtrade funded project.

LA RIOJANA WINS SILVER FOR CO-OP FAIRTRADE BONARDA-MALBEC

La Riojana is thrilled to have won a series of awards for its wines in this year’s IWC and DWWA competitions, including a Silver Medal for the red dual varietal it produces for the UK’s largest Fairtrade retailer, The Co-op. 

Decanter World Wine Awards 2022, the results for which were announced 8th June 2022, awarded the Co-op Fairtrade Bonarda-Malbec 2021 a Silver Medal and 92 points. The wine itself, which was among the 18,244 wines judged at the competition, was described by the DWWA as “Floral and fragrant with red fruit, herb and olive aromatics, and the palate is laced with inky, dark fruit.”

The Co-op Bonarda-Malbec 2021 is one of La RIojana’s top sellers and currently retails for under £6 a bottle, which makes it a great value for money Fairtrade wine. The same wine also won a Bronze Medal at the International Wine Challenge 2022. 

In addition to this, Decanter World Wine Awards 2022 and the International Wine Challenge 2022 both awarded Bronze Medals to La Riojana’s Co-op Irresistible Fairtrade Organic Malbec 2020; Co-op Fairtrade Merlot 2021; Tilimuqui Fairtrade Organic Malbec 2021 and Ecologica Fairtrade Organic Shiraz-Malbec 2021.

DWWA gave further Bronze Medals to Ecologica Fairtrade Organic Torrontes-Chardonnay 2021 (89 points); Co-op Fairtrade Shiraz Rosé 2021 (87 points); Co-op Fairtrade Torrontes-Chardonnay 2021 (86 points); Co-op Fairtrade Pinot Grigio 2021 (86 points); Co-op Fairtrade Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (86 points).

“This is a great set of results” comments Nick Day, Europe Sales Director for La Riojana “in particular the Silver Medal for our Co-op Bonarda-Malbec. Sales have been consistently buoyant for this wine, it seems the 70% Bonarda - 30% Malbec blend, the fact it’s Fairtrade as well as the attractive price point, makes it a popular choice for the UK consumer”.