Best olive oils for cooking?

I was wondering if anyone here has experience shipping homemade olive oil abroad—specifically to the USA? I'm curious about what requirements need to be met to ensure the shipment actually makes it through safely, regarding documentation, packaging, and all that.

Raymond Bennett8 said:I was wondering if anyone here has experience shipping homemade olive oil abroad—specifically to the USA? I'm curious about what requirements need to be met to ensure the shipment actually makes it through safely, regarding documentation, packaging, and all that.

I wouldn't dream of sending it through the mail; just send it via private message. It’s an impossible mission,
Your only real shot is finding someone traveling who might be willing to carry it for you, though that seems unlikely given how much oil we all tend to lug around ourselves. ☕
Shipping food and beverages isn't allowed at all, let alone liquids—you couldn't even get a small bottle of water through customs.

Raymond Bennett8 said:I was wondering if anyone here has experience shipping homemade olive oil abroad—specifically to the USA? I'm curious about what requirements need to be met to ensure the shipment actually makes it through safely, regarding documentation, packaging, and all that.

The last comment already covered everything. Honestly, they should just buy their own over in the States.

Just expanding on that a bit... seriously though, how would a company like X actually go about selling something like olive oil to a firm Y located in the States, Japan, Africa, or wherever else?

I’m not sure if there’s some specific paperwork involved—honestly, I haven't checked—but man, shipping internationally from here is an absolute joke. It’s practically a disaster. If you’re sending anything over 100 grams in a box or even a big envelope, you’re looking at roughly $100 just to get it moving. I was browsing eBay and saw people from all over selling things like dried oregano or handmade soaps, and their shipping costs are basically pennies—like, maybe a buck or two in US terms. Around here, the postage alone ends up costing more than the actual olive oil you're trying to send.

Henry Hernandez7 said:Just expanding on that a bit... seriously though, how would a company like X actually go about selling something like olive oil to a firm Y located in the States, Japan, Africa, or wherever else?

Well, they do it through a distributor, obviously. We have all sorts of things available, from olive oil and honey to preserves, Folgers coffee, various pastries, and even pickles from brands like Del Monte. In this case, the importer is Gran-Prix.
I realize now that you were asking about SENDING items personally, rather than actual commercial exporting.☕

PS. You can't use the postal service to send food, drinks, or medicine privately.

I have a contact in the States who’s interested in buying some local olive oil from me—maybe somewhere between 100 and 300 liters a year. I guess I'm just wondering how to actually pull off the export process here in the US without getting buried in paperwork.

Through this outfit here:

http://godfather.wikia.com/wiki/Genc...ve_Oil_Company

Raymond Bennett8 said:I have a contact in the States who’s interested in buying some local olive oil from me—maybe somewhere between 100 and 300 liters a year. I guess I'm just wondering how to actually pull off the export process here in the US without getting buried in paperwork.

The way you’ve phrased this question is slightly off; you really should have stated from the outset that your intention was to export.🍿
Personally, I would be far more preoccupied with the FDA regulations, though I suppose there must be a way forward, given that one can already purchase several varieties of bottled olive oil imported from overseas.

🤷

Raymond Bennett8 said:I have a contact in the States who’s interested in buying some local olive oil from me—maybe somewhere between 100 and 300 liters a year. I guess I'm just wondering how to actually pull off the export process here in the US without getting buried in paperwork.

If you asked a random internet forum how to import olive oil from Antarctica, they’d probably try to give you an answer too.
First off, the USA is a massive country. Which state? Which port of entry? It matters.
Basically, that woman probably knows what she needs and how to handle quotas in the US, but you can't get anywhere with quotas unless you set up a business in the importing country.
You need to talk to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Import Specialist at the specific U.S. port of entry where you plan to bring the goods.

Go here and pick the port where the goods will enter.http://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports
She should find a customs broker to figure out exactly what paperwork is required for entry into the federal US system. After that, she has to check if she's even allowed to sell or transport olive oil within her own county, city, or local shop.

Oh, and read through this to see if you need to register as a manufacturer.
http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegu...ng/default.htm
Ask her if she needs more volume. I could personally supply and blend up to 10,000 tons or more if there's a demand—provided she has the cash, bank guarantees, and can secure a letter of credit. The oil would be Italian, obviously, so it's a bit pricier, maybe around $2-$3 per kilo depending on the blend.