Extra Virgin Olive Oil Labeling Made Easy And Unquestionable

Capatriti® Extra Virgin Olive Oil Earns Stringent USDA QMP Seal

- Healthy eating begins with knowledge and education on which extra virgin olive
 oil (EVOO) is truly extra virgin, 100% pure.  For the millions of Americans who
buy EVOO, knowing which brand is real is now a no-brainer. Capatriti® Extra Virgin
 Olive Oil, manufactured by Gourmet Factory™, has qualified for the highly coveted U. S.
 Department of Agriculture (USDA) Quality Monitoring Program (QMP) seal.

Earning this USDA QMP seal is a first step in educating consumers about choosing the
 right EVOO.  The USDA Quality Monitoring Program verifies the purity and quality
of a brand's extra virgin olive oil. Capatriti® Extra Virgin Olive Oil was required to
meet meticulous program criteria in order to qualify for the seal. Upon entering the
Quality Monitoring Program for their extra virgin olive oil, Gourmet Factory™
agreed to allow the USDA to conduct unannounced visits to review and inspect
quality assurance records, randomly sample product for chemical analysis and
 sensory evaluation, and verify labels on an ongoing basis.
"It's important that we, as a manufacturer and industry partner, provide consumers
with the correct information about what is pure extra virgin olive oil – the taste, the
 aroma and the color," stated Themis Kangadis, Gourmet Factory CEO. "As a
 family-owned company, we know that trust is the most important part of any
 relationship and by earning this stringent USDA QMP designation, we are
 looking at our consumers as family by increasing their knowledge and making
 their choice easier."
Confusion about EVOO is nothing new in the marketplace and is still an ongoing issue.
 According to a 2010 UC Davis report, "69 percent of imported olive oils
labeled as 'extra virgin' failed to meet the international standard for extra virgin
 olive oil." More recently, a 2015 report from National Consumer League
 found that six out of 11 (about 55 percent) of EVOO from four major retailers
failed to meet the EVOO requirements. Impure products differ in color, taste
 and scent.  The USDA QMP seal indicates that USDA samples of Capatriti
 Extra Virgin Olive Oil have passed USDA quality and purity analysis.
 Additionally, the USDA also reviewed the performance of the company's
production processes, quality assurance measures and record-keeping system.
Under the program, the USDA will continue to monitor Capatriti's Extra Virgin
 Olive Oil, conducting unannounced plant visits to verify quality assurance
measures and test the extra virgin olive oil.
Capatriti EVOO products approved by the USDA QMP are available now for sale.
Looking to continue with label transparences, again making it easier for consumers
 to know the products they are purchasing, the company is working on NON-GMO
 verification. 
About Gourmet FactoryGourmet Factory is a family-owned, New York based
 manufacturer of edible oils. The company is among the first in the country, and
industry, to qualify for the stringent USDA Quality Monitoring Program seal for its
extra virgin olive oils. For more than 45 years, the Gourmet Factory has provided
the finest quality products in the retail and foodservice markets for American
consumers' palate. Products are marketed under various brand and private label names. 

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CONTACT: Ryan Prescott, 973-871-1700, rprescott@brushfireinc.com,
Michelle Goldstein, mgoldstein@brushfireinc.com