DASKARA Olive Oil Brand Unveiled at Major Food Tradeshow in D.C.

June 19, 2012

The unprecedented public-private partnership between the International Finance Corporation (IFC), DAI, and Palestinian olive oil producers culminated in the successful launch June 17 of a high-end flavorful olive oil called DASKARA, on the sidelines of the Summer Fancy Food Show in Washington, D.C.

The brand launch was held at one of D.C.’s most well-known restaurants, ris, with multiple mezzes prepared with DASKARA by celebrity chef Ris Lacoste, including cauliflower panna cotta; rice, lentils, and vermicelli; lamb shank, and focaccia thyme bread.

There were more than 50 attendees—including food writers and journalists—who took part in tasting the extra virgin olive oil on its own as well as the exquisite dishes.

DASKARA Palaestina Prima Extra Virgin Olive Oil is grown, milled, and bottled in Palestine, one of the earliest centers of olive tree cultivation. DASKARA honors Palestine’s rich historic connection with the olive tree and simultaneously contributes to Palestine’s economic vitality. An ancient Arabic word, daskara means both “village” and “handmade.” Palaestina Prima refers to the name for this region during the Byzantine era of late antiquity and signifies that this excellent quality extra virgin olive oil represents Palestine’s best.

DASKARA olives come from major producers in Palestine, Al’Ard Palestinian Agri-Products and Al Reef for Investment and Agricultural Marketing Company, through the efforts of the DAI-led Palestinian Olive Oil Export Development project. The brand’s U.S. importer, the Rogers Collection, has secured retail contracts with markethallfoods.com and The Pasta Shop in Oakland and Berkeley, California.

Since 1955, Fancy Food Shows have been North America’s largest specialty food and beverage marketplace. The National Association for the Specialty Food Trade events bring in more than 40,000 attendees from more than 80 countries to see 260,000 innovative specialty food products, such as confections, cheese, coffee, snacks, spices, ethnic, natural, organic, and more.

Watch this video to learn more about the story behind the olive oil project, and visit Daskara.com.