Olive Oil Import Academy: learn to import olive oil into Europe and the United States

In short. A ten-module online course for importers, distributors and brands who buy olive oil abroad. It covers quality, supplier checks, EU and US import rules, freight, documents, landed cost and labelling. Module 1 is free and open to everyone. Every rule in the course comes with its official source and the date we checked it.

Importing olive oil is not hard, but the mistakes are expensive: a lot that fails analysis on arrival, a missing certificate at customs, a label that cannot be sold in your market. Most of these mistakes come from the same handful of gaps. This course closes them in order, from the first price request to the delivered container.

Who the course is for

Importers and distributors preparing a first olive oil purchase outside their country.
Brands and private label buyers who need to brief a supplier and check what they receive.
Purchasing teams in retail, food service and food manufacturing who already buy olive oil and want a reference for the rules.

It is written from the buyer's side. It does not teach how to become an exporter.

The ten modules

#	Module	You will be able to
1	The olive oil market and origins (free)	Place the producing countries, read an origin price, know what Tunisia supplies
2	Grades and quality: reading a certificate of analysis	Classify an oil from its analysis and spot a weak certificate
3	Choosing and vetting a supplier	Run a supplier check and place a trial order
4	Importing into the EU	Clear a Tunisian lot in the EU, inside or outside the tariff quota
5	Importing into the United States	Prepare a first shipment that meets FDA and customs rules
6	Incoterms, freight and formats	Choose an Incoterm and a format, read a freight quote
7	Documents and customs clearance	Check a document set before the vessel sails
8	Landed cost, margins and payment	Work out a landed cost and choose a payment method
9	Labelling and private label by market	Write a label brief for the EU and the US
10	Case study: one container from Sfax to Rotterdam and to New York	Follow a full order from price request to delivery

What every module contains

Lessons in plain language, four to six per module.
A checklist you can use on your next order.
An exercise or worked case with numbers.
A short quiz with the answers.
An official sources box: the regulation or authority behind each rule, its address and the date we checked it.
A link to the tool on this site that goes with the module, such as the certificate of analysis reader, the order calculator or the country profiles.

Each module also keeps three things apart, because buyers often confuse them: what the law requires, what is common trade practice, and what we recommend as an exporter.

How the rules are sourced

Import rules change. Tariffs, organic recognition and marketing standards were all amended during 2026. So the course follows three rules of its own:

Every legal requirement names its official source: EU regulations on EUR-Lex, the European Commission, the US FDA, US Customs and Border Protection, the USDA, the International Olive Council.
Every figure carries the date it was checked.
Where a point could not be confirmed at the source, the course says so and tells you who can confirm it, usually your customs broker.

The course is training material. It is not legal or customs advice, and it does not replace your broker or your own regulator's guidance.

Start with Module 1

Module 1 is public. It covers who produces and exports olive oil, what moves prices, how the main origins differ and how to read an origin price. Read it before you decide on the rest.

Read Module 1: the olive oil market and origins

Enrolment and price

Launch price: EUR 190 (about USD 210 at the exchange rate of 12 November 2026), for modules 2 to 10 and 12 months of access.

Enrolment is not open yet: modules 2 to 10 are being written, and we do not take payment for a course that is not ready. Leave your email on this page and we will write to you when it opens.

When it opens, payment will be by card through Stripe, charged in euros. After payment you will receive a one-time link by email. It opens the course on the device where you click it. There is no account to create and no password, and your enrolment covers two devices.

Who writes the course

Zitouna Export is a trader and exporter of Tunisian olive oil based in Sfax. We ship extra virgin, virgin and organic olive oil in bulk and under buyers' own labels. The course is built from the questions importers ask us before and during an order, and from the official texts that answer them.

We sell olive oil, so we have an interest: a buyer who understands the process is easier to work with, whoever the supplier is. The course uses Tunisian examples because that is the origin we know. The rules it teaches apply to any origin.

FAQ: Olive Oil Import Academy

Who is the Olive Oil Import Academy for?

Importers, distributors, private label brands and purchasing teams in Europe and the United States who buy olive oil abroad or plan to. It is written for buyers, not for exporters.

Is Module 1 really free?

Yes. Module 1 is a public page with its lessons, checklist, exercise and quiz. You do not need to pay or leave an email address to read it.

How much does the course cost?

The launch price is EUR 190, about USD 210 at the exchange rate of 12 November 2026. It covers modules 2 to 10 and 12 months of access. Module 1 is free. Enrolment is not open yet.

How do I get access after paying?

You pay by card through Stripe. A one-time link is then sent to the email address you used at checkout. Opening it unlocks modules 2 to 10 on that device for 12 months. Your enrolment covers two devices; to add the second, you ask for a new link with the same email address. A link that has been used no longer works for anyone.

Which markets does the course cover?

Imports into the European Union and the United States. The modules on quality, suppliers, freight, documents and payment apply to other destinations too, but the customs and labelling rules are those of the EU and the US.

In which language is the course?

English. Other languages may follow.

Do I need experience in importing?

No. The course starts from the basics of the market and of quality. If you already import other food products, modules 2, 4, 5 and 9 are the ones specific to olive oil.

Is the course only about Tunisian olive oil?

No. The examples are Tunisian because that is the origin we export, but the quality standards, EU and US import rules, Incoterms and payment methods are the same for oil from any country.

Does the course replace a customs broker?

No. It explains what the rules are and where they are written, so that you can brief your broker and check the work. A broker or your own regulator remains the authority for your shipment.

How do you keep the content up to date?

Each module shows the date its sources were last checked. When a regulation changes, the module is corrected and the date updated.

Ready to see how it is taught? Read Module 1. If you already have an order in mind, request a dated quote or order a sample.

Course outline dated 12/11/2026. No invented figures, no testimonials. Training material, not legal or customs advice.