How to Import Olive Oil for Resale

In brief. Importing olive oil for resale means buying in bulk or private label at origin, mastering your landed cost (origin price + packaging + logistics + duties) and comparing it to your resale price to validate the margin before ordering. Tunisia starts around ~3.80 €/kg FOB, the category is controlled by the COA, and the first purchase is secured with a sample, a clear incoterm and framed payment. The margin is built upstream, not downstream.

You want to import olive oil to resell it — wholesale, under your brand, or to supply a network. The good news: the raw material is accessible and demand is solid. The real question is not "where to find oil?", but "at what landed cost can I obtain it, at what category, and with what margin on resale?". Here is the method, step by step.

Can you make money importing olive oil for resale?

Yes, provided you reason in margin per euro invested, not price per kilo. Reselling imported olive oil is profitable when the landed cost (origin + logistics + duties) leaves a sufficient gap with the selling price of your channel — wholesaler, retailer, HORECA or brand. Bulk plays on volume and cash flow; packaged under brand targets a higher margin but requires certifications.

In other words, profitability is decided before ordering, by costing every item. A poorly calibrated import (wrong incoterm, downgraded category, unsuitable MOQ) can wipe out the margin, even on a quality oil.

The steps to import olive oil for resale

1. Define your channel and positioning. Do you sell in bulk to bottlers, packaged to retailers, or under your own brand? The channel sets the format, category and required certification level.
2. Choose the origin and supplier. Compare origins (Tunisia, Spain, Italy, Greece, Morocco…) on value for money and vet the exporter (approval, seniority, references). Browse our olive oils to frame category and variety.
3. Set the category via the COA. Demand a certificate of analysis (acidity, peroxide, K232/K270, possibly polyphenols) from an accredited laboratory. An "extra virgin" oil is bought and resold at its category's price — not at a downgraded price.
4. Request a sample. Taste and analyse before any container commitment. A reference sample avoids disputes on arrival.
5. Calculate the landed cost. Add packaging, freight, insurance, and your market's duties and taxes to the origin price (see export markets).
6. Choose the incoterm. FOB if you master the freight, CIF for a turnkey price to port.
7. Secure payment and order. Deposit, balance against documents or confirmed letter of credit for a first import.

Bulk or private label: which resale model?

Two main routes are open to the reseller, with very different economics:

Criterion	Bulk (wholesale resale)	Private label / packaged
Added costs	Low (flexitank/IBC/drum)	High (bottles, labels)
Certifications	COA per lot	+ IFS/BRC for mass retail
Indicative margin	Low but fast	Higher, longer cycle
Cash flow need	Moderate	High (finished stock)
Ideal for	Wholesalers, bottlers	Brands, retailers, e-commerce

Bulk turns the capital over; the brand builds value. Many resellers start in bulk to test their channel, then move up to private label once the outlet is proven.

How to calculate your resale margin

The resale margin is calculated as: selling price − unit landed cost − your fixed costs (storage, sales, marketing). The landed cost breaks down from the origin price: packaging, transport to port, sea freight, insurance, customs duties and your market's VAT.

Cost every scenario before ordering. An attractive origin price can be cancelled out by high freight or out-of-quota duties. Conversely, a preferential agreement can transform the equation. Consult our export markets pages for customs benchmarks by destination.

Box: the 3 reflexes of a good importer-reseller

• Control the category before the price. Set quality first (COA), then negotiate at a given category. A low price on a downgraded oil costs more in the end.
• Reason landed cost, never origin price alone. The real comparison is made delivered to destination, incoterm included.
• Secure the first container. Reference sample, deposit, documentary payment: the relationship of trust is built, not improvised.

The classic mistake

Focusing on the lowest origin price and discovering, once the goods are on the quay, that freight, duties or a downgraded category have eaten the margin. The other trap: ordering a full container without validating a sample or testing the resale channel. Better a calibrated, duly costed first import than a poorly managed large volume.

FAQ

Do you need approval to import olive oil for resale?

On the import side, obligations depend on your country: importer registration, compliance with the market's labelling and health rules. The exporter, for their part, must hold their approval at origin. Always check local requirements (customs, food safety) before your first order.

What budget for a first import intended for resale?

It depends on format and volume. A flexitank (~22,000 L) optimises cost per tonne, an IBC or a few drums are fine for testing. The overall budget includes the raw material, logistics, duties and your fixed costs.

Is it better to resell in bulk or under your brand?

Bulk offers a lower margin but fast turnover and few added costs. Private label targets a higher margin but requires bottling, labelling and often certifications (IFS/BRC). The choice depends on your channel and your cash flow.

How can you be sure of the quality before reselling?

Demand a COA (certificate of analysis) per lot from an accredited laboratory, then request a sample to taste and, ideally, to have analysed. Keep a reference sample: it protects you in the event of a dispute on arrival.

What margin can you expect on resale?

It varies by channel and model. As a benchmark, bulk generates a low margin offset by volume, packaged under brand a higher margin. Always calculate selling price minus landed cost and fixed costs, scenario by scenario.

Can you import a small quantity to test resale?

Yes. An IBC (1,000 L) or a few drums (200/216 L) let you test a channel before moving to a flexitank or a full container. The cost per litre is a little higher, but the commercial risk is reduced.

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Ready to cost your import? Request a quote: we quote by format and incoterm, with the landed cost to your market, within 24-48h. First explore our olive oils and the export markets to frame your resale project.