Great Response to Copycat Stores!
Check out this fantastic email blaster that one of your fellow stores (Con Olio in Austin, TX) sent out to their email list!
"Lately we have been getting
lots of questions from our customers about other oil and vinegar stores that are
opening using a similar tasting concept. We thought we let you all know where we
stand on this and arm you with the right information to make informed purchases.
While "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery", unfortunately sometimes the
imitations don't measure up.
Tabatha and I truly believe
in spreading the great word about high quality oils and vinegars and have even
consulted for several new Oil & Vinegar stores with the "Taste before you
buy" concept as they got started across the country. These stores are not
franchises, but are people that believe like we do in finding the highest
quality oils and vinegars in the world and helping to educate customers about
them.
Recently, we have heard of
a few new stores that have been popping up that have taken the idea of olive oil
and vinegar sampling using bulk containers much like what we do at Con' Olio but
selling a much lower grade of product. We wanted to let our customers know our
thoughts on these type of stores. These "copycat" stores are unfortunately
taking the lower grade products and using the bulk containers and sampling bar
idea to sell inferior oils and vinegars.
So, I am sure you are
thinking, how do we know the difference?
Here are a few things to
look for as a consumer to distinguish the difference between these stores and to
help you in the buying process:
- The most important factor when it comes to taste quality of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is FRESHNESS! A quality store will display the "Harvest" or "Crush" date of the oil and it should be less than one year old. Copycats will hide this date and try to confuse you by using the 'best buy' or 'expiration date' which are completely worthless. Extra Virgin Olive Oil ages over time, so if you don't know when it was picked and crushed how can you determine how fresh it is?
- The specific varietal of olive and region should always be displayed on the EVOO.
- There should be chemical test results displayed on the containers, to ensure both high quality and authenticity of your EVOO.
- The highest quality Balsamic Vinegars are produced using the "Traditional" process from Modena, Italy. This is an All Natural product so there should be no added preservatives, chemicals, sugars, or thickeners.
- Taste the products yourself before you buy them! You should be the final judge of what tastes best so don't just dip a finger in, take a big sip to really tell the difference.
We hope this information
helps you while shopping for your evoo and balsamic vinegar."
