Sara Ben Ramadan Launches Premium Tunisian Olive Oil Amid Lack of National Label

Tunisian entrepreneur Sara Ben Ramadan, founder of the organic extra‑virgin olive oil brand KAÏA, is striving to reshape the global perception of Tunisian olive oil, which remains rarely labeled despite forecasts that Tunisia will become the world’s second‑largest producer.

Business model details

Data for the 2025/2026 season show that 86 % of Tunisian olive‑oil exports are sold as bulk oil, later bottled under foreign brands, obscuring the product’s origin. The main markets are Spain, Italy and the United States, where the oil is blended with local varieties and labeled with vague statements such as “blend of European and non‑European olive oils.”

This situation stems from a traditional value‑chain model that forces farmers to sell their harvests in advance to Italian or Spanish traders, often at low prices that do not reflect the oil’s quality. According to local producer OLYFO, Tunisian oil cannot obtain a clear country‑of‑origin label in the EU or the US, limiting its premium‑market opportunities.

Community and agricultural background

Tunisia has cultivated olives for about three millennia, and every family has its own olive‑oil story. However, outdated financing models and the lack of modern land‑title deeds make it hard for growers to secure capital, pushing them toward pre‑sale agreements with foreign buyers.

Ben Ramadan notes that Tunisian olive oil has traditionally been used as a natural remedy for skin and to add distinctive flavor to dishes, and that the gap between this heritage and the current commercial reality deprives Tunisia of “soft power” through its premium products.

Through KAÏA, Sara Ben Ramadan hopes consumers worldwide will recognize the quality of Tunisian oil and restore confidence in the authentic product, breaking the stereotype that casts Tunisia merely as a low‑cost supplier.