Argand´or received TASTE 07 award

Anuga, the leading international trade show serving the food and beverage sector, announced the winners of this year’s TASTE 07 award. Argand'or Argan oil, the only gourmet Argan oil available in the USA that is entirely handcrafted by Berber Women Cooperatives, was selected as one of only four winners in the “Organic World” category.

TASTE is a prestigious bi-annual selection of top trendsetting products. The TASTE jury is composed of independent international journalists who judge products by flavour, quality and originality as well as on visual appeal, packaging and user-friendliness. 1,100 products were submitted by more than 500 companies. Only 61 products in ten categories were chosen to receive the influential TASTE 07 award.

Beside the gourmet taste and quality, the jury was impressed by the social aspects and the sustainability of the Argand'or Argan oil production. Argand'or Argan oil is entirely handcrafted by Berber women cooperatives in the rural villages of southwest Morocco, using century-old artisan manufacturing methods. After hand-harvesting and sun-drying the Argan fruit, the nuts are opened with stone tools to remove the oil-rich seeds. Next, the seeds are lightly roasted and crushed in traditional stone mills. With this ancient cold pressing technique, flavour and nutrients are retained, resulting in Argan oil of highest possible quality. Quality control, fine filtering and bottling are conducted in a USDA certified organic facility in Germany.

Today, the existence of more than six-thousand family members is secured by hand-producing Argand'or Argan oil. Furthermore, the production and international sales of Argand'or Argan oil increases the value of the UNESCO protected Argan tree.

The TASTE 07 award is the second major award Argand'or Argan oil received in 2007. Earlier this year, the International Taste & Quality Institute, a leading independent organization of Chefs and Sommeliers, presented Argand'or with the “Superior Taste Award”.

www.argandor.com