From California Grove to Campus Plate: The Corto Advantage for Institutional Foodservice
Institutional kitchens succeed when ingredients are consistent, cost‑efficient, nutritionally sound, and easy to scale. Corto Olive Company’s California‑grown oils deliver on all counts, and do so more reliably than any imported “extra‑virgin” labels.
Corto picks its olives early in the fall, while they’re firm and green‑violet, then cold‑extracts them within hours of harvest in an on‑site mill Corto Olive Oil. Early picking locks in polyphenols and bright aromatics that survive sauté pans, banquet steam tables, and grab‑and‑go boxes.
Bottom‑line benefit: Fresher oil means lower usage per serving because chefs need less to achieve the same flavor impact.
Traditional gallon jugs admit light and oxygen the moment you crack the lid. Corto’s patented Bag‑in‑Box dispenses oil through an oxygen‑free tap, shielding it from light and air until the last milliliter. Independent researchers found that oil stored this way stayed “extra virgin” 40 days longer at room temp and 40 days longer under heat abuse than the same oil in metal cans.
The packaging also cuts carbon emissions 60–90 % versus single‑use glass, thanks to lighter weight and tighter pallet density.
A landmark UC Davis study showed 69 % of imported “extra virgin” oils failed official quality tests*, while 90 % of California oils, including Corto, passed. Choosing domestic, COOC‑certified Corto oil removes the risk of adulterated or heat‑damaged shipments that can derail nutritional labeling or patient‑safety audits.
There are three ways you can get Corto Olive Oil:
- 3 L FlavorLock Box (EVOO): For finishing, salad bars and cold-line production which stays fresh, shift after shift and there is no glass breakage.
- LaPadella High-Heat Blend: For Sauteing, grilling and wok stations (smoke pt ≈ 485 °F) .
- 1 gallon Bag-in-Box Food Service Pack: For Central Kitchens and commissaries because they fit standard shelving and it collapses flat for disposal.
Nutrition & Wellness Talking Points and Marketing:
- Heart‑healthy fats & >250 mg/kg polyphenols (early‑harvest average) support cardiometabolic and cognitive wellness goals.
- Non‑GMO, kosher, halal, and gluten‑free—meets diverse diet requirements straight out of the box.
- Clean‑label, single‑origin traceability satisfies hospital dietitians and campus sustainability officers alike.
Why Corto Olive Oil?
Corto’s harvest‑fresh oil, oxygen‑proof packaging, and rock‑solid domestic supply chain eliminate the hidden costs of stale imports and broken glass. For corporate, hospital, and university foodservice teams pressured to hit flavor, cost, and sustainability targets, Corto is the lowest‑risk, highest‑impact olive‑oil swap you can make this year.
Ask your broadline rep for Corto’s FlavorLock 3 L EVOO or La Padella high‑heat blend, or contact Corto directly for volume pricing and a virtual tasting designed for institutional chefs.
