Olive Oil Replaces Wine as Popular Guest Gift in the Netherlands
It is becoming increasingly chic in the Netherlands to give a bottle of extra virgin olive oil as a gift to hosts at a dinner party instead of wine or chocolate.
By Costas Vasilopoulos
A new trend in the Netherlands revolves around bringing a bottle of extra virgin olive oil as a gift to dinner parties, instead of wine, according to a report by Albert Heijn. The growing popularity of olive oil as a gift is due to its status, versatility and practicality – a gift that everyone can appreciate, despite some reservations from etiquette experts.
The Dutch are known for their social customs and traditions. A new custom has developed where olive oil is central to the custom of bringing a gift to a dinner party.
According to a recent report from supermarket chain Albert Heijn, olive oil is now one of the luxury food products that can be taken to dinner parties in place of the traditional bottle of wine.
The Albert Heijn Food & Drink report 2024/25 cited a survey by Dutch magazine delicious. , which showed that guests are now more likely to arrive with a bottle of extra virgin olive oil than with wine.
In addition to olive oil, the report also highlighted other luxury food products such as table olives, nuts, honey, artisanal vinegar and rare salt as suitable alternatives to wine or chocolate as gifts.
“Giving the gift of a bottle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil is a great alternative to wine and the perfect dinner party gift,” Sarah Vachon, founder of Citizens of Soil, a company that sells olive oil in reusable bottles and bags from small-scale female producers, told Olive Oil Times .
Vachon, who has worked in the food and beverage industry for more than a decade, helped shape the trend by giving olive oil as a gift instead of wine.
“The response was overwhelmingly positive and soon our whole ‘cheat with wine – bring a better bottle’ campaign was born,” she said.
The paradox of extra virgin olive oil in the Netherlands is that record high prices – which have risen by 42 percent to around €18.88 per liter – have made olive oil a luxury product. This has contributed to the highest quality olive oil becoming particularly sought after and popular as a dinner party gift.
“And now that the product is so expensive, consumers expect more from it,” delicious wrote. “Just like wine, people want to know what ingredients are in it, where the olives were grown, and who’s behind it.”
According to Vachon, this new trend owes its popularity to the status and inclusivity of a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.
“It shows status because it's a more unique and thoughtful gift than the cliché bottle of wine, and it's inclusive because almost anyone can use extra virgin olive oil,” she said.
In addition to its health benefits, olive oil has other advantages over wine: while a bottle of wine can be gone the same evening, a bottle of olive oil will last for months and can be used in a variety of dishes.
“With changing diets and lifestyles, alcohol doesn’t always suit everyone, but olive oil is a universally acceptable alternative,” Vachon said. “It’s luxurious but healthy, lasts longer than an evening, and enhances a meal in a similar way—and carries a unique story of origin.”
“Like wine, a well-produced olive oil reflects its terroir and maker, making it a thoughtful and distinctive gift that anyone can appreciate, whether used to enhance dishes, for its nutritional value or even in a martini,” she added.
However, the Netherlands' most famous etiquette guide, Het Blauwe Boekje , questions this new trend and states that giving olive oil as a gift may be perceived as inappropriate by some hosts.