Chetoui olive oil from Tunisia: robust and vibrant, rich in polyphenols, notes of cut grass and noble pepper. Specifications and bulk availability.
Chetoui is the other emblematic Tunisian variety, grown mainly in the north and prized for a character Chemlali does not have: a green, assertive oil with real structure. At CHEBLA it is the answer for buyers whose market rewards intensity — Italy, Spain, specialty retail — and for blends that need a backbone.
As with any variety, Chetoui says which fruit the oil comes from, not what grade it is. The grade — extra virgin, virgin or organic — is a separate statement, measured in the laboratory and written on the certificate that travels with your lot.
Chetoui is robust and vibrant. Tasters describe cut grass and a noble pepper finish, with a bitterness that is present and intended. That peppery catch at the back of the throat is not a defect — it is the signature of a fresh, phenol-rich oil, and experienced buyers look for it.
It is a profile that divides markets. Where the customer expects a mild oil, Chetoui can read as too strong; there, Chemlali olive oil is the better fit. Many of our offers combine the two, and the balance is set with the buyer rather than fixed in advance.
Chetoui is richer in polyphenols than Chemlali. Polyphenols are the natural compounds responsible for bitterness and pungency, and they are also the oil's own antioxidant defence: an oil that carries more of them resists oxidation longer.
For an importer this is a practical matter rather than a marketing one. A more stable oil travels better, tolerates a longer shelf life and is more forgiving of imperfect storage at destination. It is also why harvest date and extraction temperature matter so much on this variety — polyphenols are lost to heat and to delay, and they cannot be added back.
Polyphenol content varies by lot, harvest date and season. We do not publish a single figure: where your specification requires one, it is measured on the lot and stated in the offer.
Chetoui is supplied in our three ranges. The figures below are ceilings we commit to; the certificate issued for your lot carries its measured values.
| Range | Free acidity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Organic Premium | ≤ 0.2% | CCPB certified, limited production |
| Extra Virgin | ≤ 0.3% | Cold-extracted, unrefined |
| Virgin | IOC-compliant | Everyday culinary use |
Peroxide value and UV absorption complete the physico-chemical picture, and a sensory panel confirms that the profile matches the description above. The method behind each figure is on olive oil laboratory analysis.
Chetoui is available in bulk — tankers, flexitanks, food-grade drums or a full container — and packed in glass at 250, 500 and 750 ml, in metal tins at 1, 3 and 5 litres, and in food-grade PET on request. Metal and dark glass are the formats we recommend for a phenol-rich oil, because light degrades it faster than time does.
Chetoui volumes are smaller than Chemlali and depend on the season, so availability is confirmed per project rather than published.
Bulk logistics are on bulk Tunisian olive oil, packing on olive oil packaging solutions, and own-brand production on private label olive oil.
Tell us the volume, the range and the destination market: we reply with a price, the lot analysis and the available formats.