Elia Kalamatas

A table olive produced exclusively from the 'Kalamata' variety grown within the administrative boundaries of the Prefecture of Messinia, Greece. Olives are harvested by hand when fully ripe and black, then scored, washed, and soaked in brine. The finished product is distributed in tins filled with extra virgin Kalamata olive oil.

About this designation

Elia Kalamatas is registered as a PDO under file number PDO-GR-0030, with EU protection granted on 21 June 1996 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013011). The protected names as registered are Ελιά Καλαμάτας and Elia Kalamatas. The geographical area is defined as the administrative boundaries of the Prefecture of Messinia. The specification requires that olives be of the 'Kalamata' variety, traditionally cultivated in that area. Pest management of dacus oleae is restricted to bait-spraying from the ground using biological methods, or no treatment at all. Harvest must be carried out by hand, with olives picked only when fully ripe and black in colour. After harvest, the olives are scored, washed, and soaked in brine to ripen. The ready product is distributed in tins filled with extra virgin Kalamata olive oil. The applicant group on record is the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives of the Prefecture of Messinia, based in Kalamata. The control body is the Agricultural Department of the Prefecture of Messinia. Authenticity is indicated on the label by the designation 'Table olive PDO KALAMATA' together with a control code number comprising the prefix KA, a label serial number, and the last two digits of the year of production.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 June 1996 under file number PDO-GR-0030 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013011).
• The specification permits only the 'Kalamata' variety of olive, grown within the administrative boundaries of the Prefecture of Messinia.
• Harvest must be carried out by hand when olives are fully ripe and black; no mechanical picking is permitted under the specification.
• Each unit must carry a control code in the format KA / label serial number / last two digits of the year of production.

HoReCa use

The finished product is distributed in tins filled with extra virgin Kalamata olive oil, as specified in the product description.