Our business was established in 2004 and our farm has been growing all natural hardneck garlic for 39 years. We have found the best ingredients along the way and have many to thank. We enjoy our partners and friends that have helped each step. As the quality of food diminishes for us here in the United States, our business has thrived the past 3-4 years because of one fact. We continue to use the best ingredients found on the planet and people are noticing. Business has been outstanding. We are approaching 100 locations throughout the State of Ohio where someone is carrying BJ Gourmet Garlic products. All thanks to a loyal customer base that has the same mindset, looking for the best food on the planet!!!
So, you might ask—what truly sets BJ Garlic Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars apart from the rest? We’re happy to share the why behind our quality, while keeping a few hard-earned details close to the vest. Certain aspects of our process are proprietary and represent a valuable asset to our organization—details we’ve carefully developed and protected over time.
That said, without giving away the secret, we’re pleased to share everything you need to know to understand why our olive oils and balsamic vinegars stand in a class of their own. From sourcing to craftsmanship, every step is intentional—and it’s why we confidently believe we offer some of the finest olive oils and balsamic vinegars in the world.
WHY OUR BALSAMIC VINEGARS
We have a small team of people who work with our producer in Italy to perfect every detail. Through this collaboration, balsamics are fine tuned to be noticeably thicker, naturally sweeter, and exceptionally well-balanced compared to most on the market!
Our balsamic vinegars are made with only two ingredients—grape must and wine vinegar—never adulterated or bulked up with fillers. With 80% grape must and 20% wine vinegar, the result is a rich, caramel-like sweetness, smooth acidity, and luxurious texture that truly stands apart.
Many competing balsamics contain a much lower percentage of grape must, which leads to a thinner consistency and sharper acidity. While those products may come at a lower price point, they simply cannot match the depth, balance, and quality we insist on.
Quality is our priority. We proudly offer a balsamic vinegar that exceeds industry standards—even if it costs a bit more—because we know the payoff is worth it. Customers taste the difference immediately, return again and again, and come back specifically to your store for this product. It builds loyalty and sets you apart by offering a balsamic they won’t find just anywhere.
WHY OUR EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILS
Our flavored extra virgin olive oils begin with a premium base EVOO sourced from Tunisia, one of the most historic olive-growing regions in the world. Olive trees have been cultivated there for thousands of years—dating back to before Christ—using traditional methods that prioritize quality over volume.
The olives are dry-farmed and hand-harvested, and many of the groves consist of trees that are over 200 years old. While our facility is not USDA Certified Organic, the olive oil itself meets organic standards through long-established, natural growing practices.
Every batch of olive oil is tested upon arrival at our facility for quality and purity. We provide those test results so you can confidently assure your customers they are receiving authentic, high-quality extra virgin olive oil—not blends, not substitutes, and never re-labeled oils.
The result is a clean, flavorful, and trustworthy EVOO that serves as the perfect foundation for our infused oils—and a product you can proudly stand behind.
Our flavored extra virgin olive oils are flavored using extra virgin olive oil based flavorings. (Most companies use a canola oil based flavoring). The flavorings are basically extracts and essential oils made from plant based product, therefore are “natural.” The flavorings are added to the oil and stirred.
One question that usually comes up is about our butter flavor: Are we using actual butter? No. How is it “natural” then? Scientists figured out that a molecule called diacetyl is what gives butter it’s butter flavor. They can make this artificially, but they can also obtain it naturally from many other sources in nature. Sweet potatoes, for instance, have a high concentration of diacetyl. Our flavor manufacturer has a proprietary (secret) process by which they extract this substance from sweet potatoes. Hence “natural” butter flavor.
All of the flavorings are natural, vegan, gluten-free and allergen-free. They use a process of combining different components to mimic flavors. There is no cheese in our Parmesan flavoring, no meat in our bacon flavoring, etc.
The flavorings for the balsamic vinegars are the same concept but with an alcohol base, like vanilla extract for instance. However, our chile, spicy mango and spicy orange also have chile powder in them so they will have a grainy texture and need to be shaken up as well. Our white sesame ginger balsamic has black sesame seeds in it. All of our other flavors are strictly liquid (alcohol) based.
EVOO Independent Testing Docs & COA
There are companies marketing Extra Virgin Olive Oil and in fact, it is Canola Oil. This is something that is of huge concern for our company. This is food that we are putting into our bodies. We want to trust that it is the very best. This is why you can stand behind our farm and believe in our products that they are what we say they are.
However, we cannot speak to anyone else in the industry. BUT buyer beware! Fake olive oil is being sold and mislabeled on purpose. Just do a simple google search “fake olive oil industry” Better yet, here is an article from the Guardian from July, 2024.
Our partners have our base olive oil (for the flavored EVOO) tested by a lab three-to-four times a year. All of our other EVOO is tested at least once a harvest after the product has arrived in the United States. We have it tested for quality and purity. We’ve also provided Independent Testing documents for the varietal oils that we sell. Certificate Of Analysis results can be given upon request.
