Aside from the fact that the zero-waste approach is among the fastest and easiest solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it also drastically reduces the amount of waste we collectively produce each year. Simply put, we adopted it because we LOVE our planet. Point.

A certified non-GMO oil guarantees that the plant from which it is derived is born from a natural seed, i.e. not transformed in a laboratory. That said, non-GMO certification does not guarantee anything when it comes to growing the plant.

An organic oil comes from a plant that is not only GMO-free, but has also been processed under very specific conditions to ensure that the product is natural.

Start by removing the spout from the bottle (the tip of a spoon is the perfect tool to do this) and place it upside down in the cap. Carefully monitor the level of oil in the bottle as it can fill quickly. Make sure you don't overfill it.

All our certified organic products have the mention "organic" in their name. Keep an eye out!

A virgin oil is an oil that has been extracted by cold pressing from its original plant. It is said to be virgin, as it has not undergone any transformation since extraction. Its raw character ensures a quality superior to refined oil.

A refined oil is an oil that has been extracted by chemical and thermal processes that allow a greater extraction of oil contained in the mother plant, but which deteriorate its quality in the process. What a refined oil usually loses in taste through the extraction process, it gains in heat tolerance, which makes it more suitable for cooking!

You will be surprised by what I am about to tell you, but the very first indication of whether an olive oil is of good quality is not its taste but its acidity. An olive oil with an acidity of 0.1 to 0.3 tells us that the olives were picked and immediately pressed. In this case, the olive oil has kept all its qualities, in addition to having a very low acidity. Most of the time, the olives undergo a ripening stage before the press, but this ripening makes them more acidic. This waiting period on the part of the producer allows the olives to soften so that their oily particles become even more available and abundant, in order to offer a better yield.

The second indication is the taste... The vast majority of the time, olive oil has peppery notes in the mouth, at the end of the tasting session. Whether these notes are pronounced or soft tells us very clearly if the product is integral or not.

Once these two important quality criteria have been evaluated, the rest is up to you. Knowing that there are several hundred kinds of olives with tastes of their own, the possibilities of recipes created by producers are endless... and the possibilities of discoveries too, because there are as many variations in olive oils as in wines. 

The smoke point of an oil tells us its tolerance to heat. Preference should therefore be given to oils with a smoke point of at least 350°F for cooking.

Among La Goutte d'Or products, we prefer camelina oil, avocado oil, refined coconut oil, pure olive oil and many others!

When olive oil freezes, it's a good sign. This tells you that it is extra-virgin and also that it is cold pressed. But olive oil often freezes during transport, because below about 4°C it freezes. If your olive oil has frozen or there are frozen particles in suspension, the best solution is to simply place your bottle in hot water until its contents completely return to its liquid form. The taste of an olive oil that has frozen usually does not spoil.

Let's not forget that unpasteurized apple cider vinegar is a living organism! It is for this reason that it has all its qualities. What you see is a mother fungus, which grows naturally by creating filaments, and then a thick layer on the surface, much like a kombucha mushroom. If these solid materials/particles bother you, simply filter your vinegar. The integrity of your apple cider vinegar will not be affected.

It is important to store your bottles in a cool place away from light. The pantry and kitchen cabinets are great options. The best habit you can get into with your bottles containing oil is to fill them bottle while they still contain some oil. It is very important not to leave an empty oil bottle in your cabinet for more than a week as the oil may start to go rancid.

No! If you keep filling your bottle and take care not to leave it empty for months, it should last a long time. You can always clean the cap and doser, but be sure to dry them completely to avoid water contamination. We always suggest doing an odor test to make sure your oil hasn't gone rancid before filling your bottle.

Your bottle will have a very distinctive strong and unpleasant smell, accompanied by a pungent taste. The oil's fats deteriorated due to too much exposure to heat, oxygen and light. In this case, you would have no choice unfortunately, but to recycle your bottle (consider finding a dark glass recovery center in your city). A bottle that has the beginning of a rancid smell will be impossible to wash and will end up quickly contaminating the new oil that has been poured into it.

For several reasons:

1. For transport: since bags are small and lightweight, it is possible to carry a large number of bags at a time and thus use more transport energy for the products than for their container.

2. For conservation: the tip of the Press-Tap bag allows liquid to come out without allowing air to enter the bag, which preserves the quality of our products longer!

3. For certification: in order for our products to be displayed as "organic", our dealers must not have any direct access to the product (to prevent the certified product from being modified or ingredients being added to it). Our Press-Tap bags are airtight, they allow us to ensure the organic quality of our products!

For many reasons!

1. On the transport side, it is possible to transport a larger number of bags for a smaller weight from one end of the planet to the other. As there is no such packaging manufacturer in North America, we must consider the impact of transporting from the manufacturer to La Goutte d'Or, and then from La Goutte d'Or to you!

2. As for the content/container ratio, the plastic bag can move a larger volume of oil or vinegar per package. Our smallest bags contain 4 liters, which is equivalent to 8 bottles of 500ml.

3. Plus, for businesses, our bags are returnable to encourage companies to return them to us when they are empty. This allows us to refill them and put them back into circulation up to 10 times!

4. Our bags are also recyclable, and we are currently working to establish a collaboration that will allow us to guarantee their revalorization in the future! 

Compared to traditional caps, the tip of the Press-Tap bag allows liquid to come out without allowing air to enter the bag. As air accelerates the rancidity of oils, the liquid remaining in the bag is preserved longer in a Press-Tap bag than in a bag (or other container) with a traditional cap.

The bulk counter is a cabinet designed specifically for the sale of oil and vinegar in bulk. Made with love by our cabinetmakers, this piece of furniture has a clean and refined style to reconcile aesthetics and space optimization!

Our bulk counter is manufactured in our warehouse in Dunham by our in-house cabinetmakers. It is built almost exclusively of wood and metal and dyed with ecological stains, which minimizes its environmental impact from its creation, until its transformation at the end of its life cycle.

Our bulk counter expels oils and vinegars through the barrels using a small compressor that exerts pressure on the liquids.

Stainless steel protects the wood from damage and makes cleaning with a cloth much easier. In addition, the oil helps to maintain the condition of the stainless steel. Two birds with one stone!