International Association of Olive Oil Restaurants (A.I.R.O.) was founded on February 2013 and is
committed to spreading the excellence of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) culture through the
best restaurants in the world. In 2013, Filippo Falugiani was fascinated by lessons and teachings of
the late Marco Mugelli, one of the best worldwide olive oil expert. Fired up by the passion for extra
virgin olive oil, Filippo transferred this knowledge to his restaurant in the attempt to create
awareness on the product. The challenge was to enhance the real value of the high quality olive oil.
Therefore, together with Marco Mugelli’s sons, Matteo and Marta, he founded an association that
would foster an improvement in the culture of olive oil in restaurants: A.I.R.O. Currently A.I.R.O.
has about 600 members, including over 200 companies from all over the world and more than 70
restaurants. It is composed of a team of people who have joint the cause and constantly support the
challenge to enhance EVO oil awareness and its correct use. A.I.R.O. helps Olive Oil Producer to
improve their products, offering them specialized expert advices and it helps Restaurants to
understand the value and the importance of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for their kitchens and their table
service, showing them olive oil as a profit instead of a cost. It organizes several Courses, Events,
Convention and Meetings to discover the benefits and virtues of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
A.I.R.O. is used to organize an international EVO oils competition, starting with the first one
“Liquor d’Ulivi Competition” in 2012. Nowadays the competition is part of a cultural event, named
“Taste the Difference”. It is composed by a tasters competition, a conference focusing on current
news and topics concerning EVOO, an EVOO competition and a restaurant competition.
Since 2015 A.I.R.O. has organized several courses about olive oil sector. Courses for EVOO tasters,
olive oil producers, restaurateurs. In 2022 a school has been founded, named EVOlution Academy
by AIRO, with the aim of strengthening the educational experience on olive oil sector, from
production to tasting, up to gastronomy and beyond.