A South Australian invention is poised to shake up the global olive industry, offering a faster, cleaner, and fruitier approach to table olive production.

Developed by Professor John Fielke from the University of South Australia, the patented method, dubbed “Olives the Australian Way”, cuts production time in half, slashes water and labour usage, and produces olives with a fresh flavour profile more commonly found in a bottle of wine than a jar of brine.

“We’re not fermenting or degrading the oil,” Professor Fielke told the ABC.

“We’re bringing out fruity notes, passionfruit, citrus, even musk.”

Traditionally, producing table olives can take up to a year using time- and water-intensive methods like lye treatment or natural fermentation, commonly associated with Greek, Spanish, or Californian styles. In contrast, Fielke’s method introduces brine at harvest and uses a continuous filtration process to remove bitterness while preserving flavour and integrity. The result? Olives that are ready for market in just five months.

Backed by an Australian Economic Accelerator Seed Grant, the project aims to scale Australia’s table olive production from the current 3,000 tonnes to 100,000 tonnes within the next 10 to 15 years.

At the couple’s semi-commercial site in South Australia, John and Sue Fielke processed 82 tonnes of olives this season, with plans to triple that number next year.

But that kind of growth requires a significant uptick in both trees and infrastructure.

“There simply aren’t enough Australian-grown table olives to meet future demand,” said Australian Olive Association CEO Michael Southan.

“We need more plantings, better productivity, and major investment in automated, large-scale processing facilities.”

For George Kratopoulos, a second-generation olive grower in Taylorville, the method is nothing short of transformative.

After reducing his family’s grove from 14,000 trees to 3,000 due to low margins and high labour costs, the new process has revived hope for his farm’s future.

“We were close to walking away. But now, we’re talking about expanding.”

Machine harvesting, previously impractical due to bruising and spoilage is now viable, with olives being dropped directly into brine, preserving freshness and reducing food waste.

“It’s a win-win. No more discarding bruised fruit. The brine stabilises it immediately.”

Beyond efficiency, the method is changing how olives taste and how they’re received.

Richard Seymour, director of Victoria’s Mount Zero Olives and a self-described traditionalist, says he’s been won over.

“I’ve always valued the ancient craft of fermentation, but this process creates beautiful, clean flavours,” Seymour said. “It’s a step into a new era.”

For Professor Fielke, the aim isn’t to replace Greek staples like Kalamata olives, but to offer an Australian-grown, distinctive alternative.

“Kalamatas will always have their place,” he said. “But this is about creating something uniquely Australian, fresher, faster, and full of flavour.”

As the demand for local, sustainable food continues to grow, Olives the Australian Way may soon become a global standard, with Australia leading the way.