Cooking Oil Alternatives | Expand Your Pantry with Roland Foods

Across the Mediterranean, the olive oil harvest is returning alarmingly low yields. Inclement weather conditions including extreme heat, wildfires, and drought have caused the category to drop 18%. With little to no supply, retail prices of the crop have skyrocketed, leading consumers to search for alternative products. To combat rising costs and crop scarcity, Roland Foods is proud to offer blended oil alternatives ideal for high-heat cooking. These neutral oil blends are high-quality replacements for olive oil and extra virgin olive oil (“EVOO”) offered at a competitive price point.

Avocado Oil | A Versatile Alternative

Avocado oil is a versatile oil alternative and happens to have a handful of health benefits. This naturally occurring oil is derived from the pulp of an avocado and is rich in healthy fats and antioxidant nutrients. The unsaturated fatty acids in avocado oil are great for heart health and reducing cholesterol.

Compared to olive and other cooking oils, avocado oil is versatile and easy to use. Its smoke point of 520°F makes it ideal for high-heat cooking without burning or sacrificing flavor.

Roland® Avocado Oil has a distinct but mild avocado flavor that does not need to be blended with another oil. Our product is vegan, lactose free, and gluten free - a safe and reliable oil for various customers.

Use Avocado oil in the same way you would olive oil – roast, sauté, stir fry, grill, drizzle, or bake!

Alternative Oils

Outside of avocado oil is a plethora of alternative cooking oils.

Canola Oil: Derived from the seeds of the canola plant, canola oil is widely affordable and abundant. It has a mild, neutral flavor and a smoke point of 400-450°F, making it ideal for high-temperature cooking.

Soybean Oil: Another high smoke point, neutral cooking oil. Soybean oil is produced from the seeds of the soybean plant and is highly unsaturated like avocado oil.

Sunflower Oil: Sunflower oil is obtained from the seeds of sunflower. Its light taste and high smoke point make it an optimal oil for high-temperature frying and baking.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is cold pressed and unrefined, differentiating it from regular olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point than regular olive oil and its common alternatives. This oil is best suited for finishing dishes and nonheated applications. Frying, roasting, and sautéing may disrupt the complex flavor of the oil.

Pomace Oil: Pomace oil, another form of olive oil, is a derivative of extra virgin olive oil. Like regular olive oil, pomace oil has a higher smoke point of around 460°F, making it great for high-heat applications. Pomace oil has almost no distinct flavor and is generally a more affordable olive-based oil option.

Oil Blends

Blended oils have a wide range of applications in the food industry, where a cost-efficient product with heat stability and a less assertive olive oil flavor is desired. At Roland Foods, we prioritize our customer’s unique needs. In response to the olive oil shortage, we are offering the capability to create custom oil blends in ideal packaging specific to each of our customers’ needs. See our suggested custom blends below, which can be used for sautéing, baking, and broiling, as well as in cooking.

• Canola Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (75%/25% or 90%/10%)
  • Smoke Point: 430°F, great for high-heat cooking
  • Dietary Considerations: Vegan, Lactose Free, Gluten Free, Kosher Pareve certified
  • Shelf Life: 2 years unopened
  • Uses: Slight EVOO flavor lends well to emulsified sauces and for sautéing
• 75% Soybean Oil and 25% Pomace Olive Oil (75%/25% or 90%/10%)
  • Smoke Point: 430°F, great for high-heat cooking
  • Dietary Considerations: Vegan, Lactose Free, Gluten Free, Kosher Pareve certified
  • Shelf Life: 2 years unopened
  • Uses: Neutral flavor lends well to deep and shallow frying
• 75% Sunflower Oil and 25% Extra Virgin Olive Oil (80%/20% or 75%/25% or 50%/50%)
  • Smoke Point: 428°F, great for high-heat cooking
  • Dietary Considerations: Vegan, Lactose Free, Gluten Free
  • Shelf Life: 18 months unopened
  • Uses: Deeper, slightly nutty flavor lends well to salad dressings

Customize with Roland Foods

Looking for customization? We have the capability to create an oil blend to suit your unique business needs. Contact the Roland Foods Team at [email protected] to learn more.

Roland Foods’ Pantry of Alternative Cooking Oils:

Outside of olive oil and other natural seed oils, Roland Foods offers a variety of nut and seed oils that add a flavorful flare whether baking or cooking. While they are not a replacement for general olive oil, they are an easy way to boost flavor.

Walnut Oil: A unique oil with the full-bodied flavor of walnuts, Roland® Roasted Walnut Oil is a nutty addition in salad dressings and vinaigrettes. An ideal finishing touch, add a drizzle of this oil at the end of cooking poultry, veal, or roasted potatoes, or toss into pasta and rice dishes. Roland® Roasted Walnut Oil has a low smoke point, so it should not be used in high-heat cooking or frying. For the best taste, add at the end of cooking.

Pumpkin Seed Oil: With its unique and delicate pumpkin aroma, Roland® Pumpkin Seed Oil is excellent in marinades and dressings. Due to its low smoke point, it is ideal as a finishing touch for hearty soups and stews, in seasonal fall dishes like roasted root vegetables, or as a dipping oil for bread. Use our pumpkin seed oil for baking breads and pastries or mix with cider vinegar for an autumn-inspired dressing.

Macadamia Oil: A unique oil with the distinct flavor of macadamia nuts, Roland® Virgin Cold-Pressed Macadamia Oil is a versatile oil that can be used for grilling, frying, or at the end of cooking to add a tropical twist. Use it for grilled or sautéed fish, shellfish, and poultry, or use it as a marinade or salad dressing. Roland® Virgin Cold-Pressed Macadamia Oil pairs well with citrus flavors, coconut, and even sweet flavors like white and dark chocolate!

Hazelnut Oil: Produced in France, Roland® Roasted Hazelnut Oil has a light yet buttery texture and delicious, deep nutty flavor. Try it cold, drizzled over salad greens or soups, or use it to bake hazelnut-infused cakes and muffins.

Discover our recipe for Rainbow Chard Salad with Hazelnut Anchovy Vinaigrette

Pistachio Oil: A unique oil with the full-bodied flavor of pistachios, Roland® Roasted Pistachio Oil is a nutty addition in salad dressings and vinaigrettes. An ideal finishing touch, add a drizzle of this oil at the end of cooking to shellfish, fish, chicken, or roasted potatoes, or toss it in pasta and rice dishes. While Roland® Roasted Pistachio Oil has a low smoke point, it can be used for low-heat cooking. For the best taste, though, we recommend adding it at the end of cooking.

Discover our recipe for Curry Couscous Salad using Roland® Roasted Pistachio Oil

Coconut Oil: Roland® Organic Virgin Coconut Oil is trans-fat free and cold pressed from fresh coconuts, which retains their wonderful taste and aroma. It stays solid up to 76°F and can be used for all types of cooking. It is great as a dairy-free replacement for butter and can even be used as a skin moisturizer.

Toasted Sesame Oil: Roland® Toasted Sesame Oil is made from toasted white sesame seeds. This aromatic oil has a distinct nutty flavor that is delicious when added to marinades and Asian-inspired salad dressings.

Discover our recipe for Chinese Chicken Salad Lettuce cups featuring Roland® Toasted Sesame Oil

Grapeseed Oil: Roland® Grapeseed Oil is imported from France. It has a delicate flavor and is perfect for high-heat cooking like frying and deep-frying. It can also be used for salad dressings and mayonnaise.

Discover our recipe for Gochujang Bouillabaisse with Saffron Sesame Aioli featuring Roland® Grapeseed Oil

Expanding Your Cooking Oil Options

As the olive oil industry faces unprecedented challenges with diminishing yields due to adverse weather conditions, consumers are seeking viable alternatives to meet their cooking needs. Roland Foods recognizes this demand and proudly presents a range of blended oil alternatives that not only address the scarcity issue, but also provide high-quality options at competitive price points.

Contact a Roland Foods Sales Representative to learn more!