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World olive size grading is calculated by the number of olives per kilo. American size is graded by the number of olives per pound (the number of olives per kilo in the table further below is approximate for American sizes, as the United States Department of Agriculture hasn't set official metric grading.)

You may often see olives designated as 160/180, 400/420, etc. That indicates the range of how many per kilo, in that size. You have to figure out from the context whether the writer is using World measurements or American ones.

The descriptive terms that you will see below were reputedly drawn up in the 1920s by the California advertising firm "Curtis", which drew on names that were being used to promote movies at the time. The terms for larger olives have a good ring of hype around them -- you'd almost think they were describing a circus.

It's a bit odd that the California olive industry continues resolutely to use their own terms and own measurements rather than standardize, especially because this is certainly one field in which the Americans are greatly outnumbered: California produces less than 1/2 of 1 percent of the world's olives, so it would make more sense for them to standardize to the rest of the world.

Size descriptions are listed in order from largest to smallest.

Size Name	Where	Quantity Per Kilo	Quantity Per Pound	Size Number (America)	Width
Super Mammoth (aka Super Mamouth)	World	91–100	41–45
Mammoth (aka Mamouth)	World	101–110	46–50
Mammoth	American	140 to 160	65 to 75	5
Super Colossal	World	111–120	50–54
Super Colossal	American	60 to 70	32 or fewer	9	26 mm and larger
Colossal	World	121–140	55–64
Colossal	American	70 to 90	33 to 41	8	24 mm to 26 mm
Giants	World	141–160	65–73
Giant	American	120 to 140	53 to 64	6
Extra Jumbo	World	161–180	74–82
Jumbo	World	181–200	83–91
Jumbo	American	90 to 120	42 to 52	7	22 mm to 24 mm
Extra Large	World	201–230	91–104
Extra Large	American	160 to 200	76 to 90	4	20 mm to 22 mm
Large	World	231–260	105–118
Large	American	200 to 220 (sic)	91 to 105	3	19 mm to 20 mm
Medium	American	240 to 260	106 to 127	2	17 mm to 19 mm
Superior	World	261–290	118–132
Small (aka Select or Standard)	American	280 to 300	128 to 140	1	Less than 17 mm
Petite (aka Midget)	American	300 to 400	141 to 180
Brilliant	World	291–320	132–145
Fine	World	321–350	146–159
Bullets	World	351–380	159–172
SubPetite	American	400 to 420	181 to 220

Sources:

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Liaison, Preparedness and Policy Coordination. Canned or Otherwise Preserved Vegetable Products Other Than Frozen Vegetable Products, Part II, Feb 2000.
• United States Standards for Grades of Green Olives, USDA, September 1967 (32 FR 11467.)

Acknowlegements

Also called:

See Also:

Olive Sizes

Other entries for: Olive Processing

Olive Sizes

Other entries for:

Olives
Barnea Olives, Bella di Cerignola Olives, Black Olives, Blond Olives, Brine-Cured Olives, Cracked Olives, Dry-Cured Olives, Feral Olives, Fresh-Water Cured Olives, Greek Olives, Green Olives, Italian Olives, Lye-Cured Olives, Oil-Cured Olives, Oil Olives, Olive Juice, Pendolino Olives, Pidiccuddara Olives, Raw Olives, Spanish Olives, Stuffed Olives, Table Olives

Other entries for:

Preserves
Jams, Jelly, Mostarda di Cremona, Pickles