Instructions: Olives have been part of our meals for 10,000 years, according to the Greek poet Homer, though you probably wouldnt want to risk biting into one that old.

Instead, Jud Carter suggests you stick a fork in a jar of his fresh olivida spread and layer it thick on a cracker. Or pile it on a plate of pasta. Or put it in a pita.

"Theres really no wrong way to use olivida spread," said Carter, president of the 90-year-old, family-owned Bell-Carter Foods. "Its very versatile. It encourages creativity in the kitchen." Thats a far cry from the olives storied origin, which has its roots in Greek mythology, the gods and the creation of Athens. Poseidon and Athena were squabbling over the naming of the newly created city, and it was decided that the god providing the most precious gift to its citizens would earn the right to have the city bear his or her name.

When Poseidon pierced a rock with his mighty trident, saltwater flowed out.

Athena, though, thrust her spear into the ground and an olive tree sprang forth.

It was a clear call, almost as obvious as Bell-Carter Foods decision to introduce its olivida. Bell-Carter, based in the small Sacramento Valley town of Corning, debuted its spicy olivida spread to restaurants in 2001. The company initiated a retail campaign early this year, selecting Northern California, Iowa and Florida as regional launching pads for what it hopes will become a national product.

"We did a lot of test marketing before we formally introduced the olivida spread," Carter said. "It was a big step for this company to move into this market."
Bell-Carter has been processing olives since 1912, but developing its olivida spread has taken the company to a different level.

"We were trying to find a way to expand our product menu and create a higher-value market for olives," said Carter, a third-generation family member who has been running the company with his brother, Tim, since 1973. Bell-Carter sells a six-ounce can of black ripe olives for $1.29, for example; a seven-ounce can of stuffed manzanilla, green Spanish olives sells for $2.19. Meanwhile, an 8.(5-ounce) can of olivida has a suggested retail price of $3.79.
The olives are mixed with gourmet vegetables, herbs and spices, and the olivida is marketed under three "tastes" - Greece, Sicily and Tuscany.

Finding new markets is crucial to the survival of Californias olive industry, Carter said.

California was home to dozens of olive canners in the 1950s, but that dwindled to seven by 1990. Only two major olive canners remain today: Bell-Carter and Musco Olive Products in Tracy.

"Low-cost imports have taken a good piece of the market, so weve got to respond with specialty products that importers cant match," Carter said.

"Olivida is an answer to that challenge." The olivida spreads are marketed under the Lindsay brand, which has been used to sell California olives since 1916. Bell-Carter bought the brand in 1992.

"Its one of those brands that consumers instantly recognize for its quality," said Carter, whose company topped $150 million in sales last year. "You have to work years to create that deep trust, so were very particular with the olives we put into it." Unlike olives, which often are eaten individually or used to complement a food dish, olivida can provide a subordinate taste or be the dominant flavor on anything from pasta to meat to fish.

The Taste of Greece, for example, blends three olive varieties with onion, garlic and basil. The Taste of Tuscany, meanwhile, includes such roasted vegetables as eggplant and carrots.

Olivida spreads also cross over the traditional cooking seasons, Carter noted, because they can be used as a tangy condiment for summer sandwiches or warmed as a spicy sauce for hot pasta.

"We went through two years of taste tests before deciding on the flavors," Carter said. "Theyre getting a great response from retailers and our goal is to eventually roll them out nationally."

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