OriginAL Background 

From north to south, Albanian culinary traditions are as much a reflection of the country’s history and geography as they are of its cultural heritage. Nestled between mountains and seas, Albania’s tradition of gastronomy includes dishes that are rich in meats and spices, deliciously flaky sweet and savory pies, fresh seafood and wonderful dairy products from local farms. Nature has blessed Albania with a climate where olive and citrus trees grow abundantly and where the tradition of processing olive oil and honey is still going strong.

OriginAL Information

OriginAL branding

OriginAL (origin-Albania) is a national brand for authentic 100% Albanian food products created by Brand Albania, an initiative by USAID’s Regional Economic Growth (REG) project, in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Tourism and Environment and other private and public stakeholders. The mission of OriginAL is to catalyze agrotourism by promoting the unique and quality authentic characteristics of select Albanian agriculture products while using the products as “ambassadors” of tourism. Any product that applies for the branding undergoes a thorough examination based on a set of defined criteria to determine whether the OriginAL brand can be awarded.