The SA Olive Awards were established to recognize the South African olive oil industry. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) produced only in the current season will be considered for entry into the competition. Entries must be made by South African producers who are registered with SA Olive and must be 100 percent South African. Individual producers or shops selling EVOO from South African producers as their house brands may enter the competition.
Ahead of the announcement of the 2022 SA Olive Awards winners, Chairman Richard Allen says the SA olive industry is maturing at an extremely fast rate. “When you look back over just the last 18 years, the South African olive industry has grown at a rate of over 170% – and this is an industry that’s fraught with challenges and hindrances, making this even more remarkable. Despite these barriers to success, the SA olive industry works together in compliance, transformation and in sharing a common goal to produce the highest quality product. It is vitally important that each year we salute our members and the hard work they do to achieve such amazing results.”
“Of course, it’s not just here that our local EVOO is recognised because South African Extra Virgin Olive Oils are winning a string of awards overseas every year as well. The appreciation for our high quality EVOO increases year on year and this is evidenced by the fact that the SA Olive Awards are judged by an extremely experienced and discerning panel of international judges alongside our local expert judges. It is a highly sophisticated judging process and one that is carried out diligently by globally recognised olive maestros.”
Olives matter
The challenges that face the olive industry are numerous but as Allen says: “They can be overcome in time if we work as a collective.”
One of Allen’s main priorities as Chairman of SA Olive is to help introduce better technology into the industry through working with overseas counterparts to share their knowledge and experience. Another is to bring SA EVOO in line with other vegetable oils in terms of reducing the applicable VAT and, in turn, to bring down the price of EVOO to consumers. “The SA Olive Awards help shine a light on the industry, and we can use this to good advantage to draw attention to the issues that affect olive producers”.
“We have come a long way in the last few years and South African EVOO consumers are genuinely lucky to have such excellent local products available. Look out for the award winners in store! They are simply the best that money can buy.”
All South African Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOOs) entered into the 2022 SA Olive Awards have been judged and the winners of medals in the Delicate, Medium and Intense style categories are:
Gold Delicate:
- De Rustica Estate Delicate
- Lions Creek Olive Estate Lions Creek Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Rio Largo Olive Estate Rio Largo Gold (Gold)
- The Greenleaf Olive Company Food Lover’s Signature South African Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- The Greenleaf Olive Company River Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Porterville Andante Delicate
Gold Medium:
- Chaloner The Peregrine Limited Edition
- Darling Olives Darling Olives Estate Limited Blend EVOO
- De Rustica Collection: Coratina
- De Rustica Estate Medium
- Die Klip Huis Die Klip Huis
- Galenia Estate Galenia Estate – Mission
- Het Vlock Casteel Het Vlock Casteel Favolosa
- Mardouw Mardouw Oil of the Olive Medium
- Mardouw Mardoux XXV Medium
- Morgenster Don Carlo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Morgenster Morgenster Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Oudewerfskloof Olive Farm OWK – Picual
- Porterville Andante Intenso
- Zoetigheyd Farms Zoetigheyd Premium Frantoio
Gold Intense:
- Altevrede Altevrede – Favolosa
- Mardouw Mardouw Oil of the Olive Favolosa
- Mardouw Mardouw XXV Intense
- Oudewerfskloof Olive Farm OWK – Favolosa
- Porterville Andante Forte
Silver Delicate:
- Darling Olives Darling Olives EVOO
- Darling Olives Darling Olives Fynbossie
- Kleinbergskloof Kleinbergskloof Estate Blend
- Lapithos Olive Growers Lapithos Olive Growers – Pure
- Morgenster Monte Marcello Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Oldenburg Vineyards Oldenburg Vineyards Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Oudewerfskloof Olive Farm Ouwerfskloof
- Prince Albert Olives Prince Albert Olives
Silver Medium:
- Altevrede Altevrede – Frantoio
- Babylonstoren Babylonstoren EVOO Blend
- De Hut Olive Farm Number Uno Frantoio-Coratina
- De Rustica Collection: Frantoio
- Haaskraal Farm Estate Premium
- Kleinood de Boerin Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- L’Ormarins L’Ormarins Blend
- Lamara Lamara Olive Blend
- Lettas Kraal Lettas Kraal Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lions Creek Olive Estate Lions Creek Karoo Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lions Creek Olive Estate Lions Creek Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Namaqua Olives & Olive Oil Namaqua Frantoio Tube Limited Release
- Oakhurst Olives Oakhurst Special Reserve
- Olyfberg Olyfberg 1L Blend
- Pétra Olive Pétra Olive Oil
- Porterville Andante Mezzo
- Rio Largo Olive Estate Rio Largo (Black label)
- The Greenleaf Olive Company Greenleaf Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- The Greenleaf Olive Company Spar Authentic South African Olive Oil
- Tokara Tokara Premiun
- Wildekrans Wine Estate Field Blend
- Zoetigheyd Farms Zoetigheyd Frantoio
Silver Intense:
- Lions Creek Olive Estate Lions Creek Coratina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Mount Ceder Mount Ceder Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Oudewerfskloof Olive Farm Olifantsbos
- Rio Largo Olive Estate Rio Largo Premium (white)
Bronze Delicate:
- Cederberg Olives Cederberg Olives
- Chaloner Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Galenia Estate Manzanilla
- Hillcrest Estate Hillcrest Olive Oil
- Kleinbergskloof Kleinbergskloof Frantoio
- L’Ormarins Terra del Capo Blend
- Mardouw Mardouw Oil of the Olive Mission
- Mont Rouge Olive Estate Karoo Reserve
- Oakhurst Olives Oakhurst Premium Reserve
- Olive Boutique Olive Boutique Frantoio
- Tokara Tokara Frantoio
- Tokara Tokara Mission
- Willow Creek Olive Estate Mission Single Cultivar EVOO
Bronze Medium:
- Anysbos Olywe Anysbos Olywe
- Babylonstoren Babylonstoren EVOO Coratina
- De Hut Olive Farm Numero Uno Frantoio
- De Rustica Collection: Arbequina
- Galenia Estate Directors Blend
- Galenia Estate Estate Blend
- Het Vlock Casteel Het Vlock Casteel Vlok Blend
- Lapithos Olive Growers Lapithos Olive Growers – Family Reserve
- Lions Creek Olive Estate Lions Creek Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lions Creek Olive Estate Lions Creek Don Carlo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Mardouw Mardouw Oil of the Olive Frantoio
- Morgenster Woolworths Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Namaqua Olives & Olive Oil Namaqua 2L bag in box
- Namaqua Olives & Olive Oil Namaqua Glass EVOO
- Olijvenhof / Sanbasa Beasty B
- Olijvenhof / Sanbasa Freaky F
- Olive Boutique Olive Boutique Coratina-Frantoio
- Olyfberg Olyfberg Glass Blend
- Olyfberg Olyfberg Tin Blend
- Parakore Olives Pai Parakore
- Parakore Olives Parakore EVOO
- Rio Largo Olive Estate Rio Largo (Bird label)
- Rockhaven Farm Rockhaven Farm Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Tokara Pick n Pay Crafted Collection
- Tokara Tokara Multi-Varietal
- Willow Creek Olive Estate Estate Blend EVOO
- Zoetigheyd Farms Zoetigheyd Farm Fresh
Bronze Intense:
- Lions Creek Olive Estate Lions Creek Favolosa Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Oakhurst Olives Oakhurst Intense
- Willow Creek Olive Estate Frantoio Single Cultivar EVOO
Multiple Gold Medals:
- De Rustica (3)
- Mardouw (4)
- Porterville (3)
Vittoria Jooste, CEO of the SA Olive Industry says, “We congratulate all the winners and thank all the participants, judges, organisers and sponsors – Alfa Laval, Amenduni, MORI-TEM and Pieralisi – for making this yet another successful awards ceremony, when we can salute and celebrate the quality and excellence of our locally produced EVOOs.”
As Olympian sprinter, SA Olive Ambassador and MC Geraldine Pillay-Viret said, “Winning a medal regardless of its colour, or where in your career you are, and no matter how old you are … that very recognition is wonderful in itself but also it is a tangible reward for all the dedication and all the sacrifices that were needed to get you to that moment of complete joy and pride. And the additional joy is that you can share and celebrate the success with others. You simply can’t put a price on that.”
The 17th annual SA Olive Awards took place at an exclusive luncheon at the picturesque Laborie Wine Estate in Paarl on Thursday, 8th of September 2022. Judged by an expert panel of international and local judges, the main objective of the SA Olive Awards is to give official recognition to the country’s EVOO producers’ outstanding commitment and continual pursuit of excellence, in spite of the challenges faced during the year.
The highest-scoring gold medal winners from the SA Olive Awards are entered into a further round of judging and the top EVOOs selected for the prestigious Absa Top 10 Olive Oil Awards, which will take place on the 7th of October 2022 at a venue to be announced.
