The awards follow the guidelines of the International Olive Council, with all entries being blind-tasted by a panel of local and international experts. Each oil is evaluated in blue tasting glasses at exactly 28°C to eliminate any visual or temperature bias.
Medals are awarded according to points: gold for 86 to 100 points, silver for 76 to 85, and bronze for 65 to 75. No medals are given for scores below 65.
This year the winners are:
Gold (top three):
- De Rustica Estate: five medals – Coratina, Delicate, Favolosa, Intense, Medium
- Babylonstoren: four medals – Babylonstoren Blend, Coratina, Frantoio (Vlakte), Versnit
- Willow Creek Olive Products: four medals – Directors’ Reserve, Estate Blend, Frantoio Single Cultivar, Nuy Valley
Silver (top three):
- Mardouw Investments: three medals – Delicate, Mission, Picual
- Oudewerfskloof Olive Farm: three medals – Mission, FS17, Coratina
- De Rustica Estate: two medals – Frantoio, Mission
Bronze (top 3):
- Willow Creek Olive Products– three medals – Picual Single Cultivar, Coratina Single Cultivar, Leccino Single Cultivar
- De Rustica Estate: two medals – Leccino, Koroneiki
- Tokara: two medals – Leccino EVOO, Delicate EVOO
The SA Olive Association (SA Olive) launched the awards in 2006 as a platform to acknowledge and reward excellence in locally produced EVOO.
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, SA Olive CEO Wendy Petersen said the awards had since grown into the most prestigious event on the local olive industry calendar.
“The awards inspire innovation, as producers refine techniques and explore new cultivars, while also driving market growth by boosting demand and retailer support for local brands. On a global level, they strengthen South Africa’s export potential and reputation as a producer of premium olive oils.
“Just as importantly, the awards bring together growers, producers, and partners, fostering collaboration and ensuring the industry’s long-term sustainability,” she explained.
Petersen added that although South Africa was a relatively small producer compared with Mediterranean giants such as Spain, Italy, and Greece, it “has gained international recognition for exceptional quality. In fact, South African EVOOs consistently win top medals at global competitions like the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition. This positions [South Africa] among the top-quality producers globally, even though volumes are far smaller”.
She said there was much more to olives than olive oil and a salad ingredient, as the industry was diversifying into byproducts such as olive-based cosmetics, tapenades, and infused oils.
“Olive farming is closely tied to South Africa’s food and wine culture, often integrated with wine estates and hospitality experiences. Olive farming also creates rural employment opportunities, from orchard work to laboratory testing and culinary innovation.
“SA Olive is committed to supporting a healthy future for its members, healthy growth and development for the industry and a healthy lifestyle for all South Africans,” Petersen concluded.
