Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
South African extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) producers are once again proving that quality, not scale, defines excellence. In 2025, local olive farms secured top honours at major international competitions, outperforming global heavyweights – even though South Africa accounted for just 0,99% of the global olive oil market in 2024/2025.
Industry experts say South Africa’s international success highlights the high standards of its EVOO production. The Commitment to Compliance (CTC) Seal from SA Olive ensures every bottle meets strict criteria for authenticity, purity, freshness, flavour, and sensory excellence – offering both global competitiveness and consumer confidence.
The country’s achievements are especially noteworthy in an industry dominated by Mediterranean giants such as Spain, Italy, and Greece, which together produce around 95% of the world’s olive oil. By comparison, Spain produced over 1,8 billion litres of olive oil in 2020, while South Africa currently produces approximately 1,6 million litres annually, 90% of which is consumed domestically.
Local producers score big on international stage
SA Olive reports that South African producers claimed several prestigious international awards in 2025. Despite global competitions often favouring larger countries with hundreds of entries, South African producers continue to earn top accolades, reinforcing the country’s reputation for premium quality olive oils and generating national pride.
| Babylonstoren Olio Nuovo Days Southern Edition (Paris) – Best Blend of Show (Blend 2025). Olio Nuovo Days Southern Edition (Paris) – Premium Gold Medal (Coratina 2025). Olio Nuovo Days Southern Edition (Paris) – Gold Medal (Frantoio 2025). |
| De Rustica Estate NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition – Gold (Coratina).Aurora International Taste Challenge – Double Gold (Coratina); Gold (Medium).Evooleum Top 100 Awards – 97/100, Second Best in the World (Coratina).Dubai Olive Oil Competition – Gold (Coratina); Gold (Medium).Carthage 100C International Olive Oil Competition – Double Gold (Coratina).Mario Solinas Quality Award – Second Best in the World (Coratina).Flos Olei 2025 – 93/100 (Coratina). |
| Lions Creek Estate Picual Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gold: New York International Olive Oil Competition. Double Gold: Aurora International Taste Challenge. Karoo Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil Silver: Aurora International Taste Challenge. Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil Silver: SA Olive Awards Gold: Aurora International Taste Challenge. |
| Mardouw Olive Estate EVO IOOC (Italy) – Best International Award, Southern Hemisphere: XXV Intense recognised as Best International Southern Hemisphere entry; XXV Medium and XXV Limited Edition also awarded Gold. Olivinus International Competition of EVOO (Argentina) – Best of South Africa; Three Grand Prestige Gold, One Prestige Gold, One Gold; Best Monovarietal, EVOO Series Design: XXV Delicate, XXV Medium, XXV Medium Limited, XXV Intense. Japan Olive Oil Prize – Four Gold Medals: XXV Delicate, XXV Medium, XXV Medium Limited Edition, XXV Intense. London IOOC – Platinum & Two Golds: XXV Medium Platinum; XXV Intense and XXV Medium Limited Golds. Carthage IOOC (Tunisia) – Three Double Gold Medals: XXV Medium, XXV Medium Limited Edition, XXV Intense. Berlin / Global Olive Oil Awards (GOOA) – Double Gold & Elite Awards: XXV Medium and XXV Intense. Olio Nuovo Days Southern Hemisphere (France) – Two Premium Golds and One Gold: XXV Medium, XXV Medium Limited Edition, XXV Intense. Athena IOOC (Greece) – Double Gold: XXV Medium. New York IOOC Southern Hemisphere – Gold: XXV Medium. |
| Morgenster Olive Estate Flos Olei Guide 2026 – 99/100 (Blue Label EVOO). |
| Rio Largo Olive Estate Amsterdam International Olive Oil Competition (AIOOC) – Platinum Medal & Best in Class. Flos Olei (Italy) – 98/100. Olive Japan International EVOO Competition – Gold Medal ×2. Olio Nuovo Days – Paris – Premium Gold Medal; Premium Gold Distinction; Top 10 Ranking. NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition – Gold Award; Listed among the Best Olive Oils of 2025. |
Riverbend Farm Aurora International Taste Challenge – Gold. |
| Tokara Aurora International – Double Gold. Flos Olei – 98 Points. NYIOOC – Gold. |
| Willow Creek Estate Estate Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil EVOO International Olive Oil Contest Italy – Gold. London IOOC 2025 – Gold. 20th China International Olive Oil Competition – Gold. Canada International Olive Oil Competition – Gold. Masters of Olive Oil International Contest (Best from Africa Award) – 2nd Prize. Masters of Olive Oil International Contest (Quality Standard Award) – Gold. TerraOlivo Mediterranean International Olive Oil Competition – Grand Prestige Gold. Dubai Olive Oil Competition (Declared Ultra-Premium EVOO) – Gold. OLIVINUS 2025 – Prestigio Oro (83 points). Director’s Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil London IOOC 2025 – Gold. 20th China International Olive Oil Competition – Gold. Masters of Olive Oil International Contest (Best from Africa Award) – 1st Prize. Masters of Olive Oil International Contest (Quality Standard Award) – Gold. TerraOlivo Mediterranean International Olive Oil Competition – Grand Prestige Gold. Dubai Olive Oil Competition (Declared Ultra-Premium EVOO) – Gold. OLIVINUS 2025 – Gran Prestigio Oro (93 points). Flavoured EVOOs Basil Flavoured EVOO London IOOC 2025 – Platinum. Lemon Flavoured EVOO London IOOC 2025 – Platinum. Jalapeno Flavoured EVOO London IOOC 2025 – Gold. Garlic Flavoured EVOO London IOOC 2025 – Silver. |
This is what some of these winning South African producers have to say:
Willow Creek:
According to Eleanor Stoker of Willow Creek, “These local and international awards are more than just accolades; they are a profound validation of our belief that excellence is in our nature. They help celebrate the passion of our team and farm, and the success of our Guild of Groves initiative, which demonstrates that collaboration enriches the quality of South African EVOO. We accept these honours with deep gratitude. They fuel our ambition to continue growing and sharing the goodness of our brand with the world.”
Tokara:
Karl Lambour, Tokara general manager, said,”Receiving these awards for our 2025 Tokara olive oil is a wonderful affirmation of our collective dedication to quality and our passion for the craft of olive oil making. This recognition charges our commitment to continue pursuing excellence from our groves to the table.”
Mardouw:
The CEO of Mardouw, Gerbrand Nijman, said: “To win a prize is great, to win so many prizes is fantastic. But to do this year after year tells something about the consistency and long-term commitment of this farm”. He added, “This is the first time for a South African Olive Oil to be recognised as one of the very best in the world.”
Rio Largo:
According to Rio Largo Master Miller, Nick Wilkinson, “Rio Largo enters specific reputable International Olive Oil competitions each year in countries and regions where we sell our oils. They are a good barometer for how we compare with other suppliers servicing the same markets. The results are a motivation in themselves to continually strive for perfection in the creation of perfect extra virgin olive oil. Our awards give credibility to our product and assurance to consumers that they are buying ‘the real deal’ with a quality point comparison to our competitors. Lastly, there is a feel-good factor for the whole Rio Largo team that we can compete with the best of the best internationally.”
Morgenster
Morgenster owner, Federica Bertrand, said, “Each award that Morgenster wins affirms the passion, craftsmanship, and commitment that go into every drop of our extra virgin olive oil, honouring both our Italian heritage and our Helderberg home. We are privileged to be acknowledged on the international stage alongside some of the world’s leading extra virgin olive oil producers, a recognition that inspires us to continue striving to produce EVOOs of uncompromising quality.”
And, of course, Wendy Petersen, CEO of SA Olive, shared her pride in the industry’s accomplishments, “These accolades from the world’s leading olive oil competitions reinforce the exceptional quality of locally produced EVOO and showcase South Africa’s growing influence on the global olive oil landscape. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to every producer whose dedication has earned international acclaim this year.” – SA Olive press release reworked by Plaas Media
For more information, readers can visit www.saolive.co.za
