A local producer has just won the biggest olive oil prize in the Southern Hemisphere…for the first time in history!
Klein Karoo, South Africa (05 October 2026) – De Rustica has just made South African olive oil history!
The estate has been on a golden streak! It just became the first South African producer ever to take the top prize at the International Olive Council (IOC) Mario Solinas Quality Awards in the Southern Hemisphere. The awards are run by the IOC itself – this is about as serious as olive oil recognition gets!
The winning oil is De Rustica’s Coratina. It came second in the 2025 competition, and this year it climbed all the way to first.
South Africa is one of the smallest olive oil producers in the southern hemisphere, and it went up against Argentina, Chile, Australia, Brazil and Uruguay, all with much larger industries.
We’re the little guys, and we won anyway.
“I think sometimes, coming from a smaller industry, we can be a little too modest about where we believe we belong,” says Eleanor Stoker, CEO of De Rustica. “Results like this challenge that thinking. South African producers have the climate, the skill and, importantly, the ambition to make truly exceptional olive oil. For me, this is less about celebrating one result and more about what it says is possible – for De Rustica and for our industry.”
International wins like this are shaping how the world sees South African extra virgin olive oil.
“The international awards being won by South African olive oil producers are making a significant contribution to the reputation and recognition of South African Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) on the global stage,” says. Wendy Petersen, CEO of the SA Olive Industry Association.
“Every international award is not only an achievement for an individual producer – it is recognition of the quality, commitment and growing excellence of the entire South African olive industry,” she adds.
K9 Hero Huckleberry Helps His Human Step Out and Say Yes to Life!
The Angel Network Wants to Fill Hundreds of School Bags Before ChristmasJust this month, the South African olive industry formally asked to become a member of the International Olive Council. Winning at this level makes a good case!
De Rustica, based in De Rust in the Klein Karoo, has been collecting wins for years.
In 2023, their Coratina was ranked the world’s highest-rated EVOO by EVOOLEUM. In 2025 it scored 97 points and placed second. This year it topped the EVOOLEUM Southern Hemisphere chart. Their Favolosa also took the top award for new clonal cultivars at the 2026 NOVA Awards at Mercacei.
Here in South Africa, they picked up five gold awards at the 2026 SA Olive Awards, for Coratina, Medium, Favolosa, Chemlali and Koroneiki.
“Different cultivars, different competitions, different judging panels and different harvests seem to serve rather than hinder De Rustica’s winning abilities – because it’s all about the place, the environment, the people and our shared belief in creating an outstanding quality product. Awards are simply one of the ways that our efforts are measured beyond the farm.”
Bring out the good break – Karoo olive oil is on the map!
by 
