South Africa’s De Rustica Olive Estate has once again made its mark on the world stage, clinching second place in the prestigious EVOOLEUM 2025 international olive oil competition – one of the highest accolades in the industry.
Competing against nearly 1 000 entries from 26 countries, the Estate Collection Coratina from De Rustica earned an impressive 96 points, placing it among the Top 10 olive oils globally. Remarkably, it was the only entry outside of Spain and Italy to break into the elite rankings.
Picture: www.evoosa.co.za
This follows De Rustica’s standout success in 2023, where it was awarded the coveted title of EVOOLEUM Absolute Best. While the estate did not enter in 2024, its return to the top ranks in 2025 highlights a level of consistency few producers have achieved. In fact, only four olive oil estates worldwide have secured multiple Top 10 rankings over the last three years—De Rustica, two Spanish estates, and one Italian.
Speaking to the milestone, Rob Still of De Rustica said:
‘This award is especially gratifying in the context of demonstrating consistency at the highest level, and it is a tribute to the dedication of our entire team. We also believe that our sustainable regenerative farming methods are creating the healthy soils that underpin our consistent top quality.’
Rob Still. Picture: www.derustica.co.za
For over a decade, the estate – located near the Klein Karoo town of De Rust – has been recognised for producing premium extra virgin olive oil. De Rustica has racked up 29 gold medals at the SA Olive Awards, including a perfect 10-for-10 gold run over the last two years. But its repeated global acclaim places it firmly in the ranks of the world’s most respected producers.
Wendy Petersen, CEO of SA Olive, says the achievement underscores the quality South African producers bring to the global market.
‘What this award signals is that South African EVOO producers are again being recognised internationally for their quality and, critically, their consistency of quality. De Rustica is indeed a standard bearer,’ she told SmileFM.
While South Africa may be small in volume compared to Mediterranean giants, it continues to punch above its weight in quality. And with producers like De Rustica leading the charge, the Klein Karoo’s golden oils are shining brighter than ever.
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Picture: www.derustica.co.za