Noluthando Ngeno20 October 2024 | 6:48

Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil awarded top honours in international quality test competition

South Africa’s first black-owned olive oil manufacturer scooped silver at the New York International Olive Oil Competition earlier in October.

Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil awarded top honours in international quality test competition

Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil's owner, Loyiso Manga. Picture: Facebook/UbuntuExtraVirginOliveOil

JOHANNESBURG - The world's most prestigious olive oil quality test competition has awarded Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil top honours in New York City.

South Africa’s first black-owned olive oil manufacturer scooped silver at the New York International Olive Oil Competition earlier in October.

Owner Loyiso Manga said he’s humbled by the recognition.

“I spent about three hours putting the silver award sticker on about 600 bottles that were ordered. So yes, it was quite tiring, but it's quite exciting also to know that a South African brand has been considered as the best in the world."

Manga said the journey to this point had not been easy.

“The major challenges, number one, are financial because olive oil is a high-value product which is quite expensive. From a capital point of view, it is quite capital-intensive and working capital. I think those were the biggest challenges.”