We are proud partners with Stir Crazy Culinary Academy. Having met Brett Nussey through REACHING for YOUNG STARS, Brett is associated with the leadership and management of Stir Crazy Cooking and the Stir Crazy Culinary Academy at the V&A Waterfront. WE have worked alongside for a few years now…a fabulous partnership. One which we treasure!!
This is an article I wrote for Die Burger: You can work with this after sharing Brett’s story…
The Quiet Pursuit of Excellence
For olive producers across the globe, there are no guarantees. A season can bring drought, floods, fierce winds or scorching heat. Yet each year they begin again, knowing that nature will always have the final say, and that every harvest begins with hope.
At RIO LARGO, we have learnt that exceptional extra virgin olive oil is not created in the bottle. It is created by decisions made long before harvest: caring for healthy soils with minimal intervention, nurturing every tree, harvesting at precisely the right moment and cold extracting hand-picked olives within hours to preserve their freshness, flavour and natural goodness.
For us, excellence has never been something to claim. It is something to pursue; quietly, patiently and with every harvest.
Over the years, we have come to realize that the greatest compliment is not an award on the shelf, but the confidence of consumers who return because they trust what is inside every bottle.
That trust is built on integrity. Integrity in the grove. Integrity in the mill. Integrity in the packaging. Integrity in every decision we make alongside our dedicated team.
As consumers, we have more influence than we sometimes realize. Every purchase is a vote for the kind of food system we want to support. When we choose products that are fresh, traceable and produced with integrity, we encourage producers who are committed to quality rather than shortcuts.
Extra virgin olive oil is one of the world’s most remarkable foods. It is simply fresh fruit juice from the olive, rich in flavour, naturally high in antioxidants and capable of reflecting the character of the land from which it comes. Knowing where your olive oil was grown, when it was harvested and how it was produced tells you far more than any slogan ever could.
Our hope is that every bottle of South African extra virgin olive oil encourages curiosity. Ask questions. Read the label. Discover the story behind the bottle.
Because when consumers understand what they are buying, everyone benefits — producers, retailers, chefs and, most importantly, the quality of food on our tables.
At RIO LARGO, we believe informed consumers are our industry’s greatest asset.
How to Choose an Olive Oil of Integrity:
✓ Look for the RIO LARGO Fox on the label.
But if you can’t find RIO LARGO:
✓ Look for the SA Olive Commitment to Compliance seal.
✓ Check where the olives were grown.
✓ Look for a harvest date, not just a best-before date.
✓ Choose oils that are cold extracted.
✓ Buy from producers who can trace every bottle back to the grove.
Brenda Wilkinson is co-owner of RIO LARGO Olive Estate in the Scherpenheuwel Valley near Worcester, where Italian cultivars are grown, harvested, cold extracted and bottled on the estate. She is passionate about consumer education and believes informed consumers are the foundation of a thriving South African olive oil industry.
I REALLY REALLY want to send the message out about trust in food and ethical products!
Perhaps the greatest gift we can give our families is to return to food that is fresh, authentic and produced with care.
Every meal is an opportunity to support producers who place integrity before convenience.
The choices we make at the table shape the future of the food we grow.
Trust is the rarest ingredient in our food system. Once earned, it nourishes far more than a meal.
