South African and International awards are given annually after the harvest and producers display these awards on their label - one way of ensuring that you are buying excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

However, not all producers send their oils in for judging locally and even fewer compete internationally as this can be an expensive exercise. Use these awards as a guide but be your own judge.

SOUTH AFRICAN EVOO AWARDS

• South African Olive Association Awards (SAO)

• ABSA Top 10 EVOOs

INTERNATIONAL EVOO AWARDS

• Athena International Olive Oil Competition (A IOOC)

• Aurora International Taste Challenge (AITC)

• Amsterdam International Olive Oil Competition (Ams IOOC)

• Brazil International Olive Oil Competition (B IOOC)

• Canada International Olive Oil Competition (C IOOC)

• Carthage International Olive Oil Competition (Car IOOC)

• China International Olive Oil Competition (Ch IOOC)

• Dubai International Olive Oil Competition (D IOOC)

• EVO (Italy) International Olive Oil Competition (EVO IOOC)

• Evooleum World’s Top 100 (EVOL)

• Japan Olive Oil Prize (JOOP)

• Leone d’Oro (Italy) International Olive Oil Competition (L d’O)

• London International Olive Oil Competition (L IOOC)

• Masters of Olive Oil (Italy), Best of Africa (MOO)

• Mario Solinas (Argentina) Quality Award (MS)

• New York International Olive Oil Competition (NY IOOC)

• Olivinus (Argentina) International Olive Oil Competition (O IOOC)

• Olijfolie Instituut (Netherlands) (OI)

• Olive Japan International Competition (OJIC)

• Olio Nuovo International Olive Oil Competition, Southern Hemisphere (ON IOOC)

• Olive Oil Times Ranking (OOT)

• South African Food & Beverage Awards (SAF&B)

• Terra Olivo (Israel) International Olive Oil Competition (TO)