Our Story
The Olifants River Valley runs through the West Coast of South Africa and is internationally known for its wine producers and produces 16% of the total South African wine crop. It’s here where the Avenant family has been producing wine grapes for 3 generations. In 2012 we decided to diversify our business. Months of research and planning led us to something that is completely new to this region and we began the adventure of the Olive industry.
With no history of olive production in this region we had to plant various varieties to see which suits our semi desert climate the best. The first orchard was 900 trees and consisted mostly out of Mission, Frantoio, Coratina, Calamata, Coroneiki, Barnea and Arbequina. It did not take long to see which varieties adapted the best and we began planting new orchards.
Our Name and logo
The North Western part of the Western Cape in South Afirca is also known as the Namakwaland or Namaqua. The Namaqua dove (Oena capensis) is part of our heritage in the Namaqua, even though it’s found in most Sub Saharan countries and even Israel and Madagascar.
Family affair
Being a very small olive oil producer and a newcomer to an industry that has been around for thousands of years, it was important for us to keep the business in the family. The farming sector is being managed by Bennie Avenant (current owners` son), with his wife, Charmaine, managing the oil extraction and the production and commercial side of the business. With Bennie being a qualified winemaker/viticulturist and Charmaine a qualified dietician; farming, producing and blending olive oil came naturally. Family is everything and they are getting the young ones involved as soon as possible.
Our Olives
All olives is pressed the same day as they where harvest, from tree to press the same day. We only produce extra virgin olive oil with the help of modern technology. Picking the olives at optimum ripeness and attention to detail during the whole process is probably our biggest asset.
We found that our oils are best when blended. From our first blend in 2016 we stuck to the same combination, winning a silver medal at the SA Olive competition in 2016 proved that our combinations are correct and that we can compete internationally.
The blend is currently:
Frantoio/Kororneiki/Coratina/lecchino/Barnea/Arbequina and a drop of mission.
ACCOLADES
Each day we are gaining experience in production of olives and olive oil in these unique semi-desert conditions. We are expanding our orchards each year and trying new varieties and farming practices. In 2017 we introduced our own “Farmhouse soap” and moisturisers that is made out of olive oil. In the near future we will be launching our own “table olives” and balsamic vinegar, and maybe single variety oil.
