All industries innovate and adapt to survive. In common with all agriculture, the international Olive industry is constantly evolving, testing and adapting new improved cultivars and clones to improve oil quality and adapt to changing agricultural methods and climate.

In addition to adopting regenerative and sustainable agricultural techniques, De Rustica has embraced, evaluated and adopted some of the new cultivars and clones that have evolved internationally.

To support and encourage this ongoing revolution, the global international industry has established a new benchmark competition to evaluate these new varieties - the NOVA Awards.

Organised by leading industry participants such as the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and widely supported by Olive Oil participants, the inaugural NOVA Awards have just been announced.

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The jury, which met in Córdoba, Spain, awarded first prize to the Single Origin Favolosa EVOO, produced by the South African company De Rustica Olive Estate from the Favolosa cultivar.

According to the jury report, the winning oil is characterised by "an intense fruitiness with aromatic notes reminiscent of green olive, green banana, green almond, basil, chamomile, green wheat and pine needles."

On the palate, it offers "a smooth, sweet entry, with medium, well-balanced bitterness and pungency; a herbal aftertaste with hints of green almond and endive; and an overall complex and highly persistent profile."

Rob Still of De Rustica says, "De Rustica is delighted to accept the overall FIRST PRIZE from the 2026 NOVA AWARDS for our Favalosa...