EP9 - What It Takes to Produce World Class Olive Oil - with Brenda Wilkinson
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In this episode of South African Food Stories, Nicci Robertson chats to Brenda Wilkinson, co-founder of Rio Largo Olive Estate, to unpack the unexpected journey that lead to building one of South Africa’s most recognised olive oil brands.
With no background in farming, food production, or retail, the Wilkinson family learned everything from scratch, from growing olives to navigating international competitions and convincing a skeptical market to take a local premium product seriously.
Brenda lifts the lid on the global olive oil industry, exposing misleading labelling, and why many consumers are unknowingly buying inferior products. She explains why fresh, properly produced extra virgin olive oil behaves more like a fresh juice than a long life pantry staple, and why authenticity matters not just for flavour, but for your health.
With no background in farming, food production, or retail, the Wilkinson family learned everything from scratch, from growing olives to navigating international competitions and convincing a skeptical market to take a local premium product seriously.
Brenda lifts the lid on the global olive oil industry, exposing misleading labelling, and why many consumers are unknowingly buying inferior products. She explains why fresh, properly produced extra virgin olive oil behaves more like a fresh juice than a long life pantry staple, and why authenticity matters not just for flavour, but for your health.
