South Africa’s food artisans and small-batch producers have a golden opportunity to step into the spotlight this year with the launch of the SA Preserve Championships—a first-of-its-kind national competition celebrating excellence in fruit and vegetable preserve products.
Organised by Agri-Expo, a respected name behind the renowned SA Dairy Championships, this exciting new platform is designed to honour the creativity, innovation, and skill behind locally made jams, marmalades, chutneys, pickles, pestos, and nearly 200 other preserve product classes.
Led by acclaimed culinary training expert Susina Jooste as the chief judge, entries will undergo a blind tasting process, ensuring fair evaluation, followed by an independent audit to ensure credibility.
“This is an excellent opportunity for South African preserve makers to gain national recognition, connect with industry experts, and celebrate the art of preserving,” says Breyton Milford, General Manager of Agri-Expo.
Milford emphasises that this competition not only acknowledges outstanding products but also inspires continuous innovation and quality improvements within the agri-processing industry.
Who can enter?
The competition is open to all producers and small businesses across the country. To qualify, products must be commercially available at retailers, farm stalls, or local markets at the time of entry.
Key dates to remember:
- Entries open: 5 May
- Regular entry deadline: 25 June
- Late entry deadline: 1 July
- Product delivery dates: 21–22 July
- Judging date: 23 July
- Awards ceremony: 6 August
Entry fees:
- R150 (excluding VAT) per product
- Late entry: R250 (excluding VAT)
Entries can be submitted online via www.sapreservechamps.co.za. For additional details, contact [email protected].
Agri-Expo encourages all entrants and supporters to follow the journey on social media via @AgriExpo1 on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and to join the conversation using #AgriExpo and #SAPreserveChamps.
This is more than a competition; it’s a celebration of South Africa’s rich heritage in homegrown, flavour-packed excellence.
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