Willow Creek Olive Estate is indeed well-oiled when it comes to winning awards. Their most recent victories in a year of prize winning highlights are a gold medal from the prestigious SA Gold Pack Awards as well as two Fairlady Consumer Awards.
Their pioneering Gourmet Squeeze olive oil bottle, containing their acclaimed Estate Blend, wooed the judges of the SA Gold Pack Awards with its innovative design. The fully recyclable PET bottle sports a unique 1.5mm nozzle which allows the user to direct and control the flow of olive oil as desired with a gentle squeeze of the bottle. Special properties including an oxygen barrier and UV filter ensure lasting freshness for at least two years. The squeezable and unbreakable bottle reflects the current look of Willow Creek glass bottles, ensuring customer recognition.
The Gold Pack Awards judges commended Willow Creek for the way this bottle “maintains the brand’s classy top-quality olive oil look” and remarked on its stunning shelf appeal. They also commented that the user-friendly nozzle marks a step-change in olive oil packaging. The judging process centred on packaging attributes such as fitness for purpose, protection of contents; pack construction, suitability of materials, handling efficiencies and new materials. Major players in the food industry, such as Coke, Castle, Woolworths and Spur, vied for the same spot of glamour bestowed by this highly regarded packaging competition.
Willow Creek Gourmet Squeeze Estate Blend was also rated Best Kitchen Cupboard Must-have as well as Best South African Product in the recent 2011 Fairlady Consumer Awards – clinching yet another vote of confidence for Willow Creek’s range of products. Products are tested by experts from the widely respected Fairlady Test House to offer consumers unbiased recommendations regarding sound purchasing choices.
“We are ecstatic about the fact that not only our olive oils find favour with local and international olive oil judges and consumers, but that our commitment to modern efficiency and ground-breaking packaging designs are also paying off,” says Andries Rabie, managing director of Willow Creek. “The convenience of the Gourmet Squeeze bottle is undoubtedly changing the cooking experience of chefs, foodies and kitchen novices alike.”
Other highlights
Other recent causes for celebration include a gold medal for their Directors’ Reserve extra virgin olive oil at the SA Olive Awards and a Distinction at the Italian L’Orciolo d’Oro competition for the Estate Blend, confirming that this superb olive oil is adored by all who loves food. In addition, Andries Rabie was heralded as the Olive Achiever of the Year for his contribution to the promotion of this industry in South Africa.
The Willow Creek Directors’ Reserve extra virgin olive oil won the favour of the judges of the SA Olive competition with its complex aromas of artichokes and tomato vines which are followed by a lingering nuttiness. This premium quality olive oil is blended from mainly Coratina and Frontoio cultivars and has a robust intensity which will appeal to any olive oil connoisseur.
The Estate Blend extra virgin olive oil with its medium fruity character and Frantoio as the dominant cultivar in the blend, won an award of Distinction in the highly reputable L’Orciolo d’Oro competition which annually takes place in Italy. The olive oil carries an aroma of freshly cut green grass and almonds with a hint of apple which follows through on the palate. The piquancy is balanced and fades to leave a pleasant aftertaste.
Willow Creek’s range of premium products is available at major retailers countrywide. For more information contact Willow Creek at tel. 023 342 5793 or info@willowcreek.co.za or visit www.willowcreek.co.za.
Source: www.supermarket.co.za
