Rafaela Costa from Genoa, Italy, in 1896 arrived in Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa, to start a new business. He started a greenhouse in Newlands.
After the Anglo-Boer war was over, Rafaela expanded his business and brought his two brothers Ferdinando and Carlo to Cape Town.
Ferdinando was an agriculturist who had completed his studies in the St. Illario Agricultural College in Genoa, Italy.
Ferdinando brought scions of different cultivars from Italy and experimented until he determined which varieties were suitable for the South African weather conditions.
The similar climates between Italy and South Africa favoured the olive growing.
In the early 1920s , Ferdinando started seeing results for his efforts and picking a few olives from his olive trees.
His favoured cultivar was the “Frantoio” which is one of the most important cultivars in the world to date.
In 1936 Ferdinando brought from Italy the first hydrolic press.
After the disasterous fire in 1949 that destroyed the farm, Rafaela’s son Laurie left his construction business and went to help his relatives.
The business continued to grow and it is very successful today.
South Africa offers an abundance of healthy, delicious and great quality olive products. The African extra virgin olive oil is 100% natural, high in antioxidants and rich flavour.
The high content in vitamin E, poly-phenols and sterols, have the ability to detoxify the free radicals, which are very harmful for our bodies, and protect against cardiovascular diseases, different kinds of cancer, diabetes, blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, premature aging, etc.
The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids also are essential for heart health. Extra virgin olive oil prevents calcium loss and osteoporosis, also the development of gall stones.
The olive oil provides squalene and squalane which rejuvenate the skin.