09 Jul 2026 Ecovado: winner of Food Lover’s Market Seeds of Change Awards 2026
Kudos to this rural Limpopo avocado oil business winning this major award and a promising break into big retail….
Ecovado, a rural avocado oil company from Dovheni village in Limpopo, has been named the winner of Food Lover’s Market’s Seeds of Change 2026 enterprise development initiative.
Co-founded by husband and wife team, Hulisani Mabugana and Hulisani Mudau, Ecovado was created to solve a very real challenge facing many avocado-growing communities.
Great solution to a big problem
In rural Limpopo, avocado trees are found in almost every household, making it difficult for small-scale farmers to sell fruit locally. Lower-grade avocados, which may not meet fresh market standards, are often left without a sustainable route to market.
Ecovado saw the opportunity to create value at source by transforming South African avocados into high-quality avocado oil and other innovative products.
By processing avocados close to where they are grown, the business is helping to reduce waste, support local farmers and create employment opportunities for men and women in the village.
“Ecovado is more than a food business. It is a vehicle for rural economic development and empowerment,” says Hulisani Mabugana.
“Every bottle represents the hard work of local farmers, workers and communities who believe in creating value from South African agriculture. Our vision is to transform avocados into opportunity, prosperity and lasting positive change.”
The Seeds of Change programme
It was created by Food Lover’s Market to support emerging South African food entrepreneurs with the potential to become more sustainable, scalable and retail-ready.
The 2026 cohort took part in an intensive bootcamp in Cape Town, where the entrepreneurs received guidance on business development, product refinement, retail readiness, pitching and growth.
For Hulisani, being selected as the 2026 winner is both a personal milestone and a signal of what is possible for rural entrepreneurs.
“As an entrepreneur from a rural community, there are many obstacles to building a manufacturing business. This recognition confirms that our vision has value and potential. It brings hope to our village community that their jobs are safe and that more employment can be created through this opportunity,” says Mabugana.
Through Seeds of Change, Ecovado will receive further support to help strengthen its business for the next stage of growth. This includes mentorship, retail insight and guidance to help improve packaging, branding, quality systems and customer offering.
Evocado will soon be available in FLM stores
Andrew Millson, Food Lover’s Market’s executive for People and Sustainability, says Ecovado represents exactly the kind of business Seeds of Change was built to support.
“Seeds of Change is about backing entrepreneurs who are building businesses with purpose and practical impact,” says Millson.
“Ecovado is a powerful example of how local food innovation can reduce waste, create opportunity for farmers, support rural manufacturing and bring proudly South African products closer to consumers. This is the kind of enterprise development that has the potential to change lives beyond the shelf.”
Gontse Selaocoe from All Day Jam, and Minnie Brink from Miracle Meel were also announced in the Top Three at the end of the Fertile Ground Pitch Day.
Source: FLM, see more on Ecovado here
The Ecovado processing plant
The launch of a new avocado oil processing plant for Ecovado was announced in March 2026.
The new facility was developed in partnership with global heat exchanger manufacturer Alfa Laval Middle East, South and East Africa (MESEA).
To bring Ecovado’s vision to life, Alfa Laval facilitated funding through Swedish export credit agency EKN, enabling Ecovado to build and equip an Avocado oil processing plant with a 100% Alfa Laval processing line.
This technology allows Ecovado to produce highquality avocado oil, the majority of which is destined for export markets.
Additionally, Alfa Laval donated funds to purchase avocado seedlings for smallscale farmers in the surrounding communities.
This initiative aims to expand local avocado production, ensure longterm supply for the plant and create new income streams for households.
“This project represents exactly what sustainable industrial development should look like: worldclass technology enabling local entrepreneurship, job creation and longterm community development,” said Alfa Laval South and East Africa GM Bongani Twala.
He explained that Alfa Laval is proud to support Ecovado, adding that “this project captures Alfa Laval’s purpose of ‘Pioneering Positive Impact’.”