Six products earn matching honours at the 2026 Aurora International Taste Challenge and the South African Food & Beverage Awards

Eskort, South Africa’s leading antibiotic-free pork producer, has done something remarkable at two of the food industry’s most respected taste competitions: entered six products and had every single one recognised at both events.

The results; 12 awards across the 2026 Aurora International Taste Challenge and the South African Food and Beverage Awards; are testament to Eskort’s approach to food innovation: bold flavours, exciting formats and great-tasting products designed around the way South Africans eat today.

Five products earned Double Gold at both competitions. The sixth earned Gold at both. Not one product came away empty-handed.

The bold flavours behind the wins

The winning line-up tells its own story:

Creamy Pepper Loin Chops, rich, tender steaks coated in a velvety pepper sauce  earned Double Gold at both competitions, as did Jalapeño Twisters, Eskort’s fiery twist on a classic: jalapeño poppers wrapped in the brand’s famous streaky bacon. 

The Pork Prego Steak, a punchy, flame-grilled favourite with deep Portuguese-inspired flavour, matched that achievement. So did Premium Sliced Gammon and Premium Sliced Pork Pastrami, both crafted to the exacting standards that define Eskort’s premium deli range.

Completing the six, the Pepperoni Griller, perfectly spiced, satisfyingly smoky and made for the braai,earned Gold at both competitions.

What the awards mean

Eskort CEO Arnold Prinsloo says these products show how Eskort is broadening the role of pork in South African kitchens: from quick weekday meals and lunchboxes to relaxed weekend braais and special-occasion entertaining.

“To have six products recognised twice by expert panels evaluating both local and international excellence is a powerful endorsement of the standards our teams work to every day,” says Prinsloo.

“These awards belong to everyone across our business who turns consumer insight into products that deliver on flavour, quality and convenience. Most importantly, they give shoppers even more reason to choose Eskort with confidence.”

The consistency of the results is particularly significant. Matching recognition across all six entered products at two independent competitions speaks to the strength and discipline of Eskort’s product development pipeline.

“A once-off accolade is worth celebrating, but matching results across all six products tell a bigger story about the rigour and creativity behind our innovation. This recognition shows exactly why Eskort is easy to love,” says Prinsloo.

A South African success story

These awards sit within a broader narrative of heritage, trust and continuous reinvention over the 109 years since Eskort was founded in the small town of Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal.

With farms that meet rigorous biosecurity standards and factories that combine deep expertise with modern food technology and world-class food safety, Eskort’s range of more than 300 products includes fresh pork, braai cuts, a full convenience selection, staples (bacon, sausages, polonies, viennas) and Kiddos, South Africa’s first pork products created specifically for children aged 3 to 13.

The Aurora International Taste Challenge, now in its eighth year, was established to recognise food and beverage excellence internationally and help consumers identify expertly rated products. The 2026 event brought food experts together in Stellenbosch. The South African Food and Beverage Awards, held in partnership with Aurora, recognise excellence within the local industry.

For Eskort, 12 awards across both competitions reinforce a promise the proudly South African brand has made for the last 109 years: quality you can trust, and the restless ambition to keep moving with the times.