When six products enter two respected taste competitions and every single one comes home with an award, it is more than a good result.
For Eskort, it is a statement about consistency.
The South African pork producer has secured 12 awards across the 2026 Aurora International Taste Challenge and the South African Food & Beverage Awards, with all six products entered receiving recognition at both competitions.
Five products earned Double Gold at both events, while the sixth received Gold at both.
Not one product missed out.
Six products. Two competitions. Twelve awards.
The winning line-up reflects the different ways South Africans enjoy pork, from bold braai flavours to convenient everyday meals and premium deli favourites.
Leading the charge are the Creamy Pepper Loin Chops, which earned Double Gold at both competitions. The product pairs tender pork steaks with a rich, velvety pepper sauce.
Then there are the Jalapeño Twisters, which bring heat to a familiar favourite. Jalapeño poppers are wrapped in Eskort streaky bacon for a combination designed to deliver both spice and smoky flavour.
The Pork Prego Steak also earned Double Gold at both events. The flame-grilled favourite draws on Portuguese-inspired flavours for a punchier take on pork.
Two premium deli products completed the Double Gold haul: Premium Sliced Gammon and Premium Sliced Pork Pastrami.
The sixth product, the Pepperoni Griller, earned Gold at both competitions. With its smoky character and distinctive seasoning, it is positioned as a product made for the braai.
Why the recognition matters
For Eskort CEO Arnold Prinsloo, the results go beyond medals.
He says the products demonstrate how the company is expanding the role pork can play in South African kitchens.
That includes quick weekday meals, lunchboxes, weekend braais and special occasions.
“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.
He adds that the recognition reflects the work of teams across the business, from consumer insight and product development to flavour, quality and convenience.
The consistency is perhaps the biggest takeaway.
A single award can highlight an exceptional product. Six products receiving recognition at two separate competitions tells a broader story about the company’s approach to innovation.
“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,” says Prinsloo.
109 years of reinvention
The latest awards also form part of a much longer Eskort story.
The company was founded 109 years ago in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal. Since then, it has built a broad portfolio that now includes more than 300 products.
Its range covers fresh pork, braai cuts, convenience products and familiar staples such as bacon, sausages, polonies and viennas.
It also includes Kiddos, described by Eskort as South Africa’s first pork products created specifically for children aged three to 13.
Behind that range is an operation that includes farms meeting rigorous biosecurity standards, alongside factories combining established expertise with modern food technology and food-safety practices.
The result is a brand that has continued to evolve while maintaining its focus on pork.
From Estcourt to the taste awards
The Aurora International Taste Challenge is now in its eighth year. The competition was established to recognise food and beverage excellence internationally and help consumers identify products that have been rated by food experts.
The 2026 event brought food experts together in Stellenbosch.
The South African Food & Beverage Awards, held in partnership with Aurora, recognise excellence within the South African food industry.
For Eskort, performing strongly across both competitions gives the latest achievement added weight.
Six products entered.
Six products were recognised.
Five secured Double Gold at both events.
One secured Gold at both.
And behind the numbers is a distinctly South African food story: a 109-year-old brand continuing to experiment with flavour, format and convenience while remaining rooted in the way people eat.
For Eskort, the message is clear — quality may be the foundation, but staying relevant means never standing still.
