Jacob du Plessis, from Vyeboom in Villiersdorp, was crowned the 2019 champion at the 9th annual Giant Pumpkin Festival in Heidelberg this weekend with a pumpkin weighing in at an astonishing 601.8 kg.

Two independent South African retailers have won the prestigious title of International Retailer of the Year (South Africa) at the 2019 IGA International Retailers of the Year awards.

Pick n Pay’s Enterprise and Supplier Development programme names its 2019 Small Supplier of the Year. Local mushroom farmer, Peter Nyathi, founder of Tropical Mushrooms, has been awarded Pick n Pay’s 2019 Small Supplier of the Year.

The results of the annual Sunday Times Top Brands survey were announced at an awards ceremony hosted at The Empire venue in Parktown, Johannesburg on Wednesday, 24 October, seeing two local companies excel as the overall winners in their sectors, and Ogilvy SA as top creative agency in support of winning brands.

Mom of two, Yvonne Blaauw from Wellington in the Western Cape, makes the best boerewors in South Africa.

The winners of the 2018/2019 Ask Afrika Icon Brands Awards were announced at a conference that took place at The Venue in Melrose Arch on 21 August 2018.

Local entrepreneur Portia Mngomezulu, founder of Portia M Skin Solutions, was awarded Pick n Pay’s 2018 Small Supplier of the Year award for her business’ exceptional growth performance and job creation.

Mthatha Convenience Store FreshStop at Caltex Fort Gale has been short-listed for the title of “best convenience store in the world” by a global association of fuel retailers and convenience stores – the only entrant from Africa in a line-up of 14 finalists from Australia, India and Europe.

The top performing brands in the 2018 Sunday Times Generation Next youth survey were announced at the highly anticipated Sunday Times Generation Next Awards that took place in Sandton. 

Engen has again been voted the “Coolest Petroleum Brand” in the Sunday Times Generation Next awards. This is the ninth consecutive year that South Africa’s youth have backed Engen, reaffirming the company’s uncontested brand leadership and market strength.

Shoprite and Checkers were awarded the Recycled Product of the Year at the 2018 PETCO Awards, the South African PET Recycling Company’sannual awards and the industry’s biggest celebration of recycling and waste management excellence.

Entries for the 2018 Championship Boerewors competition are now open. With a new competition structure in place, it is now even more accessible for those with a special recipe for traditional boerewors up their sleeves.