Food Lover’s Market announced that Ecovado, a business producing avocado oil and a pride of the rural area from Dovheni village in Limpopo, has become the winner of the Seeds of Change 2026 enterprise development program.
The victory was achieved after ten social entrepreneurs completed a week-long intensive course in Cape Town and subsequently participated in an intensive day of presentations before a group of Food Lover’s Market managers and specialists. At the end of the presentation day, Fertile Ground, Gontse Selaokwe from All Day Jam, and Minnie Brink from Miracle Meel made it into the top three.
Ecovado was founded by the couple Hulisani Mabugana and Hulisani Mudau with the aim of solving a serious problem faced by many avocado-growing communities. In some areas of rural Limpopo, avocado trees grow almost in every home, which makes it difficult for small farmers to sell their fruit in the local market. Low-quality avocados that may not meet fresh market standards often remain without a sustainable sales channel.
Ecovado saw an opportunity to create value directly at the source, transforming South African avocados into high-quality oil and other innovative products. By processing avocados close to where they are grown, the company helps reduce waste, support local farmers, and create jobs for men and women in the village.
Hulisani Mabugana, co-founder of Ecovado, stated: “Ecovado is more than just a food business. It is a means of developing and empowering rural areas. 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 turn avocados into opportunities, prosperity, and long-term positive change.”
The Seeds of Change program 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. For Mabugana, being chosen as the 2026 winner was a personal achievement and a testament to what is possible for rural entrepreneurs.
Mabugana noted: “As an entrepreneur from a rural community, there are many obstacles to establishing a manufacturing business. This recognition confirms that our vision has value and potential. It instills hope in our rural community that their jobs are secure, and that more jobs can be created through this opportunity.”
The support includes mentorship, retail knowledge, and guidance on improving packaging, branding, quality systems, and consumer offering. It also means that Ecovado will soon be available in Food Lover’s Market stores. Andrew Wilson, Head of People and Sustainability at Food Lover’s Market, emphasized that Ecovado is an example of the type of business that Seeds of Change should support.
Wilson stated: “Seeds of Change aims to support entrepreneurs who build businesses with purpose and practical impact. Ecovado is a powerful example of how local food innovation can reduce waste, create opportunities for farmers, support rural production, and bring proud South African products closer to consumers. This is a type of enterprise development capable of changing lives far beyond the shelf.”
Food Lover’s Market will continue to monitor Ecovado’s development as the business works to become a more retail-ready supplier. Wilson added: “South Africa has incredible food entrepreneurs, many of whom operate in communities that are too often overlooked. Our role is to help open access, share retail knowledge, and give promising businesses a stronger foundation for growth. The story of Ecovado is a story of resilience, innovation, and opportunity, and we are proud to be part of its next chapter.”
