Skooby and Elizabeth Schoeman are the proud owners of Laharna Farm Products, a Proudly South African product manufactured in Hammanshof, situated between Worcester and Villiersdorp in the Western Cape.
Skooby Schoeman left Zimbabwe for South Africa in 1985, and worked on various farms before he and his wife Elizabeth moved to Van Wyksdorp, and joined his sister in organic farming. During their stay the neighbouring olive farm became available, and they bought it. Skooby and Elizabeth built up their farm, constructed tunnels, and propagated Olive Trees. They decided to grow vegetables which they supplied to Pick n Pay and Woolworths, and at the same time Elizabeth engaged in marketing small quantities of olive products.
The olive farming was doing well, but they struggled to generate an income by farming with vegetables. They were subjected to a four hour journey to Cape Town, an overnight stop, and a four hour return journey once a week to deliver their fresh produce to various suppliers. In 2000 they engaged in producing different Olive Products with added value.
They established a niche market product and became the first pioneers in bottling smoked olives. Shortly thereafter Elizabeth became the first in making olive chutney and olive jam. It was not long before other olive producers followed suite with similar products, and the local market became saturated.
Elizabeth and Skooby decided it was time to expand their horizons and started marketing their olive products at farmers markets in Gauteng. Their business flourished, yet the expense in running a farm as well as travelling to the various markets throughout the country, negatively impacted their success.
In 2012 an Australian purchased the farm and they took up residency on a farm between Worcester and Villiersdorp. To them this was the best decision in a lifetime, not having the responsibility of running a farm while travelling the country to market their Olive products.  Their entire business adopted a different marketing approach. They had more time on hand to source high quality olives from olive producing estates in the Western Cape, escalate their production and penetrate a much larger segment of the market. Research and Development became their forte in the production of other products with added value.
These products include Olive Biltong, Smoked Olive Paste, Olive Pesto and Olive Paste flavoured with Basil, garlic, and almonds, Sweet Olive Chilli Sauce, Hot Olive Chilli Sauce, as well as a mixed herb Italian Rub saw the light, not to mention Extra Virgin Cold Press Olive Oil.
What makes Laharna Olive products so unique?
From the outset Elizabeth and Skooby decided to produce an Olive Product of quality by disregarding all methods toward fast-tracked commercial Olive production by shortcutting the process and placing olives in caustic soda for four weeks before it is bottled. To them an excellent Olive Product needs to be subjected to the old Greek technique, the organic natural method of preparing the Olive prior to bottling.
Laharna Farm place their olives for a period of eight to nine months in raw mined Namibian salt, not iodized, with no chemicals added and they use only natural grape vinegars. This method enhances the Olive quality; it washes the olives, takes the bitterness out and softens the Olive texture slightly. It is very important to Laharna that their olive products stay organic and maintain its health benefits to customers.
Products
Olives – The three olive pipped products are: Olives with Rosemary, Olives with Chilli and Lemon Olives packed in 1 Litre and 500ml tubs.
The stuffed garlic olives and smoked olives are both de-pipped. These products are packed in 250ml containers.
Olive Chutney – It is a very unique product with a flavour of its own and consist of olives with onions, apricots, vinegar, red peppers and mixed herbs.
Olive Jam – The jam is made from olives, lemon and sugar with Elizabeth’s own recipe.
Olive Biltong – This Vegetarian product’s tasty seasoning consists of dried olives, dried chilli and dried garlic – It is called olive biltong because it is made from dried olives.
Olive Paste – There are three products in this range: Olive Paste with chilli and garlic, Smoked Olive paste flavoured with chilli and garlic, and the Olive paste with Sundried tomato consisting of pickled Sundried tomato in a sweet and sour sauce, blended with olives.
Olive Dips – Olive Dips are available in 250ml glass jars.
The first product consists of an Olive Dip with chilli and garlic, while the second Olive Dip consists of an Olive Dip with honey and mustard.
An Olive Dip is a wonderful product when used to marinate meat. For a lovely olive flavoured dish, marinate meat or chicken for 2-3.
Olive dip can also be used as dips for chips and other snacks as well as on a cold meat sandwich, or even on a baked potato.
Honey mustard dip is delicious with cold meat, and the chilli and garlic dip can be used on salads or as a spread.
Other product in the Laharna Farm Product Range include: Olive pesto flavoured with basil and almonds, basil pesto, Chilli Sauce (Hot), Chilli Sauce (Sweet), Extra Virgin Gold Press Olive Oil and the mixed herbs Italian rub.
Awards
Various gold and silver awards were bestowed upon Laharna Farm Products –  Laharna Olives with Chilli, Laharna Lemon Olives, Laharna Olive Paste with chilli and garlic as well as the Laharna Smoked Olive paste flavoured with chilli and garlic, and the Laharna Olive Paste with Sundried tomato in a sweet and sour sauce.
Laharna Olive products are available in Guateng, Northern Cape, Namibia and the Western Cape with exhibitions at Homemakers Fair, Decorex, Good Food and Wine Show, as well as farmers markets in the Western Cape.
For more information contact Elizabeth on 079 092 0161 or 023 340 4035 or e-mail [email protected]