Rooibos Limited News
A beautiful pink bra, made almost entirely of used Rooibos tea bags, has been created by a leading lingerie brand to shine the spotlight on breast cancer which affects 1 in 27 women in South Africa. The bra – an initiative of the SA Rooibos Council (SARC), Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) and lingerie…
Rooibos Ltd was one of the sponsors of the 19th Annual General Meeting of the Tea Exporters Association (TEA) which took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 31 August 2018. A large number of participants including diplomats, senior government officials and tea trade members were present at the event. This was the second consecutive year…
Rooibos is one of South Africa’s most valued natural treasures. But how much do we really know about this home-grown tea? During Heritage Month in September, the SA Rooibos Council (SARC) embarked on a campaign to create greater public awareness of Rooibos. Here are some surprising facts about Rooibos: Every spring, the Rooibos bush is…
Martin Bergh, managing director of Rooibos Ltd, and Arend Redelinghuys, the company’s marketing director, visited Tharanga Cooray, Rooibos Ltd’s sales manager in Sri Lanka. Together, they paid a visit to Dilmah Teas and met its chairman, FJ Fernando. Headquartered in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Dilmah pioneered the concept of Single Origin Tea in 1988 when the…
The House of Rooibos in Clanwilliam is a chance to taste and smell Rooibos in all its shapes, colours and forms. This Independent Online article gives visitors an overview of the tearoom where you can enjoy Rooibos cappuccinos, cakes, muffins, light lunches and other treats – all made with Rooibos as ingredient. You can see what the shop looks…
Rooibos Ltd was the proud title sponsor of the first Rooibos2Muisbos MTB held in perfect weather on Saturday, 27 July 2019.
Voetspore is a documentary adventure series where a team of friends, led by Johan Badenhorst, undertake epic journeys throughout Africa. Filming their new television series, they decided to stop at House of Rooibos in Clanwilliam on their way to exciting new destinations.
Tea has been hash-tagged over 29 million times on Instagram alone, indicating that social media might have made Sunday Tea sessions cool again. According to the SA Rooibos Council, more than 23 million users spend about three hours on social media every day. The Innova Market Insights consumer study also found that one in ten…
Rooibos Ltd, together with our US agents DMH Ingredients, attended the 2019 World Tea Expo in Las Vegas.
Breast cancer is second most common cancer in women and men worldwide. For women of all races, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is 1 in 27. One way to protect ourselves is to make sure we get enough cancer-fighting antioxidants, like the antioxidants found in Rooibos. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The…
A tea room, shop and information centre dedicated to all things Rooibos – this is what the new House of Rooibos in Clanwilliam’s Voortrekker Street is all about. “The inspiration behind our House of Rooibos is to provide visitors with the best experience possible, an experience that is true to Clanwilliam,” says Gerda de Wet, Communication Manager at Rooibos…
In a recent survey, one-third of South Africans cited Rooibos tea among their top three colds and flu fighting strategies. A survey conducted by a leading health firm showed that South Africans’ first reaction to a cold is to take Vitamin C, get enough rest, and take Rooibos mixed with honey, lemon and/or ginger. But,…
TV magazine programme Pasella featured an insert on Clanwilliam and Rooibos. We are introduced to the beautiful town of Clanwilliam in the heart of Rooibos country. We are also shown how Rooibos is cultivated, and how to enjoy a cup of Rooibos combined with a slice of Rooibos-flavoured cheesecake. Watch video
On 26 April this year, the South African consulate in China proudly hosted a Freedom Day speaker and networking event in Shanghai, celebrating 25 years of democracy. We at Rooibos Ltd were honoured to co-sponsor the event by providing Rooibos gift packs to each of the 120 distinguished guests.
In May this year, Rooibos Ltd participated in the PLMA’s World of Private Label International Trade Show in Amsterdam.
The team from the Pasella lifestyle magazine show on TV visited Rooibos Ltd on National Rooibos Day for a viewer’s choice segment on Clanwilliam.
Indigenous Rooibos contains unique antioxidants and phytochemicals such as flavonoids and polyphenols which hold certain health benefits. To back these claims, the SA Rooibos Council (SARC) has made R4.5 million available for research on the ability of Rooibos to help reduce allergies, heart disease, diabetes and skin cancer. In South Africa alone, these diseases combined…
The South African Rooibos Council is investing in new research to better understand the plant’s health benefits. The Council has invested R4,5 million into studying claims that Rooibos reduces symptoms of allergies, heart disease, diabetes and skin cancer. Scientists will also investigate the impact of Rooibos on gut flora, and the extent to which it…
Who can cut the most Rooibos in 7 minutes? In the midst of the Rooibos harvesting season, the Olyfenboschkraal Agricultural Association in cooperation with Rooibos Route hosted a Rooibos cutting competition among its members.
Rooibos Ltd recently hosted a stand at Gulfood 2019 – the largest food and beverage trade show in the world.
More than 2 000 tonnes of Rooibos were shipped to Japan in 2018 – the largest consignment since this South African indigenous tea was first introduced to the Japanese market in the 1980s. Martin Bergh, chairperson of the SA Rooibos Council, says it has not been easy breaking into the Japanese market – one of…
The SA Rooibos Council has released figures showing how much consumers are currently paying per serving of their favourite drink based on average supermarket prices. The price per cup of black tea ranges from 20c to 45c, while Rooibos ranges from 40c to 60c, Green tea from 35c to 65c, Earl Grey from 60c to…
Disseminating information about the unique qualities of Rooibos is part of what Rooibos Ltd does.
The recent drought negatively impacted the production of Rooibos. As a result, the demand for Rooibos exceeded supply, and Rooibos prices increased. This influenced the domestic market where price sensitivity decreased the demand for Rooibos by 30% over the past three years. During the same period, the demand for Rooibos in Japan increased by 100%.…
Shipments of Rooibos to Japan – one of the world’s foremost tea-drinking countries – have grown significantly since introducing Rooibos to the Japanese market 35 years ago.
Consumer brands group AVI, the owner of household names such as Five Roses and Freshpak Rooibos, says its Rooibos input cost spiked 27% as a result of the local drought in 2017/18. With better rainfall last year, most product prices stabilised somewhat – except for Rooibos. The same box of 80 teabags still costs R54.…
Rooibos is still one of the most affordable beverages amidst rising food prices, the VAT increase and inflation. According to the SA Rooibos Council, “Hot drinks, which includes tea, coffee and other speciality drinks, only saw an inflationary increase of 4.8% in comparison to cold drinks which rose by 7%.” Rooibos, in particular, offers great…
China’s first Rooibos Experience Bar has been opened at the Royce Hotel in Shenzhen’s Nanshan district. Visitors are encouraged to come on over and experience a range of Rooibos cocktails and flavoured teas.
In May this year, Gerda de Wet, Communication Manager at Rooibos Ltd, visited Lechitel in Bulgaria.
National Rooibos Day on 16 January is about celebrating Rooibos, and raising awareness of the health benefits and uses of this indigenous South African product. The date – 16 January – coincides with the birthdate of Benjamin Ginsberg (born in 1885), who played a major role in the establishment of the Rooibos industry. Ginsberg is…
Visitors from far and wide have recently visited Rooibos Ltd in Clanwilliam to learn more about the product and the processes used to produce Rooibos tea and Rooibos extracts, and about our rigorous quality control measures. These visitors will now be able to tell the Rooibos story based on first-hand experience: Dilmah: Anudini Liyanage, manager…
Nicholas Quenet from Stellenbosch University won the men’s triathlon in the 32nd Freshpak Fitness Festival on 29 September.
On 4 September 2018, Rooibos Ltd arranged a study group meeting for producers to share knowledge and discuss industry trends. This formed part of the company’s producer liaison programme. For the first session, the producers gathered at Swartboskraal Boerdery near Graafwater in the Sandveld where they learnt more about the advantages and challenges of planting…
This blog on the MyKitchen website provides a beautiful overview of the Rooibos story – from how it became part of the tea-drinking culture in the Cederberg region during the 19th century to finding ways to germinate Rooibos seeds in the 1930s. Rooibos is produced from the plant Aspalathus linearis, a shrub unique to the Cederberg Mountains around…
There is a direct relationship between the strength of an organisation and the well-being of the community in which it operates. Rooibos Limited has its roots in the Clanwilliam community. As part of its social responsibility programme, the company supports the community through its involvement in educational projects, community events and sporting activities. Gerda de…
Winter is often characterised by unsettled weather, a lack of sunshine, colds and flu, and reduced physical activity. Any combination of these factors can upset the body’s equilibrium. This can lead to indigestion, joint pain, dehydration, a sluggish metabolism, high blood pressure, depression, and lingering colds and flu. This is where a cup of hot…
On 27 April 2018, the South African Embassy in Thailand celebrated Freedom Day at the Conrad Hotel in Bangkok, using the event to also promote South African food and wine – which included Rooibos – to guests during the reception. The event was attended by guests from government departments, embassies, trade associations, Thai and Foreign…
In May this year, the world’s biggest coffee shop chain, Starbucks, introduced two Rooibos Lattes as part of its spring menu in the UK. The “luxurious” Rooibos Lattes – Rooibos Tea Latte and Red Apple Rooibos Tea Latte – were launched at 950 stores across the UK, which has one of the biggest tea-drinking markets…
The future of the Rooibos industry depends to a large extent on the sustainable production of healthy seedlings. Realising this, Rooibos Ltd organised an exploratory workshop where the five biggest Rooibos seedling growers could share information about terrain and soil selection, soil preparation, fertilisers, the planting season, planting density and the challenges of seedling nurseries.…
Corli Botha, the new Face of Rooibos 2018, comes with credentials. She is the 2016 winner of Koekedoor, a popular baking competition on television, and she has published her first cookbook, Corli se Kombuis. She was elected by die organisers of National Rooibos Day to represent the Rooibos industry and to promote awareness – locally and…
On 15 March this year, a Rooibos activation programme was hosted at the Regent Hotel, Beijing, to increase the awareness and uptake of Rooibos in the Chinese market. The overall objective was to increase the volume of value-added South African exported products to the Chinese market. On the guest list were members of the Chinese…
Who would have thought that purses made from used Rooibos tea bags would become a fashion accessory in Paris? Gracious Dube (33), originally from Zimbabwe and now living in Cape Town, said she stumbled upon the idea while drinking a cup of Rooibos. To make the purses, she starts off by drying and ironing about…
In April this year, Rooibos Ltd exhibited at FHA 2018 in Singapore, which is Asia’s most influential international food and hospitality trade event.
From Rooibos smoothies, iced teas and tea blends to red wine, gin, beer, biltong and skincare products – these were some of the treats that visitors to the popular Root44 market could taste.
Visitors from countries as far afield as Turkey, Russia, the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands recently visited Rooibos Ltd in Clanwilliam for a first-hand experience of what indigenous Rooibos is all about. Among the visitors were film crews producing inserts on Rooibos. Says Gerda de Wet, Communication Manager at Rooibos Ltd, “These visits present…
Next to water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world with around 2 billion people sipping on the brew per day. Rooibos is becoming one of the fastest-growing beverages in the drinks market globally, says Ernest du Toit from the SA Rooibos Council. If both export and local volumes were sold and…
Clanwilliam’s Rooibos Route allows people to experience Rooibos first-hand. This route was established by two sisters, Sanet Stander and Marietjie Smit, who also run the Rooibos Teahouse. Today, visitors can taste Rooibos dishes at various restaurants, stay over on Rooibos farms, watch presentations at Rooibos Ltd, enjoy salon treatments with Rooibos products, shop for Rooibos…
In South Africa, school children are often exposed to the risk of sunburn as a result of schools lacking sun protection policies. Local research has shown that sunburn in children significantly increases the risk of developing skin cancer and melanomas – the deadliest form of skin cancer – later in life. Research has also shown…
AMW Boerdery on the farm Jakkalsvlei southwest of Clanwilliam produces up to 470 kg/ha of Rooibos a year. Wimpie Smit, co-owner of the farm, credits the results to sound production management which includes soil preparation, crop rotation and rigorous weed management, and of course favourable climatic conditions. According to Smit, the way in which the…
Kieran van Zyl has been appointed as Rooibos Ltd’s representative in Greater China to help develop the Chinese market to its full potential and to focus on enhanced service delivery to this market. Kieran has spent the past four years in China, studying Mandarin and facilitating fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) partnerships between Chinese and foreign…
Did you know that the early Dutch settlers started drinking Rooibos in the late 17th century as an alternative to the more expensive black tea? Did you know that Rooibos is low in tannins, caffeine-free and rich in antioxidants? Read this article to find out more about Rooibos.
In October this year, Hannes van der Merwe from the farm Rietvlei received the Cecil Bergh Floating Trophy for the Rooibos Ltd Producer of the Year 2017. The HC Ginsberg Floating Trophy for the Top Rooibos Sample went to Buks Marais from Kleinvlei while the Clanwilliam Cooperative Tea Company Floating Trophy went to Rooibos Ltd’s…
Ask any South African to name an iconic South African product, and Rooibos tea will almost certainly be among their top three. Proudly South African is delighted to announce that Rooibos Ltd, the preferred supplier of Rooibos to the food, beverage, healthcare and cosmetics industries, is now officially a Proudly South African member company. Cited…
The Sri Lankan tea industry is celebrating the 150 years of Ceylon tea this year. The Tea Exporters Association (TEA) in Sri Lanka used its Annual General Meeting to celebrate this milestone and invited Rooibos Ltd’s Sales Manager in Sri Lanka, Tharanga Cooray, to attend the prestigious event. The AGM, which included a formal dinner,…
On Tuesday, 16 January 2018 National Rooibos Day was celebrated at various establishments in and around Clanwilliam – the Rooibos capital of the world. Rooibos Ltd, which has been supplying Rooibos to clients all over the world since 1954, hosted a special event for its employees and visitors. “National Rooibos Day is about acknowledging this…
Rooibos contains antioxidants and compounds that can help people cope with the impact of stress on their health. When free radicals cause oxidation, they damage the healthy cells which could hinder one’s ability to learn and retain information. Rooibos counters this by reducing the effect of oxidative by-products in neural pathways, thereby stimulating concentration. This…
Scientists claim that internationally, sperm counts have halved over the past 50 years, with close to 20% of men between the ages of 18 and 25 having sperm counts defined as abnormal. A recent study conducted on rats by the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) found that rats on…
Researchers say South Africans sleep around six hours a night, which is not enough and which is considered a major public health concern as it costs the economy billions as a result of lost productivity and car accidents while also leading to health complications such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. A study by…
In South Africa, deaths related to heart disease are expected to rise by 41% in the next 13 years, ways the South African Rooibos Council. The biggest risk factor is high blood pressure, which affects one in three adults. Drinking Rooibos has been identified as one means of prevention because Rooibos contains compounds proven to…
Thorough planning, proper management and better training of workers. This, says Hannes van der Merwe from Rietvlei near Clanwilliam, is what it takes to achieve success in an environment characterised by high fuel costs, seasonal workers, severe drought and climate change. He is Rooibos Ltd’s Producer for the Year 2017. Read his story, which was…
