Rooibos tea grows in popularity as this year’s record breaking harvest ensures that demand will meet with supply.

Over 15,000 tons of Rooibos, which can only be grown in the Cederberg region in South Africa, has been harvested during 2007. This will enable Rooibos Ltd, the key supplier to companies in the UK, to replenish its reserve stock and prepare for a prosperous 2008.

It is a combination of good rainfall and the extra hectares planted during the last couple of years since 2003 that is behind the successful growth of crops this year.

Arend Redelinghuys, marketing manager at Rooibos Ltd comments,“Rooibos is growing in popularity all over the world, and with the increased importance being placed on health and lifestyle we fully expect this growth to continue. With the impressive crop we have seen this year we hope to be able to satisfy worldwide demand for Rooibos among our customer base and to fill the reserves in anticipation of busy and prosperous years ahead. Although a little early to make predictions, the rainfall to date has been excellent and the forecast is that the 2008 Rooibos harvest will outshine this year’s crop.

Black tea was once the only tea that British consumers chose to drink but times
are changing.Now the market is split into many categories. The speciality tea category, the fastest growing category, includes: herbal tea, fruit tea, medicinal team functional tea and flavoured tea.

Recent research from health specialists YorkTest shows that one in 20 people have an intolerance to caffeine, and with Britain drinking around 70 million cups of coffee a day, a naturally caffeine-free cup of Rooibos is looking like a healthy alternative. Rooibos is also rich in anti-oxidants and is said to have anti-carcinogenic properties. It also has the added advantage that it can be consumed with milk unlike most other herbal teas.

Jane Griffin, consultant nutritionist, says,“We are a tea-loving nation and as such Rooibos tea should have wide appeal and fit comfortably into our current lifestyles. Rooibos tea has many unique health benefits and really stands alone among teas.