Rooibos (redbush)

Introduction

  • Rooibos, Aspalathus linearis, is a natural herb found in the Cape fynbos biome. It is cultivated commercially mainly in the Cedarberg region north west of Cape Town. The plant thrives on coarse sandy soil and winter rainfall.
  • It is called rooibos (‘red bush’) or Red Tea because of its colour when dried. It has a refreshing flavour and sweetish aroma, is caffeine-free and lower in tannin than black and other teas. Its anti-allergy, antioxidant and antimutagenic properties make it a healthy alternative to most hot drinks.
  • Rooibos and honeybush teas (see separate page) and their health properties are valued in beverages, food flavourants, functional foods, nutraceuticals and cosmetics. Indeed, at one stage rooibos and honeybush had more than 300 trademarks and 20 patents to their names (Red Dawn IP Holdings, 2016).
  • Exports could be further developed through new value-added products while, as the website https://rooibos-route.co.za shows, agro-tourism also represents a development opportunity.

International business environment

  • Traditionally grown in South Africa, in the Cederberg mountains north of Cape Town, rooibos is today worth an estimated R600-million. South Africa began exporting the tea in 1904.
  • Rooibos’ popularity has greatly increased which led to companies abroad in America and France making audacious bids to trademark the name. After negotiations, South Africa won geographic indicator status giving rooibos tea manufacturers of South Africa which will have ownership of that particular name and that term will be applicable only to products that come from this country. (Geographic indicator status is enjoyed by the likes of champagne, Darjeeling tea and Colombian coffee).
  • The same trademark protection will apply to honeybush, another tea indigenous to the Cape region, and Karoo lamb. In turn Pretoria was forced to make a concession on feta cheese which has been protected since 2002.
Source: www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/28/rooibos-tea-trademark-awarded-south-africa-deal-eu

South Africa: imports and exports

Exports remain a cornerstone of the industry’s economic performance. Rooibos is exported to more than 50 international markets worldwide. In 2025, Rooibos exports passed the 10 000-ton milestone for the first time, reaching approximately 10 930 tons, up from around 5 900 tons in 2015.

Japan is the largest export market, accounting for 33% of total exports in 2025 with volumes of approximately 3 606 tons. While established markets, such as Germany, the Netherlands, UK and France continue to provide stability, newer markets, such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka and China are showing notable momentum.

Source: South African Rooibos Council (SARC), 2026.

For the newcomer

 

Rooibos seeds are sown between February to March and the seedlings transplanted a few months later. It takes about 18 months before plants can be harvested for the first time. Each spring the plant is covered with small yellow flowers. Each flower produces a small legume with a single seed inside. The Rooibos seeds pop out when they are ripe and can therefore be difficult to collect. Early Rooibos farmers got hold of the local wisdom that ants harvested the seeds and that they could collect Rooibos seeds from anthills. Today, most farmers collect the seeds by sifting the sand around the plants.

During the summer harvest, the plants are cut to about 30 cm from the ground. After three to five harvests, the Rooibos plantation must be re-established.

The harvested shoots are bound into sheaves and cut to less than 4 mm. The green leaves and stems are either bruised and “fermented” in heaps (to produce traditional Rooibos) or immediately dried to prevent oxidation (for green Rooibos). The “fermentation” process involves oxidation, brought about by enzymes naturally present in the plant. During this process the product changes from green to a deep amber colour and develops its distinctive aroma. After fermentation the Rooibos is spread out to dry in the sun.

The Rooibos is sorted and graded according to length, colour, flavour and aroma. All Rooibos, whether for domestic use or the export market, is steam pasteurized to ensure a product of high microbial quality. The product is then sent in bulk (loose tea leaves) to various packers and exporters in South Africa.

Source: https://sarooibos.co.za/faq/#toggle-id-6

Local business environment

Estimated production for 2025 is approximately 15 000 tons, down from 17 000 tons in 2023. With drought and heat stress affecting growing regions, the current season’s harvest cannot yet be reliably estimated.

Over the past two decades, annual production has fluctuated between 13 000 and 25 000 tons, showing both the resilience of the system and its sensitivity to climate variability. The combined local and international demand has remained relatively stable at around 18 000 tons per year, reinforcing industry consensus that sustainability, plant health and soil resilience must take precedence over volume-driven growth.

The industry-wide Access and Benefit Sharing agreement is the first of its kind globally. Between 2019 and 2024, R42.7 million was shared with Traditional Knowledge holders.

The SARC reports that the export sector now supports thousands of rural households, with small-scale farmers forming a critical part of the supply chain. Income generated through exports sustains communities in the semi-arid Cederberg region, supporting local processing and packaging enterprises.

Source: South African Rooibos Council (SARC), 2026.

National strategy and government contact

The European Commission registered rooibos in its lists of Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in 2021. It was the first African food to receive the status.

Of relevance is the Agricultural Product Standards Act: Regulations relating to Control of the Export of Processed Products. 

Role players

Business Listings

The following business listings are provided for informational purposes only. Agribook does not endorse or guarantee any of the listed businesses, their products, or services.

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Further reference:

Training and research

Websites and publications

Visit the websites listed earlier on this page.

  • Find Contributing to Conservation and Sustainable Use in the Rooibos Industry: A Practical Guide (September 2025). 
  • Handbook for Implementing Rooibos Sustainability Standards, compiled by the South African Rooibos Council (SARC) and the World Wildlife Fund’s GreenChoice Alliance. The book is available in English and Afrikaans from both organisations.
  • Find statistics and useful information on the SARC website at https://sarooibos.co.za.
  • Find the A Profile of the South African Rooibos Market Value Chain on the Department of Agriculture Directorate Marketing’s web pages at www.nda.gov.za. Also available on the same website, among the brochures, is Brochure rooibos tea.
  • “Market research on the organic and natural products and fynbos industry – with an emphasis on how to facilitate entry”, done for the Surplus People Project by Marianna Smith, includes a study of rooibos. Visit www.spp.org.za.
  • Find videos on YouTube like “The story of Rooibos – the production process” and “Why you should drink red bush tea”.
  • Find news of the DVDs Adapting to the wild side: Climate friendly rooibos and Everybody’s cup of tea – Living sustainably in a dry land at www.emg.org.za.

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