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 unique plant. Rooibos is found nowhere else in the world but in the small Cederberg region of South Africa. Yet, it has created a global market that continues to grow every year,” says Gerda de Wet, Communication Manager at Rooibos Ltd.
The award-winning riel dance group the Nuwe Graskoue Trappers entertained guests and staff at Rooibos Ltd’s premises in Clanwilliam. Rooibos enthusiasts were encouraged to wear red to show their support, and Rooibos Ltd’s staff did so proudly. Staff members then enjoyed refreshing Rooibos iced tea under the warm Cederberg sun and discussed new advances planned for the industry in the 2018. Rooibos Ltd’s factory shop ran a special promotion on its popular one litre powdered Rooibos iced tea sachets.
National Rooibos Day coincides with the birthdate of Benjamin Ginsberg, founder of the Rooibos industry. Ginsberg, a young Russian immigrant, joined his tea trader father on the farm Rondegat in the Clanwilliam district in 1904. He is credited with first curing the leaves of the Rooibos plant by letting them ferment in barrels and opening the first commercial trade of Rooibos with local farmers.
“Rooibos’ popularity far exceeds that of a simple beverage. The plant is being used as popular ingredient in cocktails and dishes around the world and as an agent in beauty products,” De Wet says. “That, along with Rooibos’ proven efficacy as both a cancer and type 2 diabetes combatant, confirms the potential the plant holds for both humankind and the South African economy.”
Visit Rooibos Ltd’s website (www.rooibosltd.co.za) to find out more about Rooibos as well as our online shop (www.shop.rooibosltd.co.za) to order products from our interesting range. Also follow Rooibos Ltd on Facebook (@RooibosLtd), Twitter (@RooibosLimited) and Instagram (@rooiboslimited).
See more feedback from National Rooibos Day in Afrikaans.
