Rooibos lovers will be pleased to know that their favourite thirst-quencher is now more local and sustainable than ever. TopQualiTea, a proudly Cape Town business with links to the homonymous German rooibos importer, has launched a range of twelve flavoured rooibos teas that are both organic and Fairtrade certified. The rooibos is grown by a community of small-scale farmers located in the beautiful mountainous region of Wupperthal in the Cedarberg.
After water, tea is the most popular drink in the world, with approximately 15 000 cups being drunk per second. With trendy tea parlours popping up around the country this international favourite is set to continue to appeal to a younger, trendier crowd who demands quality associated with locality and sustainability. “For the first time South Africans can enjoy rooibos tea that is made, packed and sold locally, and that is grown according to the highest social and environmental standards”, comments Arianna Baldo, Business Manager of Fairtrade Label South Africa. “What’s more is that Fairtrade accreditation means that for every cup you drink, the small-scale farmers receive an additional sum of money to invest in their businesses and their communities. That’s an example of how we can all make Africa more equal and sustainable”.
TopQualiTea sources its organic and Fairtrade rooibos from the Wupperthal Original Rooibos Cooperative (WORC). The Wupperthal region’s economic viability largely depends on its agricultural sector, with 85% of its 2000-plus resident’s dependant on substance farming. “Without Fairtrade there was no future for us in rooibos farming in Wupperthal,” says Barend Salomo, managing director of WORC. “Poverty is widespread, especially among the outlying hamlets and homesteads surrounding the village. Fairtrade guarantees us a minimum price for our product that is substantially higher than the general market price. In fact, all of our customers currently pay us considerably more than the Fairtrade minimum price – about twice as much or more than the market price!,” explains Salomo. Besides the better and more stable income, WORC farmer members have invested the Fairtrade Development Premium in building a new tea court for cutting, fermenting and drying rooibos, and buying the requisite machinery, as well as in funding education for scholars and students.
“At TopQualiTea our guiding principles are that of quality of products, responsibility for the environment and fair trading, Fairtrade certification seemed a natural fit for us. We consider personal contact and direct trading with local producers a necessity in establishing successful trading relationships”, says Sönke Hobbensiefken Managing Director of TopQualiTea.
Currently in distribution across the country, the tea is available in 12 delicious flavours. From natural rooibos and all-time favourites like Vanilla and Chai, to the more exotic variants like Spicy orange or Honeybush and Buchu, this TopQualiTea range has something to suit all tastes. Tea connoisseurs around the country can help us grow a movement of conscious consumers by following us on Facebook and Twitter.
