Rooibos

The rooibos grows only in the south-west area of the South Africa and it needs a dry climate.
The San population knows and uses this plant since thousands of years to prepare the delicious rooibos drink.

field

Rooibos cultivation and production

Since 1995 the farmers cultivate rooibos according to the guideline of the organic agriculture. Once a year, the farmers collect the extremity of the bush; the leaves get cut and fermented: just like the process for black tea. Without this fermentation, the rooibos wouldn’t be red and wouldn’t have that typical, delicious taste.
The drying takes place under the sun first and then in a drier. To end up the process, the dried leaves got sifted.

The Heiveld farmers pick up the leaves by hand.

Rooibos content

The rooibos contains just a bit of tannin and no caffeine. It can be drank at night and it’s particularly healthy for children, too. A group of scientists of the University of the Orange Free State has analized all the ingredients of the plant and has discovered not only a lot of minerals and vitamin C, but also the flavonoids rutin and quercetin, substances that absorb free radicals.

Fair & Organic

Our partners of the Heiveld cooperative are certified FLO Fai Trade (Max Havelaar) and Naturland Fair.
The farmers receive a premium of Fr. 1.50/kg. Every year the respect of the guidelines of the fair trade commerce get verified.

The Heiveld cooperative

On January 2001, fourteen men and women of South Bokkeveld founded the Heiveld cooperative with a capital of 140 dollars. Solidarity, democratical structures and self-determination helped the farmers to protect themselves against the big rooibos plantations, which are their direct competitors.
The competitors possess enormous fields and a significant capital to mechanize the cultivations and they pay very low salaries to their employees.
The relationship with fair trade companies like Erboristi Lendi and the sales in South Africa have permitted a reasonable economic development to the cooperative. A part of the members has just little fields and the cooperative helps them offering a place in the making of the product.

Their confidence has growth at the same pace of the economic success. Women began to cultivate their own fields and now they can arrange their own money. Men and women work together and are also improving using pc and learning accounting.

For any further information, visit the website:
www.heiveld.co.za/

Fermentation process of the rooibos.

Preparation

Rooibos tea shows copper red shades and has a full-bodied, quite fruity taste. It is possible to prepare one liter of tea using three teaspoons of rooibos. It is necessary to leave it to infusion for 5 – 10 minutes and it can be enjoyed with milk or honey.

Flavouring

We do not use any seasoning – neither “natural” nor “nature-identical” substances – in order to give to the rooibos a new aromatic taste. Lemongrass, vanilla and essential oils offer us a lot of possibilities to create new flavours.

Our selection of Rooibos Havelaar quality:

Rooibush

The amazing, soft, fruity taste of South Africa.

Rooibos Vanilla

Rooibos flavoured with vanilla, particularly loved by children.

Rooibos Chai

Chai without caffeine. It contains rooibos, ginger, cardamom and pimiento.

Rooibos Cinnamon & Orange

Rooibos with orange peel and cinnamon. It’s very fruity.

Rooibos Cocoa Chilli

Rooibos with cocoa peel and a taste of chilli pepper.

1001 Night

The herbal infusion 1001 Night contains long pepper, rose petals, rooibos, lime flowers, verbena, honeybush, cinnamon, vanilla, calendula and cornflower petals.

Pocsi Peru

Rooibos Heiveld

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