In this newsletter, we look at how to make the most of your trip to Clanwilliam if you plan to pop into town this Flower Season. Read more about what House of Rooibos has to offer, and learn more about an interesting app that can help you to make the most of your flower exploration.

We also celebrate our loyal employees by awarding long-service awards to those employees who have shown their unwavering dedication to Rooibos Limited and our mission as a company over the years.

Furthermore, we bring you news about how Rooibos is changing the craft beer industry. Find out why Rooibos is being favoured in the beer community below.

All this and more below! 

Every spring, from about mid-August to October, the Cederberg and Namaqualand regions of South Africa celebrate the annual Flower Season. During this period, tourists flock to towns such as Clanwilliam to sight rare and beautiful flowers all across the region.

Rooibos Limited is excited to welcome visitors to House of Rooibos - our bespoke Rooibos product shop located at the Rooibos Country Club. During the Flower Season, House of Rooibos will also feature a pop-up restaurant, making it a must-stop destination for travellers coming through Clanwilliam.

Click here to read more.

If you are planning on visiting Clanwilliam or any of our surrounding towns this Flower Season, we’ve found an app that will make your trip so much more insightful!

Download Clanflora from the Google Play Store! This unique app makes it easy to identify wild flowers, while giving you interesting information on the particular plant you are viewing.

Click here to read more. 

This past Friday (August 4) was International Beer Day, when lovers of the brew from around the globe flocked to pubs and breweries to enjoy a cold one.

Beer is arguably the world’s most beloved drink. The British drink theirs warm, Americans drink theirs ice-cold and South Africans like it chilled…

Our nation consumes roughly 34.47 million hectolitres (hl) of ale annually, which makes us the world’s 12th largest beer consuming nation. 

But the way we drink beer is evolving. Once dominated by mass-produced lagers, the market has evolved into a dynamic landscape brimming with craft breweries, innovative flavours and a burgeoning consumer base.

To cater to diverse consumer preferences, breweries have pushed the boundaries of flavour innovation. Spices, fruit and herbal tisanes, like Rooibos, have found their way into beer recipes, resulting in intriguing blends that reflect the country’s rich culinary heritage. 

Click here to read more. 

Photo: Mariaan Smuts 

Rooibos Limited is proud to work with a team of highly dedicated individuals who all unite behind our mission as a company. This year, we have awarded the below long-service awards to certain members of our team.

First Quarter Awards: 

Sixteen of Rooibos Ltd's employees received recognition for long service on Monday, April 3.

Giel Cloete, Stock Operator has 5 years of service at Rooibos Ltd.

The following workers have 10 years of service at Rooibos Ltd.: 

Heinrich Brandt, Fundile Gcwabe, Marius Maarman, Anele Magidela, Siyabulela Magidela, Ivan Mentoor, Divan Ockhuis, Willem Tieties, Petrus Vermeulen and Petrus Zimri are all employed as Processing Operators, Johannes Goeieman and Tseko Mkhetso as General Workers at Processing and Eden Syster as Inventory Controller.

Elrenda Bailey, Administrative Officer and Netaneel Hesselman, Grader, have 15 years of service behind them.

Second and third quarter awards:

Ten of Rooibos Ltd's employees received recognition for long service on Wednesday, July 19.

Geritza Gey van Pittius, Product Specialist has 5 years of service at Rooibos Ltd.

The following workers have 10 years of service at Rooibos Ltd.: 
Randal Oktober and Valaithuba Dofi are employed as Processing Operators, Elize Bothma as Operational Administrative Officer and Amor Venter as Public Liaison Officer.

The following workers have 20 years of service at Rooibos Ltd.: 

Rohan Goeieman, Christopher Maarman, Christiaan Swartz and Daniel Zimri are employed as Processing Operators and Ricardo Beukes as Floor Manager, Secondary Processing.

Photo: Mariaan Smuts

Despite the destruction that heavy rain and floods have caused to large parts of the Cederberg in recent weeks, Rooibos fields remain largely intact. 

The road to Citrusdal, often described as the gateway to the Rooibos valley, had been washed away by torrential rain, leaving many residents stranded with no access into or out of the village for days. 

Martin Bergh, chairperson of the SA Rooibos Council (SARC), says they haven’t had any damage reports on Rooibos fields yet, save some nurseries that suffered losses. 

“Typical rainfall for the Rooibos production area is 200 to 600 mm per year. June has been very wet, and most areas are approaching their full year average.

He says while winter typically marks the start of the Rooibos planting season, as it requires good soil moisture for germination and regular follow up rains to flourish, farmers have to time it right. 

Click here to read more.