Rooibos tea drying in the sun

The red bush plant (rooibos in Afrikaans) is cultivated only in South Africa and produces a unique tea with a delicate vanilla aroma that is renowned worldwide for its quality and taste. Non-caffeinated, naturally sweet, and high in anti-oxidants, rooibos is known as the “long life” tea for its many beneficial properties. The Wupperthal Rooibos Tea Cooperative is a leader in rooibos production, being one of only two organizations in the world who produce rooibos tea that is both organic and fair trade certified. Most rooibos is grown on large estates, but the Wupperthal cooperative, together with its sister organization, the Heiveld Cooperative, supports small farmers and guarantees them a fair price for their harvest. 

The village of Wupperthal, located in the Cedarberg Mountains, a semi-arid landscape of high, rocky plateaus at the southern end of the Kalahari Desert, is a perfect spot for growing rooibos and has a compelling history. Wupperthal village was founded by German Moravian missionaries in the late 1800s and was one of the few places that blacks could find land and live freely. This region was also home to the Khoi-San people, who were indigenous to the area. The 170 small farmer members of the Wupperthal Rooibos Tea Cooperative are determined to preserve the culture of their ancestors. They have a  commitment to care for the land they live on, which includes the sustainable harvest of the rooibos tea.

SERRV has been supporting the small farmers of the Wupperthal Cooperative and enjoying their delicious rooibos tea since 2005.