It’s time for Honeybush Tea to shine

It grows in a 100 km wide corridor along the Southern Cape coastline between Cape Town and Gqeberha (P.E.) and cannot be found anywhere else in the world! Due to the unique link between its limited geographical location and its specific characteristics, Honeybush is on the list to obtain Geographical Indication (GI) status, which would protect its unique name in a similar way as that of Champagne and Camembert.

The beneficial properties of Honeybush have been known for generations. Initially, it served as a refreshment and thirst quencher and was referred to as “Bergtee”. Today, research shows that Honeybush is so much more than just a cup of tea. It is filled with antioxidants and polyphenols that help boost the immune system and contribute to increased well-being.

Green, unfermented Honeybush tea shows levels of antioxidants matching those found in Japanese green tea. Honeybush, however, has the added advantage of being naturally caffeine-free. It also holds health benefits for people suffering from diabetes, obesity, and digestive problems. Young children drinking Honeybush tea benefit from developing healthier and stronger bones. Even toddlers enjoy it, as it takes away uncomfortable bloating and painful stomach cramps. The list of benefits is long, very long, and is best summarized by the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) in their “Fact Sheet on Honeybush Tea”

The name Honeybush is derived from the plant’s bright yellow flowers that smell of honey. The familiarity of honey is also distinct in the aroma of the cup infusion. Honeybush has a slightly sweet and flowery taste. Because of its smooth and subtle taste, it makes for great blends with vanilla and rose geranium. In summer, iced Honeybush tea is a healthy alternative to fizzy drinks and doesn’t need any added sugar because of its naturally sweet taste.

To the great benefit of the industry, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) with the support of the Department of Science and Innovation, has dedicated substantial resources to help improve the farming and processing methods of Honeybush. The industry is still young, passing its 20-year milestone in 2021. Nonetheless, it has made inroads into many international markets, specifically Germany and Japan.

Regrettably, it is often the case that premium South African products are exported before developing a strong, local market. It is, therefore, important to build a strong home-front that can carry its reputation and undisputable benefits across continents. Honeybush has got all the traits to stand its ground. Listening to tea lovers, they have long treasured the taste and benefits of Honeybush. Less familiar tea drinkers often compare it to Rooibos, another great South African tea that grows in more arid soils, north of Cape Town, and that has a smokey, woody taste. Honeybush has boldly stepped out of the shadow of Rooibos and is crafting its own identity.

The Honeybush industry supports hundreds of families across the value chain. Farmers and processors in the Southern Cape, packers, traders, and exporters are making a livelihood from working with Honeybush tea. An estimated 500 tons was exported last year, but little is known about the volume of Honeybush tea being sold in South Africa. It is available at many quaint farmstalls in the Southern Cape and specialized tea and health shops, but still needs to break ground with the larger retailers to be readily available to the broader public.

As more and more tea drinkers cherish a cup of Honeybush, it is just a matter of time for sales to follow suit, as most people who try Honeybush for the first time, thoroughly enjoy the distinctive taste.

Even though Honeybush has health benefits for everyone, there are two specific target groups that spark specific interest. Firstly, pregnant women together with their toddlers and young children. The tea is soothing to the digestive system, it has an abundance of antioxidants, polyphenols, and trace elements and it is naturally caffeine-free. Honeybush is also readily available as “organically certified” for extra ease of mind. Secondly, the vegan community is growing strongly in South Africa. Honeybush is sustainably harvested and processed, the origins of each batch of tea can be traced back to the farm that it came from and best of all, it’s undeniably local! Green (unfermented) Honeybush is literally just cut into tea-particle size, and then steam sterilized to prevent the oxidation process. This is the best of nature – in a cup.

The Cape Honeybush Tea Company Bay offers a range of Honeybush Tea products in its web shop, ranging from tea bags to organic loose-leaf tea and even Honeybush Green Tea with Mint in convenient Nespresso compatible tea capsules.

Visit www.capehoneybushtea.co.za

The company was established in 1998 and is one of the pioneers promoting sustainable cultivation of Honeybush tea. The purpose-built factory in Mossel Bay extracts hot air from its double-volume black roof, to dry the tea after fermentation, thereby reducing its ecological footprint. The factory also adheres to stringent FSSC22000 processing requirements and supplies EcoCert organic certified (EU, USDA, JAS) tea in bulk and in Private Label (OEM) packaging.

The Cape Honeybush Tea Company will participate in the upcoming Organic & Natural Products Expo Africa, at Wanderers, in October. We look forward to welcoming you at our exhibition and cordially invite you to indulge in a cup of our organic, homegrown Honeybush tea.

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