Early Cape-Dutch settlers started drinking Rooibos tea as a cheaper alternative to expensive black tea from Europe. In 1772, European botanist, Carl Thunberg, visited the Cape to report on the Rooibos plant and its tea variant.
In 1904, Russian immigrant, Benjamin Ginsberg, recognised the potential of this unique tea and started trading with Rooibos tea, locally and internationally. This made him the first ever exporter of Rooibos and still today, the Ginsberg family continues to market Rooibos.
Revealing Rooibos Research
In the early 1900s, Dr Le Fras Nortier started researching the medicinal value and agricultural potential of Rooibos, since the doctor and nature-lover in him was drawn to this mysterious and aromatic tea. Still, the commercial growing of Rooibos only started in the 1930’s.
In 1968, Annique founder, Dr Annique Theron, put the spotlight on Rooibos with her claim that it soothed away her baby’s colic. She published a book on her findings called “Allergies: An Amazing Discovery” and continued to make huge strides in the promotion of the health benefits of Rooibos.
In the 1980’s Japanese and American scientists found a powerful and stable antioxidant called
superoxide dismutase in Rooibos tea. In 1995 Infruitec, a South African research company, as well as Dr Charlene Marais of the University of the Free State, found and verified that Rooibos tea did indeed have the following properties: