About Rooibos North America
Your first & finest since 1954
Who we are
Rooibos North America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rooibos Limited, South Africa’s oldest and largest producer of Rooibos and Honeybush.
We are your preferred, direct-from-origin North American supplier for unparalleled quality Rooibos, Honeybush, Rosehip and Lemon Myrtle products.
Our direct-to-customer strategy in North America is ideal in that it allows us access to an established complex supply chain process and ultimately results in minimization of added cost, significantly reduced lead times and seamless delivery.
This helps facilitate the building of genuine, long-term mutually beneficial relationships with our customers.
Whether you choose to bring in your own container or purchase through our well-stocked, newly established warehouse operations in Los Angeles, CA and Lorton, VA, you can rest assured of receiving an unrivaled level of service.
Our Management Team
Get to know us! Click each photo to learn more.
Hugh Lamond
President
Jackie Lamond
Sales and Marketing Manager
Martin Bergh
Managing Director
Arend Redelinghuys
Sales and Marketing Director
Liezel Slabber
Quality Assurance Manager
Olof Bergh
Operations Director
Johan Brand
Technical Manager
Our Values
Rooibos North America believes in building lasting relationships with all stakeholders in the value chain, from
our farmers all the way through to our clients, in a way that builds real value for everyone involved.
Accountability
Our employees are empowered to be self-reliant and innovative in their thinking and a flat management structure ensures that everyone has a voice. We also offer full traceability on all product back to source and, as a responsible business, hold FSSC22000 certification, giving peace of mind to clients that their products are processed to the highest possible standards.
Sustainability
We believe that the long-term health of the industry is beneficial to everyone in the Rooibos value chain. As such, we offer hands-on support to our farmers by providing research, technical assistance and advice, assistance with primary processing, guidance on various certifications and their processes/requirements, and much more. Our factories are also aimed towards a zero-waste culture, and we have one of the largest solar installations in Southern Africa to assist us in offsetting our carbon footprint.
Social Responsibility
Rooibos is produced in a tiny region with a small close-knit community, and we believe that the prosperity of the members is our prosperity too. As such, we provide the community with effective sports, academic and cultural initiatives which supports our philosophy that a healthy body houses a healthy mind.
Inter-connectedness
At Rooibos Ltd, we firmly believe that the success of one is the success of all and that we all have
one common goal – the long-term success of our singularly unique industry. This means that we
pride ourselves on building lasting relationships with all stakeholders in the Rooibos industry and
that these relationships are built on transparency, trust and mutual positive growth.
Excellence
As the oldest and largest processor in the world, Rooibos truly runs in our veins. Our knowledge is
built up over generations of people passionate about Rooibos. This, coupled with innovative thinking
and world-class quality standards, means that we remain on the forefront of developments in the
industry and that we are able to offer our clients what they need, when they need it and with
unmatched service levels that are a testament to the pride we take in our work.
Our Vision
To establish Rooibos internationally as a worldwide winner
Our Mission
The goal-directed enhancement of the production, processing and international marketing of unique Rooibos products and services for the benefit of all supportive stakeholders, with special reference to:
Our Experience
For over 70 years, Rooibos Limited has been a provider of a wide variety of products, designed to meet the needs of our customers. With our immense expertise and attention to detail, we have created and perfected our product range to ensure each client is getting the highest quality experience.
Production
Farming: Seed to Harvest
Farming begins with the careful cultivation of Rooibos from seed to harvest, involving meticulous processes starting with seedling nurseries where seeds are treated and sown, followed by transplanting at six months and nurturing in non-irrigated plantations for a life cycle of 4-5 years. Harvesting, predominantly by hand, occurs annually from February to April, encompassing both leaf and stem collection.
Processing: Beyond the Harvest
Upon harvest, the processing journey commences with primary processing involving cutting the leaves and stems finely, followed by fermenting/oxidizing through bruising, irrigation, aeration, and oxidation, culminating in sun-drying of the wet, red Rooibos. Secondary processing ensues with quality grading, screening, blending, steam pasteurization, and stringent quality control measures.
From Factory to Table
Moving from factory to table, Rooibos products are distributed through bulk sales to global manufacturers and packer-branders.
